Monday, February 13, 2012
What They Deserve?
I found a common and horrifying thread through "Lenora", "Alonzo the Brave and Fair Imogene", and "Mary, Maid of the Moor": that of women facing untimely, gruesome demises, ironically after the promise of happiness with a lover. Though the women were all either abandoned (as in their fiancee left them for the pursuit of glory in battle, as with Lenora and Imogene) or otherwise wronged by the moral corruption of the male lover (as with Mary's criminal Richard), the Romantic writers seemed to imply that the women were deserving of their fates and suffering. By forsaking God and favoring earthly pleasure, Lenora condemned herself to hell and eternal pain; she deserved an unhappy ending as punishment for her lack of moral conviction and religious devotion. Lewis, too, seems to find Imogene deserving of her gruesome fate as a skeleton bride, for forsaking her promise and being unfaithful, even after her lover was dead. Men can die in glory, in battle, and with a preserved sense of moral rectitude, but the women present such a corrupting influence that they can damn not only themselves to fates of eternal punishment, but also resurrect the ghostly souls of their lovers, and force their eternal suffering as well. Even though Southey seems to have some pity on Mary, casting her in a sympathetic light in the poem's beginning, he implies that she brings her fate upon herself by being foolish enough to love Richard, and by foolishly overestimating her courage and entering the Abbey on such an eerie night.
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I’m glad you brought attention to the fact that the portraits of the female characters in these poems are not solely damning as when Southey shows pity towards Mary and I believe the other authors do show elements of sympathy towards the woman in their works as well. It’s hard not to feel sorry for Lenora after Burger describes how “She tore her raven haire, / And cast herself upon the growne / In furious despaire.” Yet even though this scene evokes pity, Lenora’s despare is describes as “furious,” which in my opinion causes her to appear less weakened by overwhelming circumstance and almost a bit obstinate. In regards to Imogene, it is interesting how there is a lack of agency and passivity in her transgression yet she is awarded full responsibility for her actions. When depicting the Baron’s courtship Lewis explains how he “Soon made her untrue to her vows: / He dazzled her eyes; he bewildered her brain; / He caught her affections so light and so vain,” Imogene's betrayal is actually described as more of an entrapment, though she is certainly portrayed as weak and easily befuddled. It's interesting that her second suitor completely escapes any punishment when Alonzo, who is seemingly faultless, is condemned to life as a monstrous spirit by your side. I agree with your assertion that this ending emphasizes how a woman’s unfaithfulness and transgressions have consequences for their lovers as well, and perhaps this might make the warning even more effective since it targets not only the individual sinner but her loved ones as well.
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