PROMPT: Contrast Milton's portrayal of happiness/contentment/pleasure in L'Allegro and Il Penseroso. In what does this state consist in each of the two poems? How do their representations resemble one another? How are they different? Are they compatible? Why or why not? As always, be sure to use plenty of specific details from the texts.
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At first look L'Allegro and Il Penseroso seem to be contrasting poems, the first about happiness/contentment/pleasure and the second about melancholy/sadness/displeasure. However, these poems are instead both about happiness and more specifically, the path one should take to contentment.
In L'Allegro, true joy is portrayed as opposite from melancholy. The opening lines state, "Hence loathed Melancholy...born...Mongst horrid shapes, and shrieks, and sights unholy." Later, the speaker says of the graces born of Zephyr and Aurora, "So buxom, blithe, and debonair./ Haste thee nymph, and bring with thee/ Jest and youthful Jollity." Melancholy is presented as worthy of loathing. The speaker also portrays Melancholy as foreign, scary, and evil. "Mongst horrid shapes, and shrieks, and sights unholy" the reader can imagine demons, murderers, and goblins. Thus, Melancholy is linked to all images and figures are unsightly and should be avoided and feared. This link occurs early in the poem, in lines 1-5.
In Il Penseroso, lines 1-5 read, "Hence vain deluding joys,/ The brood of Folly without father bred./ How little you bestead,/ Or fill the fixed mind with all your toys;/ Dwell in some idle brain." In the same way that L'Allegro presents melancholy in a negative light before moving on to an embrace of joy, Il Penseroso rejects joy as the product of delusion and folly. To this speaker, joyfullness is not a true state, rather joys are "likest hovering dreams" that trick people into believing they posess a contentment. But, the speaker says, people who believe this have idle minds. Line 12 begins, "Hail, divinest Melancholy,/ Whose saintly visage is too bright/ To hit the sense of human sight; And therefore to our weaker view,/ O'erlaid with black, staid Wisdom's hue." These lines express the speaker's view of Melancholy as the greater emotion. It seems the speaker nearly worships Melancholy, seeing it as divine-like. Much like a view of God or God's love for humans as beyond the comprehension of the human mind, this speaker believes that Melancholy is also often beyond comprehension. This speaker would certainly say that it is this inability to see the worth in melancholy that causes the speaker of L'Allegro to view Melancholy as evil or scary. But, for the speaker in Il Penseroso, Melancholy is the one pathway to wisdom, and without embracing Melancholy, one will dwell without wisdom in false happiness.
The two portrayals of the way to contentment contrast greatly. L'Allegro seems to present a view that centers on involvement with other people in a carefree state. The poem reads, "Mirth, admit me of thy crew/ To live with her and live with thee,/ In unreproved pleasures free;" Towards the middle of the poem, the speaker describes scenes including multiple persons and seems to find his joy in these scenes. He says, "...the plowman near at hand...And the milkmaid singeth blithe, and the mower whets his scythe...Straight mine eye hath caught new pleasures...Where Corydon and Thyrsis met, Are at their savory dinner set...Which the neat-handed Phyllis dresses...To many a youth and many a maid, Dancing in the checkered shade; And young and old come forth to play..." These are all very social scenes where people enjoy each other while engaging in their daily duties or pastimes. This speaker seems to be saying that happiness comes from having fun and trying to move on from sorrow quickly.
One can imagine that the speaker of Il Penseroso would respond to the speaker of L'Allegro by saying his interactions with others are just a distraction from his true feelings. The speaker of Il Penseroso relies on a more introspective path to contentment. He advises, "Forget thyself to marble, till/ With a sad leaden downward cast,/ Thou fix them on the earth as fast./ And join with thee calm Peace and Quiet...But first, and chiefest, with thee bring,/ Him that yon soars on golden wing,/ Guiding the fiery-wheeled throne,/ The cherub Contemplation/ And the mute Silence hist along...Sweet bird that shunn'st the noise of folly,/ Most musical, most melancholy!"
This speaker's path to contentment is one that, unlike L'Allegro's speaker does not rely on anyone else. Instead of feeling like this speaker is taking part in jollity to reach contentment, the reader sees that he is instead removing himself from such things in order to observe the world and concentrate on how he truly feels about that world.
Because these two portrayals of contentment are so different, they are not compatible. As stated before, they are contrasting paths to a similar destination. But, it is also apparent that although the desired destination is contentment, each speaker sees his own state as more true than the others'. The speaker of L'Allegro chooses social exchange, the embrace of lighter subjects, and the rejection of melancholy ones as his path to happiness. But, the speaker of Il Penseroso sees the path to contentment as one that must embrace melancholic emotional states, instead of ignoring or overcoming them.
