English 381

Gulliver’s Travels, by Johnathan Swift begins with Gulliver landing in Lilliput, a strange land where he is a giant, surrounded by tiny people. Though he begins as a prisoner, he is soon exalted as a colossus. In one memorable scene, he has the tiny army parade beneath his straddled legs and makes a special effort to point out how they admire his enormity. It does not take a big stretch to insert Freud’s ideas on the make preoccupation with size and manhood here. Gulliver then becomes a military hero when he helps the Lilliputians defeat the enemy empire of Blefuscu by carrying away their warships. In this passage, Gulliver abandons all modesty and makes sure the reader knows how great his achievement is. “…and thus armed went on boldly with my work in spite of the enemy’s arrows;…..and with great ease drew fifty of the enemy’s largest men-of-war after me.” (Swift, 2348.) Gulliver is self -important and has a glorified image of himself. This has much to do with the fact that he is not intelligent enough to have the gift of introspection, and thus must always see himself through other observers’ eyes. In Book 1, Gulliver can only see himself from the Lilliputian point of view, which is as a powerful giant. Therefore, Gulliver exalts himself and leaves Lilliput and Blefuscu thinking himself a great figure worthy of worship and admiration.

In Book 2, Gulliver arrives in the nation of Brobdingnag where everyone else is a giant and he is the small diminutive novelty. One would think that he would become much more humble in this situation, but he does not. Instead, he is given the best treatment and is not ridiculed, but is again a source of admiration and wonder. He is given a box to live in and is the personal entertainer of the queen. Instead, Gulliver once again exalts himself by boasting of his achievements in slaying rats and wasps. Though being the smallest individual in the land, Gulliver still finds a way to make himself seem more important than everyone else.

In Book 4 of Gulliver’s Travels, Gulliver finally seems to have learned some humility. This is because his arrival in Houyhnhnmland is not due to some accident like the first two incidences, but because his crew committed mutiny and stranded him. For the first time, Gulliver sees that he is not all that great. Now, because his experience begins with human treachery, Gulliver is finally able to look at himself and more importantly, the entire human race, and stack them up against the noble Houyhnhnms. He becomes disgusted with the culture and society he originated from and instead tries to become one of the Houyhnhnms. This is the first time that Gulliver has tried to assimilate into the culture of a new land. In his two other adventures, he still thought that humans were the greatest race on earth and thus did not feel compelled to fit into other different ways of life. In his experience with the mutiny of his crew, Gulliver finally sees that he is not worthy of exaltation and is able to become more humble and self-aware. He finally transforms into a wise human being.

Aemilia Lanyer’s “Eve’s Apology in Defense of Women” is in no way a feminist work, and though it may not be Lanyer’s intention, the work hurts women more than it helps them. Instead of giving explanations of Eve’s fall which led to the fall of mankind, Lanyer makes excuses using Eve’s mental impotence as a defense. This is a poor strategy in that she merely makes women seem more weak and incapable in the eyes of men and therefore less likely to be taken seriously. On line 71 Lanyer emphasizes that Eve’s “weakness did the serpent’s words obey” instead of leaving all the blame on Satan. Later on in the poem she makes the point that men (specifically Pontius Pilate) have committed much greater sins and should be punished because they should know better, what with the supposed superior knowledge God has bestowed upon them. Though this is an attack on men, it is still a slap in the face to women.

This backhanded compliment clears women of blame, but only by pointing out their ignorance and weakness. Should this be considered a victory for Eve’s ancestors? Even at the  end of the poem where we learn that Pilate’s wife has had a prophetic dream which warns him not to murder Christ, women are still devalued. “Witness, thy wife, O Pilate, speaks for all, Who did but dream” (lines 90-91.) Here, her feelings are “but” a dream. That is the same as saying “only” a dream, as in not to be taken seriously. However, it is more than likely that if a man had such a dream, it would be obeyed instantly. We can see all throughout this poem that Eve and all women are only to be excused because of their weakness and that men deserve blame not because of their ill treatment of women, but because they are more intelligent and powerful and should know better. Aemilia Lanyer attempts to defend women in her poem but instead just proves man’s beliefs that women are too weak and stupid to truly atone for their sins.

