draining the amazon's swamp: all we are prepared to do when we read, write, watch, make--live--our...

8/14/2019 Draining the Amazon's Swamp: All we are prepared to do when we read, write, watch, make--live--our fictions

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Draining the Amazons

Swamp

Patrick McEvoy-Halston


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DEDICA I!"

o the #niversity o$ %ictoria an& the #niversity o$ oronto


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Having Your Beefcake, and Leaving Him TooThe Search for a Way of Being

!ea"ure in#o ain, ain in#o !ea"ure$raining #he Ama%on"& S'am( )o&" *arch Cri#ica! *ovemen#" Haun#ing +ave!oe

n#roduc#ion" and ni#ia#ion" oe# a" hy"ician

Leaving Home From Hum-!e.d/ Beginning" 0reedy for Your Hur#*archer&" *erger

rivi!eging *ar!o' Sini"#er Advance" and S'ee# +e#urn" The O#her Cro'd

Adam&" re"um(#uou" .+e/1ue"# No# *ea# Securing Their Wor#h Socra#e" and Hi" 0od Lie A-ou# Every#hing 2nder #he Sun 3*i Ca"a, Su Ca"a4 S(!endid "o!a#ion and Crue! +e#urn" The $evi! *ade *e En5oy #

Wor#hy Com(anion" The 6i"i-!e nvi"i-!e *an 2"efu! O-5ec# *ain#aining #he eace 0e##ing No#iced Cri#ica! n#roduc#ion

A 0ood !ace for a um( and a $um( Con"o!ida#ing 0ain" 1ui##ing Home *a#ricide in #he Ci#y 0ra--ing Ho!d for $e(ar#ure Sake *odern" and #heir *o#her"& +each Ho' n"en"i#ive7The 0ood Figh# Soo#hing Sa#ire
http://var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_3/Mi_Casa,_Su_12%23_http://var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_3/Mi_Casa,_Su_12%23_


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Having Your Beefcake, and Leaving Him Too (October

2001)

Aphra 'ehns &esire $or intimacy an& se( with an a&miring )an&a&mira*le+ yo,ng man is the $oremost inspiration $or her creating

he Disappointment. an& Oroonoko / Claims that either work is

primarily concerne& with other things testi0es largely to 'ehns

s,ccess in mis&irecting rea&ers1 a goal as vital to her own sel$-

protection as is her s,ccess in mis&irecting hersel$ into thinking she

is in $act writing a*o,t an& attempting to satis$y something other

than her own s,spect. &esires/ hat her &esire $or se(,al intimacyis so real an& so pressing to *e the reason wh these works were

written2 as well as the key $actor in &etermining how 2 e(actly2 'ehn

wrote them2 will hope$,lly *e &emonstrate& in this essay/ hat

a&mitting this &esire to hersel$ is so &angero,s a thing to &o *eca,se

se(,al satis$action is so s,spect a &esire $or an ol&er woman to

a&mit2 &evelop2 an& en3oy in eighteenth-cent,ry society4even i$ only

thro,gh her own writings4so as to make this paper seem a work o$

scienti0c &etection intent on ,ncovering her *ase nat,re2 will *e

&emonstrate& *eginning with the ,ncovering o$ a lie2 or a lie-

seeming mis&irection2 'ehn tells ,s in he Disappointment/.In he Disappointment. 'ehn writes2 he nymphs resentments

none *,t I 5 Can well imagine or con&ole/ ',t none can g,ess

6ysan&ers so,l2 5 ',t those who swaye& his &estiny. )787-89+/ his2 I

*elieve2 is a,thorial mis&irection4$or it is precisely 'ehn who

sways. poor 6ysan&ers &estiny1 she is the writer2 poor 6ysan&er *,ther hapless prop/ Behn is the env:ying; go& :who; conspires 5 o

snatch his power2 yet leave:s; him the &esire-?@+/ !he knows

what it is to lack "at,res s,pport :/ / /; 5 Itsel$ now wants the art to

live. )?7-?8+/ 6ike 6ysan&er2 she lacks nat,res s,pport.1 tho,gh she


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&esires cons,mmate& love2 her age makes this ri&ic,lo,s/ It is

there$ore her own *ewitching in ,ence. )78>+ that &ooms 6ysan&er

to the hell o$ impotence. )79@+/ Bhy 'eca,se she has &iscovere& a

stratagem $or *ringing se(,al intimacy into her li$e witho,t there*y

inviting ,pon hersel$ a vast pleas,re :/ / /; which too m,ch love

&estroys. )=8-=9+1 a vast pleas,re t,rne& to pain. )=8+/6ysan&ers &estiny. is no acci&ent1 he mu"t s, er so the nymph