Monday, December 04, 2006
Blog 2 Week #7: A DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE SOUL AND BODY
"A Dialogue Between the Soul and Body" illustrates classic conflicts that a person has within themselves. The poem explains each person as multifaceted. A person has both a body and a soul, which are often in conflict. By positioning Soul and Body as separate characters involved in a verbal exchange Marvell further reveals the conflicts that can take place between one's physical and mental/emotional/spiritual side. Both Soul and Body are, in a way, prisoner to each other because they are inseparable. Both have the interest of themselves as the main concern, yet they cannot separate what happens to one from what happens to the other. The reader is able to acknowledge through this poem the extreme measures one often takes to either preserve their body or their soul. But, according to the dialogue that takes place in this poem, it seems that a glorification or preservation of the soul results in fatigue of the body and vice versa. So, this poem also presents a conundrum of sorts and raises the question, "is one are or portion of a person more important than another?"
prompt 2 for week 6. LOVE'S ALCHEMY
John Donne's poem, "Love's Alchemy," says in lines 3-12 read,
I have loved, and got, and told,
But should I love, get, tell, till I were old,
I should not find that hidden mystery;
O' tis imposture all:
And as no chemic yet elixer got,
But glorifies his pregnant pot,
If by the way to him befall
Some odiferous thing, or medicinal;
so lovers dream a rich and long delight,
But get a winter-seeming summer's night.
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I really adore this portion of the poem because by comparing the illusiveness of love to the impossibility of alchemy Donne draws a concrete example for the reader. For the poet in "Love's Alchemy," happiness in love remains a complete mystery. He describes love relationships as imposters, similar to chemics who search to create gold. These chemics put all their faith and hope into their "pregnant pots," hoping to find happiness and riches. But, the poet states, no matter what the chemic's elixer, he cannot create gold. The poet seems to believe that, similarly, people place their faith in romantic relationships hoping to find true love, but instead are left with a "elixer" that fails to be the right potion.
This poem raises an interesting point when it reads, "so lovers dream a rich and long delight, /
But get a winter-seeming summer's night." It reflects the idea that people enter into relationships to find love, and while in the relationship they dream for the perfect harmony of being "in love." Instead of just being lovers, lovers want to be in love. Instead of enjoying a relationship for it's simplicity, fun, etcetera, couple's inevitably feel the weight of finding the person that will "complete them," be "the one," and cure all there past hurt from other relationships. But, just like the chemic who lacks the right potion, this poet is pointing out that most relationships do not end up being "the real thing," no matter how deeply the people involved want it to be.
I have loved, and got, and told,
But should I love, get, tell, till I were old,
I should not find that hidden mystery;
O' tis imposture all:
And as no chemic yet elixer got,
But glorifies his pregnant pot,
If by the way to him befall
Some odiferous thing, or medicinal;
so lovers dream a rich and long delight,
But get a winter-seeming summer's night.
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I really adore this portion of the poem because by comparing the illusiveness of love to the impossibility of alchemy Donne draws a concrete example for the reader. For the poet in "Love's Alchemy," happiness in love remains a complete mystery. He describes love relationships as imposters, similar to chemics who search to create gold. These chemics put all their faith and hope into their "pregnant pots," hoping to find happiness and riches. But, the poet states, no matter what the chemic's elixer, he cannot create gold. The poet seems to believe that, similarly, people place their faith in romantic relationships hoping to find true love, but instead are left with a "elixer" that fails to be the right potion.
This poem raises an interesting point when it reads, "so lovers dream a rich and long delight, /
But get a winter-seeming summer's night." It reflects the idea that people enter into relationships to find love, and while in the relationship they dream for the perfect harmony of being "in love." Instead of just being lovers, lovers want to be in love. Instead of enjoying a relationship for it's simplicity, fun, etcetera, couple's inevitably feel the weight of finding the person that will "complete them," be "the one," and cure all there past hurt from other relationships. But, just like the chemic who lacks the right potion, this poet is pointing out that most relationships do not end up being "the real thing," no matter how deeply the people involved want it to be.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
On Giles & Joan
On Giles and Joan seems to be representative of the writing style and subject matter of the Cavalier poets. This poem is packed with humor because of its very subject matter, and although the poem makes an astute observation about the discrepancy between happiness in marriage and “getting along” with one’s partner, it does so in a manner that maintains lightheartedness. While this poem definitely incorporates humor, it also raises questions about what the relationship between married parties should be.
Giles and Joan agree on their dislike for each other and the malcontent of their marriage. In this way, they get along. But, although the poet presents Giles and Joan as having a humorously discontented relationship, he brings up some rather serious subjects. Apparently, Joan’s children do not belong to Giles and the married couple cannot stand the site of each other. It would seem that to an outsider Giles and Joan have a decent marriage even though they despise each other. Thus this poem raises questions about the true nature of marriage and joy in marriage.
prompt for The Twelfth Night
If music be the food of love, play on,
Give me excess of it that, surfeiting,
The appetite may sicken and so die.