In Spenser’s The Faerie Queene, Chrysogene is impregnated by the sun’s rays, and therefore the birth is called virgin because she was not physically touched by a man. However, the language used to describe the impregnation does not exactly reflect the Christian ideal of chastity. First, she is depicted in a sensual manner, “she bathed her brest, the boyling heat t’allay”  This like the old-fashioned version of a model in a wet t-shirt contest. It is strange to have someone so chaste depicted with hot, wet breasts. In the 7th stanza, Chrysogene sprawls naked on the grass to sleep where she could be happened upon by anyone. Again, her body is mentioned: “Upon her fell all naked bare displayed; The sunne-beames bright upon her body playd.” The idea of anything  playing on a woman’s naked body does not exactly bring chastity to mind. Two lines down the rays “pierce” her womb. Needless to say this is an obvious reference to sexual penetration during intercourse. Why is this called a virgin birth if such blatantly sexual language is used? Perhaps it is because she is unconscious while she is being impregnated. However, this just raises the even more disturbing idea of Chrysogene being raped by the sun. Is she cleared of all blame because she is a heavy sleeper? Spenser’s point in this allegory seems to be that though a woman may not be virgin in body, (because he certainly does not depict her as a virgin in body) she can still be virgin and chaste in mind and spirit. As long as she she doesn’t develop a pesky free spirit and goes looking for fun on her own.

In the scene between Constaburus and Babas’s sons, we see the yet another example of male bonding. The first is when Constaburus and Silleus are dueling and then become friends at the end of the scene. On the other hand, there is not one instance of camaraderie or bonding between any of the female characters. This relates to Constaburus’s anti-feminist speech in 4.6. He asserts that women are too inconstant to forge friendships: “You giddy creatures, sowers of debate, You’ll love today, for no other cause But for you yesterday did deeply hate.” (4.6) What he is saying is that women do not base their love on actual feelings, but upon the desire to confuse and vex others. He reiterates the inconstancy of women later on in the speech on line 66: “You are to nothing constant but to ill; You are with naught but wickedness endued; Your loves are set on nothing but your will.” Canstaburus holds the belief that women are incapable of any good feeling, that only men are reasonable enough to be able to forge friendships with others. Women are too petty and are only out to serve themselves, they care nothing for the needs of others. Indeed, the trio of doomed men detest women so much that Babas’s second son legitimizes their looming death because it will free them from the vexation of women: “Come, let us to our death. Are we not blest? Our death will freedom from these creatures give, Those trouble-quiet sowers of unrest.” Here there is no redemption for women because of Salome’s ruthless behavior. This section could be irony on Cary’s part, she may be asserting that a man will condemn all women even if it is only one woman who has caused him pain. Perhaps Cary is trying to say that perhaps men are the ones who are inconstant and unreasonable because of their widespread condemnation of women when they are scorned.

William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night may seem to be a ground-breaking play with its gender bending themes, but in the end, when all is said and done, it is just like every other romantic comedy that Shakespeare has ever written. This means that the play must end with a wedding or two and as two men were not allowed to get married, the Antonio-Sebastian plot (clearly homosexual and not a simple friendship) goes nowhere. What seems to be the purest and most devoted love in the play is that of Antonio for Sebastian, yet Antonio is one of the few characters of the play who ends up alone while Sebastian marries the self-involved Olivia. The reason I say that Antonio’s love is the deepest and most sincere is because he is the only one who openly declares it. Viola conceals her love from Orsino, only giving him vague hints in reference to “my father’s daughter.” Antonio refuses to play games like this.

When Sebastian is about to leave to go find Viola in Act 2, Scene 1, Antonio begs to accompany him even though it may be dangerous for him. He announces his love outright and without shame: “If you will not murder me for my love, let me be your servant…….I do adore thee so That danger shall seem sport, and I will go.” (lines 31-42) Antonio risks his life by going into enemy territory to be with the man he loves. No other character has made that kind of sacrifice. In Act 3, Scene 3, Antonio goes on to say “My desire, more sharp than filed steel, did spur me forth, And not all love to see you—though so much As might have drawn one to a longer voyage…..My willing love The rather by these arguments of fear set forth in your pursuit.” (lines 4-14) Again, Antonio is unabashed in his love and it gives him strength to go to great lengths and distances, whereas none of the other characters’ loves for one another cause them to endure any sort of sacrifice or proof of devotion. Unless of course, we count Malvolio’s ridiculous behavior to prove his love to Olivia.