&oesnt have to/ he nymph2 &escri*e& as A*an&one& *y her pri&e

an& shame2 5 She &oes her so$test 3oys &ispense2 5 ! ering her virgin

innocence 5 A victim to loves sacre& ame. ) F- ?+2 is the same

nymph who leaves 6ysan&er $ainting on the gloomy *e&. )7G@+ with

"o print ,pon the grassy roa& :/ / /; 5 to instr,ct p,rs,ing eyes.)7G9+/ he virgin whose innocence wo,l& have *een lost2 changing

her nat,re $orever2 leaves the poetic worl& an eternal mythic

Daphne2 leaving the rea&er alone with 6ysan&er2 with his grie$

swelling into storms2 with him c,rsing his *irth2 $ate2 an& stars/ He

alone is le$t to e(perience shame/ et &espite the $act that his shame

owes to his inabi#it to cons,mmate his l,st2 an& &espite the

likelihoo& we leave the poem thinking its title well ca,ght its gist2

this testi0es more to 'ehns art at mis&irection than to an a*sence o$

am*ig,ity in the poem1 $or the verses we rea& o$ Cloris *e$ore an&

a$ter his ina*ility to per$orm are 3,st as appropriate $or ,sage i$ he

act,ally had &one the &ee&/ Imagine i$ a$ter 0nally ! ering her

virgin innocence. ) =+2 6ysan&er per$orme&2 wo,l&nt having her

ret,rn $rom a trance2 e(plore an& 0n& a &isarme& snake2 *e 3,st as

appropriate a &evelopment i$ he ha& &ischarge& as it wo,l& *e i$ he

ha&nt In *oth cases her lover wo,l& have *een le$t with no spark

$or new &esire1 he wo,l& *e more shepher& than general/ Is it

possi*le that 'ehn has imagine& a way $or a woman whose nat,re

wo,l& *e a&versely change& *y a se(,al act )a virgins p,re stat,s2 in

this case+ to in $act e(perience a se(,al enco,nter2 with *oth the


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rea&er an& the writer prepare& to convince themselves otherwise2

an& there*y avoi& harsh sel$-recriminations an& a p,*lics scorn I$

the &escriptions o ere& a or& a close-eno,gh $acsimile to se(2 an& i$

this se(,al enco,nter2 i$ it ha& occ,rre&2 o$ the sort to have the

rea&er an& writer $eel someone sho,l& pro*a*ly *e p,nishe& $or it2

then this p,nishment $alls on only one o$ the two involve&1 6ysan&er/

hat is2 neither the "ymph nor o,r narrator2 'ehn2 is le$t anywhere

in sight2 with the nymph oer the $atal plain2. an& o,r narrator along

with her2 imagining her resentments2 ostensi*ly ,ite incapa*le o$

g,ess:ing; 6ysan&ers. )788+ own/ Be know2 however2 that as m,ch

as 'ehn pro$esses no other option than to $oc,s on the nymph2 her

atten&ance mostly owes to a nee& to &etach hersel$ $rom4so as to

not too closely i&entity hersel$ with46ysan&er2 $or in Oroonoko we

0n& 'ehn very well in$orme& as to what happens to so,ls that rage

&esire with little hope $or satis$action/My rea&er might *e thinking that I want to link 6ysan&ers

sit,ation to that o$ the Jing o$ Coramantien in Oroonoko / I &o4 but

a" a wa o$ working my way to a &isc,ssion o$ !nahal/ he Jing2

in&ee&2 like 6ysan&er2 has a passion $or a yo,ng *ea,ty4in his case2

Imoin&a4that *eca,se o$ nat,re2. the &ecrees o$ time2 he is ,na*le

to cons,mmate1 like 6ysan&er2 he has *een le$t em*arrassingly

impotent/ Bhen !roonoko consi&ers laying violent han&s on

himsel$2. reason 0nally prevails when :t;hey :i/e/2 his $ollowers;