That strain again, it had a dying fall.
O, it came o’er my ear like the sweet sound
That breathes upon a bank of violets,
Stealing and giving odor. Enough, no more,
‘Tis not so sweet now as it was before.
[music ceases]
O spirit of love, how quick and fresh art thou
That, notwithstanding thy capacity
Receiveth as the sea, naught enters there,
Of what validity and pitch so e’er,
But falls into abatement and low price
Even in a minute! So full of shapes is fancy
That it alone is high fantastical.
As a stand alone piece of text this soliloquy works to point out the ever-changing character of love. Orsino uses natural images to lend visual context to the explanation of this abstract concept. Furthermore, the playing of music and the ceasing of it allow the reader to further connect the words of Orsino with something that appeals to their senses. Orsino describes the strain of music as having a dying cadence, starting strong and then progressively getting weaker. Orsino is obviously comparing the lessening strength of the music with the progression of love. Orsino further illuminates this theme by describing wind blowing over violets. While the wind “breathes” over the flowers it simultaneously yields fragrance while also taking the scent from the violets. Both these references, music and flowers, seem pleasing to Orsino at first, but then come to not be “as sweet” as they were before. Similarly, love begins with the near intoxication of infatuation but lessens with length of time. Further, the comparison between flowers and love can be taken further. Flowers are often connected with youth and youthfulness. A flower is in bloom for a time, during which it is beautiful, fragrant, and enjoyable. But, when a flower begins to wilt it loses both its beauty and pleasing smell. In the same way, love is often short lived and once love begins to fade it seems nearly putrid to dejected lovers. Orsino continues to use natural images by referring to the tides. Love, as the ocean, both asks for and is willing to receive a great amount. But, like the ebbing of tides, love also decreases after time. This comparison of love to tides is also interesting because tides continue to come and go. Therefore, although Orsino seems to be pointing to the way love can end quickly, he also may be saying that even when love seems to be ending it may return, just as high tide does.
When placed into the context of The Twelfth Night, Orsino’s soliloquy has similar meaning to its stand alone value. However, because this play is so full of confusion in relationships and characters who are constantly seeking the attention and recognition of those they love, the meanings are strengthened. Through reading the play, the reader receives an illustration of the ideas asserted by Orsino. Just as the tides ebb and flow, the relationships and connections between each of the characters also strengthen, weaken, and change. Furthermore, the reader is able to see how easily the characters fall in love with one another, fall out of love, and in love with someone else. Thus, placing Orsino’s soliloquy into the framework of the play does not lend a different meaning to the reading. Instead, placing Orsino’s words within the play’s context strengthens Orsino’s images and themes.
Friday, October 06, 2006
Sonnet #1: Astrophil & Stella
Loving in truth, and fain in verse my love to show,
That the dear She might take some pleasure of my pain,
Pleasure might cause her read, reading might make her know,
knowledge might pity win, and pity grace obtain,
These are the first four lines of Sidney's first Astrophil & Stella sonnet. I have heard this sonnet many times before and have always liked it. What I think is significant about this sonnet is the willingness on the part of the speaker to do what is needed to obtain the favor of the woman he loves. He is willing to embrace his pain and to be pitied in order to obtain her grace. In an odd way, the reader can also see a reflection of interaction between God and a human. (Bare with me here, I know this is abstract) A surface reading of this poem most definately yields the interpretation that the speaker is seeking earthly romantic love and affection from a woman, which he tries to obtain by delighting her with his writing skills, ultimately realizing that it is not his intellect that will bring him favor in her eyes, but his true feelings from his heart. However, the word choice in this poem also reflect the struggle of a man who is searching for salvation. If we think of "my verse" as actions instead of written words one can assume that the speaker is attempting to obtain salvation or God's "grace" through his actions here on Earth. Salvation from God is often referred to as God's grace or mercy. Thus, the speaker is attempting to please God through his works. As the speaker toils on Earth attempting to please God, he hopes that God will see his hard work, pity him, and grant him salvation. If God is therefore the muse for the speaker's actions on Earth, the statement "look in thy heart and write" would be a statement to the speaker directly from God. Instead of an urging from a woman to a man to accurately write of his love for her, this statement can be interpreted as an urging from God for the man to open his heart to receive true salvation. Thus, this poem can be read as a gospel message. Although one's efforts here on Earth to do "good works" and to please God through one's actions are admirable, all one must really do to become "saved" is open their heart to God.