Though other homoerotic themes arise in this play, such as both Orsino’s love of Cesario and Olivia’s love of the feminine characteristics of Cesario, they are all dismissed at the end of the play as comedic little mix ups. No deeper meanings are given to these “misunderstandings.” Instead, Olivia marries Sebastian, the convenient substitute for Viola. He is her twin, so he will be exactly like his sister except that he is an “acceptable” sex for her to marry. Concerning Orsino’s attraction to his page Cesario: surprise! Cesario is actually a woman so yet another possible homosexual character is repressed into heterosexuality. And as we plainly see with these two couples and with Antonio, in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, only the heterosexuals achieve a happily ever after with the one they love.

The Miller’s Tale satirizes the ideal of courtly romance portrayed in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight in that three of the main characters, Nicholas, Alisoun, and Absolon are the opposites of the courtly roles they are supposed to play. The romantic ideal is turned on its head as these three find their own love story in a most untraditional, and perhaps crude, manner.

Nicholas satirizes the idea of courtly romance because he is almost the complete opposite of a chivalric lover. He is clever and sneaky and deceitful, whereas knights (the beacons of chivalric ideals) are seen as honest, gentle, and courteous. Instead of offering to be Alisoun’s servant and to obey her every wish, he instead on lines 168-184 tricks her into obeying his lust when he claims that he will die if he doesn’t have her. He manipulates her rather than woos her. However, Absolon, the representative of romantic tradition in the Miller’s Tale, is unable to win Alisoun’s heart, even though he uses the methods upheld by courtly romance. Absolon sings, makes vows to, and reveres Alisoun, but still she rebuffs him. Alisoun satirizes the ideal of a courtly lady in addition to the ideal of courtly romance. She is described in full detail in lines 125-162 as sensual and lusty. Her garments are described specifically as a courtly lady’s would be, however in this case they are mentioned so the reader can put together a mental image of this sexual, fantastical woman. A courtly lady’s garments would be described to show her as elegant or worthy of idolatry, not as a sexual object. Alisoun is not coy or reserved, she jumps into bed with Nicholas at the first opportunity whereas courtly ladies would normally wait until they had received gifts and vows of fidelity from their suitor.

An interesting subject that we have touched upon in class is the idea of sympathy for two of the “monsters” of Beowulf; Grendel and Grendel’s Dam. On the surface of the text, these monsters are characterized as evil antagonists and nothing more. However, when looked at a little more closely, hints can be found of these “monsters” being shone as a mirror to the less favorable side of the human condition.

Let us first examine Grendel. He does evil deeds, certainly, there is no way to excuse his slaughtering hundreds of people. Yet is he evil, or a product of his environment? On lines 104 and 105, Grendel’s habitat is described as “desolate” and he “dwells in misery.” He has done no wrong as of yet, his only crime is being a descendant of Cain, the original murderer. He was given the caste of a demon, with no way to rise above his station. When he looks into the mead hall which he is forbidden to enter, he sees everyone happy and asleep, “insensible to pain and human sorrow.” (lines 119-120) Perhaps Grendel, who is wallowing in misery, is jealous that the people inside are able to escape misery for even a short while. Jealousy, though one of the seven deadly sins, is also one of the most human emotions we possess. Anyone who claims that they have never felt jealous would be deemed inhuman, or supernatural. Of course Grendel takes his jealousy to the extreme, (not unlike Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris) but his acts, while horrifying and unreasonable, seem a bit more understandable, if not agreeable to humans now. Jealousy, while an unfavorable human emotion, is still just that. HUMAN.

After her son is killed, Grendel’s Dam attacks Heorot in revenge. Like Grendel, she rips men to pieces, but are her actions really so incomprehensible? On line 1278, Grendel’s Dam is described as “grief-wracked and ravenous, desperate for revenge.” This is a common maternal feeling when one of their brood has been hurt or killed. How often do we hear that same description in reference to mothers of victims of drunk driving, gun violence, or other tragedies? I can even claim a pop culture reference: who was not cheering for the ultimate matronly figure in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Mrs. Weasley, when she screams, “NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!” and finishes off her daughter’s would-be murderer? It is the extreme pain, irrationality, and anger of Grendel’s Dam that makes her human in the rawest form.