,rge& all to him that might oppose his rage2. with nothing

weigh:ing; so greatly with him as the kings ol& age2 incapa*le o$

in,ring him with Imoin&a. )G@+/ A reasona*le !roonoko *egins to

realize there may *e a way to claim Imoin&a a$ter allK an& the plot

to resc,e a princess. intro&,ces ,s to another anti ,ate& wo,l&-*e

lover1 !nahal2 a past mistress o$ the ol& king. )G9+/Bith !nahal we have 'ehn o ering $or *oth her an& o,r

contemplation2 a woman, who2 like 'ehn at the time o$ writing


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Oroonoko 2 is s,*3ect to the &espites an& &ecays o$ time. )G9+/ 'eing

ro**e& *y nat,re &raws !nahal to react as 6ysan&er &i& ,pon

learning o$ how nat,re pil$ere& him1 she &oes not spare her $,ry4

she treate& the tri,mphing happy ones with all the severity2 as to

li*erty an& $ree&om2 that was possi*le2 in revenge o$ those honors

they ro* :her; o . )G9+/ 6ike 6ysan&er2 !nahal has *een le$t with

&esireK she hopes she might yet again *e seen as &esira*le *y yo,th

o$ the very *est ,ality/ In re$erence to A*oan43,st s,ch a yo,th4

we are tol&1his yo,ng man was not only one o$ the *est ,ality2 *,t a man

e(tremely well ma&e an& *ea,ti$,lK an& coming o$ten to atten&

the king to the otan 2 he ha& s,*&,e& the heart o$ theanti ,ate& !nahal2 which ha& not $orgot how pleasant it was to

*e in love/ An& tho,gh she ha& some &ecays in her $ace2 she

ha& none in her sense an& witK she was there agreea*le still2

even to A*oans yo,th2 so that he took pleas,re in entertaining

her with &isco,rses o$ love/ )GF+!roonoko an& A*oan take a&vantage o$ !nahals sel$-&el,sion to

sec,re a re-,nion *etween !roonoko an& Imoin&a/ ',t at a cost1

A*oan m,st s, er :/ / /; himsel$ to *e caresse& in *e& *y !nahal.

)G?+/ !nahal might *e ,naware o$ her $ail,re to charm A*oan2 *,t

those who wo,l& i&enti$y themselves with her2 wo,l& live vicario,sly

through her2 ,n&erstan& that to a yo,ng lover her caresses are *,t to

*e s, ere&/ he only way a yo,ng man an& an ol&er woman can

relate with one another where *oth can *e imagine& en3oying the

e(perience2 is thro,gh conversation/ However2 to a clever an&

imaginative writer2 who might2 like !nahal2 still hope she :co,l&;make some impressions :on a yo,ng mans; heart. )GF+2 this is a

&iscovery to be u"ed in her own *attle *etween her still ena*le& wit

an& whittling age/'ehn has learne&4or perhaps rather2 con0rme& *eyon& any

hope$,l co,ntenancing4two important things $rom her writings o$


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!nahal an& A*oan1 0rst2 as mentione&2 that there is a way in which a

yo,ng man co,l& *e imagine& as *eing charme& *y an ol&er woman

which allows $or intimacy an& reciprocal e(changesK secon&2 that

there is a 0ctional role4namely2 as a gatekeeper4*ase& on real

a&vantages o$ the age&2 that can intro&,ce an& perhaps even

necessitate the intro&,ction o$ an ol&er woman into a story

p,rporte&ly all a*o,t yo,ng lovers/ !nahal2 as a past mistress2 is a

g,ar&ian or governant :/ / /; to the new an& yo,ng ones :i/e/2

Imoin&a;. )G9+/ A*oan m,st compl:y; :/ / /; with her &esires. )GF+/

Lor then2 :/ / /; her li$e lying at :his; :/ / /; mercy2 she m,st grant

:him; :/ / /; the re ,est :he; make:s; in :/ / /; :!roonokos; *ehal$.

)GF+/ !roonoko ,ses what he has at his &isposal4a *ea,ti$,l pro(y in

A*oan4to realize his &esire to *e with Imoin&a2 3,st as 'ehn ,ses

the a&vantages she has as a writer4the a*ility to create the pro(y

!nahal4to e(plore the conse ,ences o$ a se(,al enco,nter *etween

an ol&er woman an& a yo,nger man2 allowe& the e(ten,ation an&

stretch that imagination ena*les/ Bhat 'ehn learns $rom this

e(ploration2 com*ine& with what she learne& $rom he

Disappointment2. will *e p,t to ,se in the secon& part o$ Oroonoko 2*eginning with !roonokos arrival in S,rinam2 where 'ehn2 the

writer 2 *rings hersel$ as close as possi*le to imagining hersel$

having s,*&,e& the 0nest o$ all the Jings s,*3ects to her &esires.