That the dear She might take some pleasure of my pain,
Pleasure might cause her read, reading might make her know,
knowledge might pity win, and pity grace obtain,
These are the first four lines of Sidney's first Astrophil & Stella sonnet. I have heard this sonnet many times before and have always liked it. What I think is significant about this sonnet is the willingness on the part of the speaker to do what is needed to obtain the favor of the woman he loves. He is willing to embrace his pain and to be pitied in order to obtain her grace. In an odd way, the reader can also see a reflection of interaction between God and a human. (Bare with me here, I know this is abstract) A surface reading of this poem most definately yields the interpretation that the speaker is seeking earthly romantic love and affection from a woman, which he tries to obtain by delighting her with his writing skills, ultimately realizing that it is not his intellect that will bring him favor in her eyes, but his true feelings from his heart. However, the word choice in this poem also reflect the struggle of a man who is searching for salvation. If we think of "my verse" as actions instead of written words one can assume that the speaker is attempting to obtain salvation or God's "grace" through his actions here on Earth. Salvation from God is often referred to as God's grace or mercy. Thus, the speaker is attempting to please God through his works. As the speaker toils on Earth attempting to please God, he hopes that God will see his hard work, pity him, and grant him salvation. If God is therefore the muse for the speaker's actions on Earth, the statement "look in thy heart and write" would be a statement to the speaker directly from God. Instead of an urging from a woman to a man to accurately write of his love for her, this statement can be interpreted as an urging from God for the man to open his heart to receive true salvation. Thus, this poem can be read as a gospel message. Although one's efforts here on Earth to do "good works" and to please God through one's actions are admirable, all one must really do to become "saved" is open their heart to God.
writing prompt for love poetry week 2
In small groups during class my group concentrated on sonnet #5 from Sidney's Astrophil & Stella sonnets. I think my group came up with a lot of really great analysis about the poem. During our classtime I noticed, in particular, one portion of the sonnet that yields multiple meanings. The second quatrain reads,
"It is most true, what we call Cupid's dart/ An image is, which for ourselves we carve;/ And, fools, adore in the temple of our heart,/ Till that good god make church and churchman starve."
I think this particular quatrain is interesting. In it, Sidney describes earthly romantic love. Sidney dedicates the first four lines to a description of virtue, which he says should rule. The four lines following the description of earthly love describe heavenly love, one that should transcend earthly romantic feelings for Christians. Sidney's address of three types of love in one poem lend to the reader's ability to see multiple meanings throughout the poem's text. Here, I will concentrate only on the portion of this sonnet that speaks of Astrophil's earthly love for Stella. When the speaker points to "what we call Cupid's dart" it is easy to see that he is pointing to a distinctly human interpretation of love. He then refers to love as "an image" which is "carved" or created for oneself by oneself, or created for humanity by humanity. The speaker says that love is created, instead of that it exists outside of human control. Thus, one analysis of this passage would be that love is a social construction, and therefore is not real. The speaker affirms that although earthly love is a creation of earthly beings, it entices real feelings from people, causing us to "adore in the temple of our heart." He also asserts that submitting to this false constructed love makes fools of humanity, since, instead, they should be embracing the heavenly love that, unlike earthly love, is immortal.
A second or alternate interpretation of this passage is that the speaker is equating earthly love to a violation of the first and second commandments which are (1) Thou shalt have no other gods before me [Jesus] and (2) you shall not make for yourself an idol. In line 6 the speaker refers to love directly as a carven image. Furthermore, Christians often speak of their bodies and hearts as "temples," in which Jesus resides, and which should not be polluted by the worshipping of false idols or delighting in lust. Referencing these ideas suggest that to embrace earthly love is to deny God's true love and to instead idolize our own, temporary, created love.
"It is most true, what we call Cupid's dart/ An image is, which for ourselves we carve;/ And, fools, adore in the temple of our heart,/ Till that good god make church and churchman starve."
I think this particular quatrain is interesting. In it, Sidney describes earthly romantic love. Sidney dedicates the first four lines to a description of virtue, which he says should rule. The four lines following the description of earthly love describe heavenly love, one that should transcend earthly romantic feelings for Christians. Sidney's address of three types of love in one poem lend to the reader's ability to see multiple meanings throughout the poem's text. Here, I will concentrate only on the portion of this sonnet that speaks of Astrophil's earthly love for Stella. When the speaker points to "what we call Cupid's dart" it is easy to see that he is pointing to a distinctly human interpretation of love. He then refers to love as "an image" which is "carved" or created for oneself by oneself, or created for humanity by humanity. The speaker says that love is created, instead of that it exists outside of human control. Thus, one analysis of this passage would be that love is a social construction, and therefore is not real. The speaker affirms that although earthly love is a creation of earthly beings, it entices real feelings from people, causing us to "adore in the temple of our heart." He also asserts that submitting to this false constructed love makes fools of humanity, since, instead, they should be embracing the heavenly love that, unlike earthly love, is immortal.