)G -G=+/In the secon& part o$ Oroonoko 'ehn &oes what !nahal wante& to

&o *,t co,l& not manage $or hersel$4namely2 to s,*&,e the 0nest o$

all the Jings s,*3ects to her &esires2. witho,t in victory. act,ally

*ecoming more the $ool/ She capt,res the attention an& compliance

o$ !roonoko in the same way !nahal &i& with A*oan1 *y making

clear that the means to what he wants )$ree&om in this case+ lies

with her/ M,ch as !nahal an& A*oan accomplishe& $or one another2

she engages !roonoko in a reciprocal manner2 where each soothes


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one anothers concerns/ She sets the scene $or a se(,al enco,nter in

m,ch the same way she &i& with !nahal an& A*oan as well2 *,t

han&les the cons,mmation in a $ashion inspire&2 instea&2 *y Cloris

an& 6ysan&er4where2 that is2 overtly no se( occ,rs2 *,t where

passions are aro,se& as i$ it ha&/ 'ehn is2 in her *eing ,na ecte& *y

the enco,nter2 there$ore m,ch like ClorisK an& !roonoko2 with his

imme&iately e(periencing a change $or the worse2 more like !nahal

an& 6ysan&er/ I will e(pan& on each o$ these machinations in t,rn/!roonoko calls 'ehn a reat Mistress. )9>+2 a title in nat,re

akin to the la*els4a past mistress2 a g,ar&ian2 a governant4

attache& to !nahal2 a woman !roonoko knew that to :/ / /; co,rt

:/ / /; was the way to *e great :/ / /; :2; :$or her; *eing :o$ those;persons that &o all a airs an& *,siness at co,rt. )GF+/ 'ehn

,n&erstan&s she possesses a similar power over !roonoko2 saying2

sho,l& he make her &o,*t him :i;t wo,l& *,t give ,s a $ear o$ him2

an& possi*ly compel ,s to treat him so as I sho,l& *e very loath to

*ehol&1 that is2 it might occasion his con0nement. )9>+/ However2

altho,gh 'ehn as a character &oes not &o so2 'ehn a" a writer makes

the same claim ,pon !roonoko that !nahal ma&e ,pon A*oan1 o

ac ,ire Imoin&a2 he m,st 0rst service her own se(,al nee&s/

'etween 'ehns 0rst meeting o$ !roonoko an& her )i/e/2 'ehns+

completion o$ her sporting with him2 Imoin&a is *,t twice re$erre& to

in the te(t/ he 0rst re$erence to her within these time-posts is when

'ehn re$ers to her in thir& person2 saying she entertaine& her with

teaching her all the pretty works that I was mistress o$2 an& telling

her stories o$ n,ns2 an& en&eavoring to *ring her to the knowle&ge

o$ the tr,e o&. )9>+/ 'ehn2 like !nahal2 treats the yo,ng *ea,ty

with all the severity2 as to li*erty an& $ree&om2 that was possi*le in

revenge o$ those honors they ro* them o$. )G9+/ In telling her stories

o$ n,ns2 she temporarily ren&ers Imoin&a a celi*ate2 &enying her the

se(,ality owe& a yo,ng nymph/ he secon& re$erence occ,rs when


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pearls4sym*ols o$ *ea,ty that never wane4which prompt A*oan to

reass,re her he is intereste& in no other *,t her )charme& in part2 he

hopes to have convince& her2 *y her still e(tant physical *ea,ty+/ She

$orces the pearls into his han&s anyway2 linking the gi$t to a setting

$or her later reception o$ him/ All this na,ghtiness 3,sti0es why they

take care that no notice might *e taken o$ their speaking together.