A second or alternate interpretation of this passage is that the speaker is equating earthly love to a violation of the first and second commandments which are (1) Thou shalt have no other gods before me [Jesus] and (2) you shall not make for yourself an idol. In line 6 the speaker refers to love directly as a carven image. Furthermore, Christians often speak of their bodies and hearts as "temples," in which Jesus resides, and which should not be polluted by the worshipping of false idols or delighting in lust. Referencing these ideas suggest that to embrace earthly love is to deny God's true love and to instead idolize our own, temporary, created love.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Farewell, Love
Wyatt’s “Farewell, Love” presents a quite pessimistic view of what love is. In each line the speaker characterizes love in a different way, each of which reveals an equally negative view. The text of the poem reads
Farewell, Love, and all thy laws forever,
Thy baited hooks shall tangle me no more;
Senec and Plato call me from thy lore
To perfect wealth my wit for to endeavor.
In blind error when I did persever,
Thy sharp repulse, that pricketh aye so sore,
Hath taught me to set in trifles no store,
And ‘scape forth since liberty is lever.
Therefore farewell, go trouble younger heart,
And in me claim no more authority;
With idle youth go use thy property,
And thereon spend thy many brittle darts.
For hitherto though I have lost all my time,
Me lusteth no longer rotten bows to climb.
In the first line the speaker rejects love by saying “farewell” to it forever. Not only does he say goodbye to Love, but the speaker also rejects Love’s “laws.” To suggest that Love has laws defies the idea of this abstraction as fanciful and pleasant. Instead, the reader is forced to see Love as having structure, boundaries, rules, and restrictions. The next line characterizes Love as a dangerous beast with hooks. The fact that the hooks “tangle” the speaker shows that, in his view, Love is confusing and easy to get caught up in. The next two lines suggest that to submit to Love is to be witless. Thus the speaker characterizes Love as something that should be reserved for uneducated idiots, and that those who sharpen their minds will not be dumb enough to fall prey to it. Lines five and six continue the speaker’s negative analysis by saying that Love repels, instead of embraces the speaker. No matter how hard the speaker “persevered” to obtain Love, it was always beyond his reach. Furthermore, the speaker suggests that Love’s rejection of him never ceased to be hurtful. In the next line the speaker says that Love is a trifle. According to the Oxford English dictionary a trifle is, “a false or idle tale told to deceive, cheat, or befool.” By describing Love as a trifle, the speaker asserts that it is almost evil because it aims to deceive and harm. Line eight continues by suggesting that to submit to love is to lose freedom. Thus, according to the speaker, Love makes people into slaves. The next four lines suggest that the speaker feels he is too old, and possibly too emotionally tired, to be bothered by love. He says that Love is for young people who still have the strength to sustain the troubles that Love inflicts. Furthermore, Love is given a weapon by the speaker to inflict pain on those who are struck by its’ arrows.
Wyatt’s poem definitely represents the most negative view of Love I have seen in awhile. What I think is most interesting about this poem, though, is that each line has within it a different evaluation of the danger and uselessness of Love.
Sonnet 61
Michael Drayton's sonnet number sixty-one, on first look, seems to be a sonnet about the ease with which love can be ended. However, a more careful reading of this sonnet reveals that it may in fact have the opposite meaning. One key word of this text, "vows," illuminates the speaker's true feelings about the difficulty of losing or ending a love affair.
Drayton begins his sonnet by having the speaker assert his joy at having the relationship end. The speaker then goes on to describe how easily the love affair will be done away with by saying, "Shake hands forever, cancel all our vows,/and when we meet again,/ Be it not seen in either of our brows/ That we one jot of former love retain." The word "vows" stands out as the key word of this poem and one which reveals the speaker's true feelings. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a vow is "a solemn promise made to God..." A vow inherently cannot be broken because it is a promise to one’s maker. The fact that the speaker and his lover have made vows to each other reveals the seriousness of their relationship. Usually, a vow is considered to bind one person to another for eternity or until one of the persons in the relationship dies. So, even though the speaker may desire a simple end to his relationship, the existence of a vow between these two lovers suggests that an easy “canceling” of their promises will not be possible.
Later in the poem the idea that freeing himself will not be as easy as the speaker first suggests is confirmed when he says that Love is gasping his last breath, Passion’s pulse is failing, and Faith is near death. Although the speaker desires for the vows made in the relationship to be easily broken, it is simply impossible. In order for the separation of the lovers to occur, Love, Passion, and Faith, the sustaining matter of their connection must perish with the relationship.
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Pride is excessive belief in one's own abilities that interferes with the individual's recognition of the grace of God. It has been called the sin from which all others arise. Pride is also known as Vanity.
Envy is the desire for others' traits, status, abilities, or situation.