)G=+2 *eca,se speaking together. is clearly 3,st ver*al cover $or

their overt irting/ his speaking2. pres,ma*ly2 is pleas,ra*le $or

*oth parties2 $or 'ehn makes clear that as !nahal has lost none in

her sense an& wit2. A*oan wo,l& take pleas,re in entertaining her

with &isco,rses o$ love. )GF+/

'ehn an& !roonoko share a similar interaction which also clearsway $or an intimate relationship to &evelop/ ',t 'ehn2 the writer2

prece&es it *y 0rst linking the two together2 telling ,s that !roonoko

was impatient to come &own to Parham Ho,se :/ / /; to give me an

acco,nt o$ what ha& happene&/ I :i/e/2 'ehn; was as impatient to

make these lovers a visit. )9=+/ hat is2 'ehn cheat" 4they seem

paire& *e$ore theyve even met/ Again we are tol& this new acci&ent

ma&e him more impatient o$ li*erty. )9?+2 an ,pset they $ollow *y

soothing each other/ 'ehn entertains him an& charm:s; him to my

company. )9>+/ He a&mits these conversations $aile& not altogether

so well to &ivert him2. an& that he like& the company o$ ,s women

m,ch a*ove men. )9>+/ his is where we hear him call 'ehn a reat

Mistress2. o$ how her wor& goes a great way with him. )9>+/ 6ater

he con$esses he $ears his *ehavior wo,l& provoke her into *reaking

her wor& to him/ She tries to ease his an(iety2 *,t errs in mentioning

con0nement2. an error she strove to so$ten again in vain. )9>+/ ',t

he ass,res her he wo,l& act nothing ,pon the white people2. an&

that as $or hersel$2 he wo,l& sooner $or$eit his eternal li*erty2 an&

li$e itsel$2 than li$t his han& against his greatest enemy on that place.

)9>+/ A$ter their m,t,al reass,rances2 'ehn tells ,s he is again


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Be know the activity A*oan will *e ,p to is se(2 an& we know thi"

a*o,t the setting $or the initial setting $or his re-,nion with !nahal1

it will occ,r at a grove o$ the otan2 which was all o$ oranges an&

citrons/. !roonoko an& A*oan are instr,cte& to wait there2 to *e

taken away to )the *e&cham*ers o$+ Imoin&a an& !nahal

respectively/ 'e$ore !roonoko an& 'ehn engage in their sports2 'ehn

tells ,s a*o,t her ho,se on St/ Nohns Hill2 which has a grove o$

orange an& lemon trees. )FG+/ hro,gh s,ccessive paragraphs we

are immerse& within $ragrant imageryK 'ehn is preparing $or hersel$

as she once prepare& $or Clovis2 a lone thicket ma&e $or love. )G7+/

Be are tol& o$ an eternal Spring. o$ trees2 *earing at once all

&egrees o$ leaves an& $r,it $rom *looming *,&s to ripe a,t,mn2

groves o$ oranges2 lemons2 citrons2 0gs n,tmegs2 an& no*le

aromatics2 contin,ally *earing their $ragrancies. )F7+/ !$ this grove

we are tol& she is s,re the whole glo*e o$ the worl& cannot show so

&elight$,l a place as this grove was. )FG+/ An& once &elineate&2 she is

now hersel$ an(io,s $or action2 telling ,s2 ',t to o,r sports. )FG+/

Appropriate to a scene I *elieve se(,al in nat,re2 the sports have

a*o,t them the $eel o$ a racy *e&room enco,nter/ 'ehn has move&$rom mention o$ an eternal Spring. to speaking o$ the hot

co,ntries. )F=+2 $rom se(,al priming to l,st$,l satiation/ Bith the

climactic enco,nter *etween !nahal an& A*oan2 'ehn spares ,s the

&etails2 so to speak2 *,t it is *etter in any case $or ,s to have he

Disappointment. in min& when e(periencing 'ehns acco,nting o$ all

her hot sporting action/In he Disappointment. 'ehn ,ses a telling metaphor when

&escri*ing 6ysan&ers penis4it is a snake. )77@+/ ',t this is when

she is writing in mock-pastoral mo&e2 when he is a shepher&/ It is

perhaps2 tho,gh2 not too *ol& a con3ect,re that ha& the penis *een

$eat,re& when writing mock-epic it wo,l& have *een re$erre& to as a

swor&/ !roonoko2 like 6ysan&er2 is a mighty warrior4he is Caesar


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an& th,s no shepher&/ :H;e took Mr/ Martins swor& :&esiring; :/ / /;

him to stan& asi&e2 or $ollow the la&ies2. an& he met this monstro,s

*east :i/e/2 a tiger they are h,nting; o$ might2 size an& vast lim*s2

who came with open 3aws ,pon him2 an& 0(ing his aw$,l stern eyes

$,ll ,pon those o$ the *east2 an& p,tting himsel$ into a very stea&y

an& goo& aiming post,re o$ &e$ense2 ran his swor& ,ite thro,gh his

*reast &own to his very heart2 home to the hilt o$ the swor&. )F8+/

!nce he has slain the tiger2 'ehn re3oins him )she ha& previo,sly r,n

away+2 sees him l,g o,t the swor& $rom the *osom o$ the tiger2 who

was lai& in her *loo& on the gro,n&. )F8+2 an& is s,rprise& *y his

gi$ting o$ a tiger c,* at her $eet/

I *elieve this passage aro,ses ,s in m,ch the same way as i$ weha& 3,st witnesse& a se(,al enco,nter *etween !roonoko an& 'ehn/

As with 6ysan&er2 who was Oea&y to taste a tho,san& 3oys. )=7+2

!roonoko meets this monstro,s *east. )F8+/ As with Cloris2 'ehn is

elsewhere/ Bhen Cloris ret,rns $rom her trance2 an& when 'ehn

ret,rns a$ter the kill2 *oth witness an item similar in nat,re to a

penis that has lost its potency2 that has gone acci&/ 6ysan&ers

penis is a ower2. owing to his ina*ility to *ring eeting vigor

*ack. )?=+K !roonoko #ug" his swor&2 s,ggesting4consi&ering how

previo,sly his r,nning the tiger on thro,gh to the hilt s,ggeste& the

&eep penetration o$ an erect penis4the la*or in the with&rawal o$ a

&ischarge& one/ he c,te c,* is akin to the mentioning o$ owers

a$ter a se(,al enco,nter1 it s,its the rela(e& moo& an& play o$

cons,mmate& love/ L,rther2 i$ we take !roonoko laying the c,* at

her $eet as his presenting her with a gi$t2 he mimics here !nahals

gi$t o$ pearls to A*oan2 something we know was closely linke& to an

anticipate& se(,al enco,nter *etween them/ In $act2 to provi&e an&

receive gi$ts is the primary impet,s *ehin& $,rther sports/ He asks2

Bhat trophies an& garlan&s2 la&ies2 will yo, make2 i$ I *ring yo, the

heart o$ this raveno,s *east . )F8-F9+/ 'ehn tells ,s2 Be all


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promise& he sho,l& *e rewar&e& at all o,r han&s. )F9+/ he h,nting

o$ tigers is e(plicitly linke& here to rewar&s *y womenK an& 'ehn2 as

the writer o$ he Disappointment2. as having written2 All her

,ng,ar&e& *ea,ties lie 5 he spoils an& trophies o$ the enemy. )8>-

9@+2 clearly shows an inclination to link trophies to se(,al

cons,mmation/I$ we are not convince& 'ehn thinks a swor& a penis in this

conte(t2 what o$ a snake2 or a near-snake2 that appears while they

sport here is a n,m* eel. )FF+2 an eel 'ehn ha& eaten/ An& i$ not

the eel2 what o$ 0shing ro&s or ,tes2 which are also present !r

what a*o,t each an&5or all in con3,nction with the 3,ngle natives2

when they1'y &egrees :/ / /; grew more *ol&2 an& $rom gazing ,pon ,s

ro,n&2 they to,che& ,s2 laying their han&s ,pon all the

$eat,res o$ o,r $aces2 $eeling o,r *reasts an& arms2 taking ,p

one petticoat2 then won&ering to see another2 a&miring o,r

shoes an& stockings2 *,t more o,r garters2 which we gave

them2 an& they tie& a*o,t their legs :/; :/ / /; In 0ne2 we

s, ere& them to s,rvey ,s as they please&2 an& we tho,ght

they wo,l& never have &one a&miring ,s/ )F=+!r in con3,nction with how similar these natives s,rveying.