Gluttony is an inordinate desire to consume more than that which one requires.
Lust is an inordinate craving for the pleasures of the body.
Anger is manifested in the individual who spurns love and opts instead for fury. It is also known as Wrath.
Greed is the desire for material wealth or gain, ignoring the realm of the spiritual. It is also called Avarice or Covetousness.
Sloth is the avoidance of physical or spiritual work.
(www.deadlysins.com)
In Canto 4 six counsellours are described. They are Idleness, Gluttony, Lechery, Avarice. Envie, and Wrath. According to the descriptions of each, they seem to reflect the seven deadly sins, minus one. I took the definitions of each of the deadly sins and listed them above. By comparing these definitions with the descriptions of the counselors it seems that pride is the sin that remains unmentioned. This made me think of your analysis of the story that you presented in class and in your blog about the possible critique that occurs of Elizabeth’s prideful decision not to marry through Spenser’s description of Lucifera. At first, I was confused by the seeming absence of Pride as one of Lucifera’s counselors. Now, however, if your assumption is right, Lucifera herself may be left as encompassing pride, and thus Pride is not one of her counselors. What do you think?
I also thought the passages describing the counselors were quite interesting, specifically in light of which animals were chosen for each counselor to be placed on. However, I am only going to discuss the first, Idleness or Sloth, who is placed on a slow and unattractive animal, the donkey. However, the donkey is often pointed to in the Bible as a common method of travel for biblical characters. Idleness carries a prayerbook with him, further illuminating the similarities between this character and a biblical one. Thus, Idleness not only rides on an animal that may exhibit similar behavior to him, but he also seems to make a mockery of the Bible by wearing a habit, carrying a prayerbook, and traveling on a donkey.
Envy is the desire for others' traits, status, abilities, or situation.
Gluttony is an inordinate desire to consume more than that which one requires.
Lust is an inordinate craving for the pleasures of the body.
Anger is manifested in the individual who spurns love and opts instead for fury. It is also known as Wrath.
Greed is the desire for material wealth or gain, ignoring the realm of the spiritual. It is also called Avarice or Covetousness.
Sloth is the avoidance of physical or spiritual work.
(www.deadlysins.com)
In Canto 4 six counsellours are described. They are Idleness, Gluttony, Lechery, Avarice. Envie, and Wrath. According to the descriptions of each, they seem to reflect the seven deadly sins, minus one. I took the definitions of each of the deadly sins and listed them above. By comparing these definitions with the descriptions of the counselors it seems that pride is the sin that remains unmentioned. This made me think of your analysis of the story that you presented in class and in your blog about the possible critique that occurs of Elizabeth’s prideful decision not to marry through Spenser’s description of Lucifera. At first, I was confused by the seeming absence of Pride as one of Lucifera’s counselors. Now, however, if your assumption is right, Lucifera herself may be left as encompassing pride, and thus Pride is not one of her counselors. What do you think?
I also thought the passages describing the counselors were quite interesting, specifically in light of which animals were chosen for each counselor to be placed on. However, I am only going to discuss the first, Idleness or Sloth, who is placed on a slow and unattractive animal, the donkey. However, the donkey is often pointed to in the Bible as a common method of travel for biblical characters. Idleness carries a prayerbook with him, further illuminating the similarities between this character and a biblical one. Thus, Idleness not only rides on an animal that may exhibit similar behavior to him, but he also seems to make a mockery of the Bible by wearing a habit, carrying a prayerbook, and traveling on a donkey.
assigned blog pg 728 stanza 37 canto 1
“Then choosing out a few words most horrible
(let none them read), thereof did verses frame,
With which and other spelles like terrible,
He bade awake blacke Plutoes grisly Dame,
And cursed heaven, and spake reproachful shame
Of highest God, the lord of life and light
A bold bad man, that dared to call by name
Great Gorgon, prince of darkness and dead night,
At which Cocytus quakes and Styx is put to flight.”
I chose this stanza not just because it portrays a pivotal part of the story line of The Faerie Queen, but because I think it reveals one of the most interesting characteristics of this text, the existence of both allegory as well as mythical allusions.
On a literal level, this stanza tells about the cursing of the knight by the man whom they meet in the forest. Through a spell, the old man hopes to awaken spirits that will trouble the knight’s dreams. As he speaks this spell, he calls to Gorgon, the originator of all the “Gods,” and he also curses heaven and the Christian God who is referred to as “the Lord of light and life.” A word by word, or perhaps phrase by phrase, translation of this stanza would read as follows:
Then he chose out the most horrible words in existance
(which I won’t reproduce here)
And with these words and some other terrible spells
He tried to awaken Proserpine, the patron of witchcraftand cursed heaven and God, the lord of life and light.