seems to how 'ehn &escri*e& 6ysan&ers l,st$,l a&vancement ,pon

Cloris 6ysan&er &i&nt :*;y &egrees :/ / /; grow more *ol&2. *,t he

&i& witho,t respect or $ear :/ / /; seek the o*3ect o$ his vows. )97-

9G+2 which is not as incremental *,t towar& the same en&/ 6ysan&er

&i&nt to,ch :her; :/ / /;2 laying :his; han&s ,pon all the $eat,res o$

:her; $ace2 $eeling o,r *reasts an& arms2. *,t he &i& Jiss her

mo,th. )89+2 press 5 #pon her swelling snowy *reast. )8=+2 an& 'y

swi$t &egrees a&vance where 5 his &aring han& that altar seize&. )99-

9F+2 which amo,nts to m,ch the same2 i$ more art$,lly g,i&e&/

6ysan&er &i&nt take a&vantage o$ an o er. to s,rvey as :he;

please&2. nor can we *e s,re he never stoppe& a&miring. her2 *,t


17/432


18/432

complete2 the pair is re,nite&1 evi&ence2 I think2 towar&

,n&erstan&ing the rea&ing e(perience o$ the sports as satis$ying

anyone who co,l& i&enti$y with !nahals nee& to *elieve hersel$ still

o$ *ea,ty eno,gh engaging :/ / /; to *e &esira*le2. who hopes she

can have :yo,ng; lovers still. )G +2 an& who wo,l& similarly *e

incline& to 0rst take a&vantage o$ the yo,ng *e$ore granting them

access to their own 3oys/ I *elieve this Behn'" &esire as m,ch as it is

!nahals2 *,t *eca,se !nahals &esire2 once realize&2 lea&s to a

shame$,l sit,ation where her a,&ience ,n&erstan&s her physical

charms were in $act non-e(isting2 that they ha& act,ally ha& no e ect

other than to am,se or4more likely4horri$y2 that her rapt,re in se(

was $or him simply a s, ering2 even with 'ehns *etter &isg,ise&

a air )so that no notice might *e taken. :G=;+2 some shame wo,l&

come $rom having contrive& it/ Lort,nately $or 'ehn she has learne&

this shame can *e &isperse& thro,gh the same art that *ro,ght it

into e(istence in the 0rst place/ Through her otting 2 that is2 she can

arrange $or all the conse ,ences arising $rom shame$,l *ehavior to

$all on *,t one o$ the two act,ally involve&/ A$ter Cloris ees him2 6ysan&ers silent grie$s swell ,p to

storms2 5 An& not one go& his $,ry sparesK 5 He c,rse& his *irth2 his

$ate2 his stars. )79=+/ Shortly a$ter the sports2 !roonokos grie$s also

swell ,p to storms2 as he e(empts little o$ their &aily li$e $rom his

c,rses1Caesar :!roonoko; :/ / /; ma&e a harang,e to them o$ the

miseries an& ignominies o$ slaveryK co,nting ,p all their toils

an& s, erings2 ,n&er s,ch loa&s2 *,r&ens2 an& &r,&geries as

were 0tter $or *easts than men2 senseless *r,tes than h,manso,ls/ He tol& them it was not $or &ays2 months2 or years2 *,t

$or eternityK there was no en& to *e o$ their mis$ort,nes/ hey

s, ere& not like men who might 0n& a glory an& $ortit,&e in

oppression2 *,t like &ogs that love& the whip an& *ell2 an&


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$awne& the more they were *eaten/ hat they ha& lost the

&ivine ,ality o$ men2 an& were *ecome insensi*le asses2 0t

only to *ear2 "ay worse2 an ass2 or &og2 or horse having &one

his &,ty2 co,l& lie &own in retreat2 an& rise to work again2 an&

while he &i& his &,ty en&,re& no stripesK *,t men2 villaino,s2

senseless men s,ch as they2 toile& on all the te&io,s week till

*lack Lri&ay2 an& then2 whether they worke& or not2 whether

they were $a,lty or meriting2 they promisc,o,sly2 the innocent

with the g,ilty2 s, ere& the in$amo,s whip2 the sor&e& stripes2

$rom their $ellow slaves till their *loo& trickle& $rom all parts o$

their *o&y2 *loo& whose every &rop o,ght to *e revenge& with

a li$e o$ some o$ those tyrants that impose it/ An& why2. sai&

he2 my &ear $rien&s an& $ellow s, erers2 sho,l& we *e slaves

to an ,nknown people Have they van ,ishe& ,s no*ly in 0ght

Have they won ,s in honora*le *attle An& are we2 *y the

chance o$ war2 *ecome their slaves his wo,l& not anger a

no*le heart2 this wo,l& not animate a sol&iers so,l/ "o2 *,t we

are *o,ght an& sol& like apes2 or monkeys2 to *e the sport o$

women2 $ools2 an& cowar&s2 an& the s,pport o$ rog,es2r,naga&es2 that have a*an&one& their own co,ntries2 $or