He was a bold and bad man since he could call
Gorgon, the first and greatest of all gods (and the opposite of the lord of light and light)
Who is so powerful that the rivers tremble at his presence.
One thing I found interesting about this portion of the text is that Spenser not only points to both Christian images and Mythical representations, but that he also seems to affirm the existence of both. As a reader of this text, I expected any mythical mentioning to either be argued against or destroyed by the Christian God or another heavenly creature. Instead, mythical and evil creatures are given the power to influence and control outcomes in the story. I found it amazing that Spenser, in a single stanza affirmed the reality of a Christian God, but instead of placing Satan in the usual role of “prince of darkness” Gorgon was used in this role, creating an odd contrast between a supposedly all-powerful God, and the supposedly all powerful progenitor of God(s). Spenser succeeds in making this stanza a point of foreshadowing and conflict. An obvious conflict exists between good and evil, illuminated by the contrast between the “Lord of life and light” and the “Prince of darknesse and dead night.” This stanza is also the point at which mythical spirits are first called into the story. If the old man succeeds in calling forth the spirits, the rest of the story will undoubtedly be altered.
Spenser uses a few literary devises to strengthen the power of this particular stanza. This stanza is meant to affect the reader by fully demonstrating how powerful the spirits that are being called forth are and to make the scene seem ominous. First he invokes hyperbole by saying the old man utters “words most horrible.” Next, Spenser refers to Proserpine, not by name, but as “blacke Plutoes grisly Dame” Instead of calling Prosperpine by name, Spenser alludes to Pluto, the God of the underworld who captured Proserpine to live in the underworld with him. The image of “blacke Pluto” causes the reader to imagine an evil villain of the underworld. The word “grisly” calls forth an image, not of a person, but of a beast. To do so urges the reader to regard Proserpine as a dirtied and savage animal of the underworld, which as one might imagine, would be a quite frightening image for the eighteenth century reader to call to mind. Spenser also uses Metonymy when he says “He…cursed heaven.” While the man did not literally curse the heavens, clouds, sun, light, and air, he cursed all heavenly beings. So, as he calls to the underworld, he is portrayed as an even more despicable character because he commits a sacrilege by speaking against the Christian God. A final effective use of language is the personification of the rivers Styx and Cocytus which “shake” and are “put to flight.” This specific personification has an interesting effect because it makes the reader feel how truly powerful Gorgon is. Not only is he the Prince of darkness, but he is so powerful that he can cause inanimate objects to shiver in fear.
(let none them read), thereof did verses frame,
With which and other spelles like terrible,
He bade awake blacke Plutoes grisly Dame,
And cursed heaven, and spake reproachful shame
Of highest God, the lord of life and light
A bold bad man, that dared to call by name
Great Gorgon, prince of darkness and dead night,
At which Cocytus quakes and Styx is put to flight.”
I chose this stanza not just because it portrays a pivotal part of the story line of The Faerie Queen, but because I think it reveals one of the most interesting characteristics of this text, the existence of both allegory as well as mythical allusions.
On a literal level, this stanza tells about the cursing of the knight by the man whom they meet in the forest. Through a spell, the old man hopes to awaken spirits that will trouble the knight’s dreams. As he speaks this spell, he calls to Gorgon, the originator of all the “Gods,” and he also curses heaven and the Christian God who is referred to as “the Lord of light and life.” A word by word, or perhaps phrase by phrase, translation of this stanza would read as follows:
Then he chose out the most horrible words in existance
(which I won’t reproduce here)
And with these words and some other terrible spells
He tried to awaken Proserpine, the patron of witchcraftand cursed heaven and God, the lord of life and light.
He was a bold and bad man since he could call
Gorgon, the first and greatest of all gods (and the opposite of the lord of light and light)
Who is so powerful that the rivers tremble at his presence.
One thing I found interesting about this portion of the text is that Spenser not only points to both Christian images and Mythical representations, but that he also seems to affirm the existence of both. As a reader of this text, I expected any mythical mentioning to either be argued against or destroyed by the Christian God or another heavenly creature. Instead, mythical and evil creatures are given the power to influence and control outcomes in the story. I found it amazing that Spenser, in a single stanza affirmed the reality of a Christian God, but instead of placing Satan in the usual role of “prince of darkness” Gorgon was used in this role, creating an odd contrast between a supposedly all-powerful God, and the supposedly all powerful progenitor of God(s). Spenser succeeds in making this stanza a point of foreshadowing and conflict. An obvious conflict exists between good and evil, illuminated by the contrast between the “Lord of life and light” and the “Prince of darknesse and dead night.” This stanza is also the point at which mythical spirits are first called into the story. If the old man succeeds in calling forth the spirits, the rest of the story will undoubtedly be altered.
Spenser uses a few literary devises to strengthen the power of this particular stanza. This stanza is meant to affect the reader by fully demonstrating how powerful the spirits that are being called forth are and to make the scene seem ominous. First he invokes hyperbole by saying the old man utters “words most horrible.” Next, Spenser refers to Proserpine, not by name, but as “blacke Plutoes grisly Dame” Instead of calling Prosperpine by name, Spenser alludes to Pluto, the God of the underworld who captured Proserpine to live in the underworld with him. The image of “blacke Pluto” causes the reader to imagine an evil villain of the underworld. The word “grisly” calls forth an image, not of a person, but of a beast. To do so urges the reader to regard Proserpine as a dirtied and savage animal of the underworld, which as one might imagine, would be a quite frightening image for the eighteenth century reader to call to mind. Spenser also uses Metonymy when he says “He…cursed heaven.” While the man did not literally curse the heavens, clouds, sun, light, and air, he cursed all heavenly beings. So, as he calls to the underworld, he is portrayed as an even more despicable character because he commits a sacrilege by speaking against the Christian God. A final effective use of language is the personification of the rivers Styx and Cocytus which “shake” and are “put to flight.” This specific personification has an interesting effect because it makes the reader feel how truly powerful Gorgon is. Not only is he the Prince of darkness, but he is so powerful that he can cause inanimate objects to shiver in fear.
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Everyman
Everyman reminded me of a church pageant play or a “fire and brimstone” sermon. I could imagine a zealous minister telling the story of Everyman to his congregation and urging them to repent before it’s “too late.” I’m still getting used to the personification of abstractions, because as I’m reading I have to remind myself the connotations associated with words like “good.” I think by personifying Knowledge and Good Deeds Everyman proves much more meaningful because the reader can feel directly connected to these characters.
I noticed Everyman seemed similar in some respects to children’s stories or Bible fables in that it is relatively simple. The moral of the story is much clearer than anything else we have read thus far this semester. Everyman urges the reader to live righteously on a daily basis. Because most (if not all) people will not be able to predict or determine when they will die, the Medieval audience of Everyman would be convicted to live in a way that would bring them to heaven.
I have read Everyman once before for another class and, unfortunately it was not any more enjoyable the second time around. The play seems drawn out to me. After the first few pages, I kind of get the point and feel over reading it. Reading this play the second time did help clarify some of the language that was difficult to understand the first time. But, I could definitely live without reading this play a third time.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Christ's Humanity--Pier's Plowman
I read through this text much more quickly than I navigated through The Canterbury Tales in Middle English. I can understand how comprehension of the 18th passus would be difficult without a thorough understanding of the crucifixion story. I think it would have been a good idea to take the actual Biblical text of the crucifixion and paired it with Langland’s dream version to see how the two were similar and different.
Another interesting use of personification is found on page 361 when Righteousness argues to Peace that those who dwell in Hell will not be saved. He says, “…their pain will be perpetual and no prayer should help them…” while Peace argues, “Love who is my lover sent letters to tell me that my sister Mercy and I shall save mankind.” I thought it was interesting that Langland seems to frame spiritual conflicts around interactions between personified emotions or other abstractions. The conversations between Peace and Righteousness seem to remove the reader from seeing Salvation as a gift from God, and cause them to instead feel that the abstractions hold power over heaven and hell. Maybe this was just my reading though.
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Wife of Bath
The Wife of Bath's tale was interesting to me when compared to the Miller's tale because it seemed to have a much stronger purpose and voice, and its moral was much easier to comprehend. While the Miller's tale was told by a drunkard and seemed fragmented and purposeless, the Wife of Bath's tale was far more cohesive. Since the tale's moral seems to follow the idea that a woman should have the power in a marriage it reflected the headstrong and modern opinions of the Wife. Her willingness to present her opinions and argue for their validity was surprising. Also, this strength of demeanor paired with her rather lightly told story present an interesting contrast. The Wife of Bath also seems to articulate views unusual for an eighteenth century women. For example, she argues that marriage and procreation (even/especially) multiple marriages are not biblically forbidden.
However, I think the tale also reflects some features of the time period in which it was written. Take for example the ending of the story. The young man, who has previously raped a woman and shown an inability to see any beauty in an elderly woman, still ends up with what he wants, a beautiful girl. So, although he concedes to his wife by allowing her to dominate the marriage, he really has not lost anything. This fact was frustrating to me.
I also found it strange that the setting was so...childlike. But, I think the fact that the story seems like a fairytale is important. The Wife of Bath is showing how she thinks the ideal marriage should end up. Thus, fairies and a fair maiden, and "happily ever after" seem to fit in well. I think the contrast between what the typical idea of a Walt Disney fairytale and the actual content of the Wife's tale is quite humorous. But, the actual ideas about how women should be the stronger counterparts in a marriage reflect her earlier demeanor when speaking to the group.
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