raping2 m,r&ers2 the$ts2 an& villainies/ Do yo, not hear every

&ay how they ,p*rai& each other with in$amy o$ li$e *elow the

wil&est salvages2 an& shall we ren&er o*e&ience to s,ch a

&egenerate race2 who have no one h,man virt,e le$t to

&isting,ish them $rom the vilest creat,res Bill yo,2 I say2

s, er the lash $rom s,ch han&s ) 7- G+ As with 6ysan&er2 who2 a$ter c,rsing his *irth2 his $ate2 an& the

stars2 0nishes *y c,rsing the so$t *ewitching in ,ence. o$ a woman

)79>+2 !roonoko concl,&es his own &iatri*e *y saying1 ',t i$ there

were a woman among them so &egenerate $rom love an& virt,e to

chose slavery *e$ore the p,rs,it o$ her h,s*an&2 an& with the hazar&


20/432

o$ her li$e to share with him in his $ort,nes2 that s,ch a one o,ght to

*e a*an&one&2 an& le$t as a prey to the common enemy. ) 8+/ ,ite a

change in !roonoko here $rom the one who aske& o$ 'ehn2 Bhat

trophies an& garlan&s2 la&ies2 will yo, make me2 i$ I *ring yo, home

the heart o$ this raveno,s *east. )F8-F9+2 an& who ma&e it his

*,siness to search o,t an& provi&e $or o,r entertainment. )F>+/ ',t

the e ect o$ rea&ing this very lengthy2 this very aggressive &iatri*e is

to have the sports which imme&iately prece&e& it *ecome o$ m,ch

less interest2 as a man savagely *attles against a worl& pit against

him/ An& so2 too2 the ,n&erstan&ing o$ 'ehn an& !roonoko as a

co,ple/

!roonoko is ma&e into a monster o$ the woo&. )=G+ 3,st a$ter'ehn *egins to mani$est hersel$ in the te(t more as the writer o$

Oroonoko than as a character within it2 a writer who increasingly

associates hersel$ with ,alities nota*ly &i erent $rom

transmogri0e& !roonokos1 Be met on the river with Colonel

Martin2 a man o$ great gallantry2 wit2 an& goo&ness2 an&2 whom I

have cele*rate& in a character o$ my new come&y2 *y his own name2

in memory o$ so *rave a man/ He was wise an& elo ,ent. ) ?+/

Meanwhile2 !roonoko e(ists a worl& apart1 his grie$ swelle& ,p to

rageK he tore2 he rave&2 he roare&2 like some monster o$ the woo&.

)=G+/ 'ehn act,ally &istances hersel$ $rom him in several ways/ Lirst2

she attempts to convince ,s that the sporting was o$ no partic,lar

importK she &escri*es it ostensi*ly *eca,se it was her near &,ty to

recor& all instances o$ his activity she partook in or ha& *een aware

o$4*,t right &,e $or a no*le personage/ hen $rom a chronicler

whose relationship with her s,*3ect implies a respecta*le &istance

*etween them2 she *ecomes a writer o$ come&ies2 making !roonoko

*,t one s,*3ect o$ interest o$ a varie& many/ Secon&2 as 'ehn

&istances hersel$ $,rther an& $,rther $rom Oroonoko $orwar& to her

writing o$ him in the present rather than the past2 an& away


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22/432

largely &etermine& *y the c,rrent psychological5se(,al nee&s o$ the

a,thor2 since his $ate4or at least2 his e(ec,tion4is a match $or that

s, ere& ,pon Charles I2 *,t I wo,l& arg,e $or ,n&erstan&ing this

o*3ection as *,t a conse ,ence o$ s,ccess$,l a,thorial mis&irection/

'ehn nee&s $or *oth hersel$ an& her rea&ers to think the novel

primarily a $aith$,l2 pio,s2 recor&ing o$ a great mans li$e/ Bhy

'eca,se she m,st &isarm hersel$ )an& ,s2 her imagine& an& real

rea&ers an& critics+ o$ her consi&era*le poetic awareness while

rea&ing the piece/ Inc,rring ,pon hersel$ an& her rea&ers the

,pright2 serio,s2 intolerant rea&ing post,re4this containment4is

cr,cial2 *eca,se i$ we t,rn to the work alert to poetic techni ,e an&

contemplative o$ co,rtier motive2 the real intentions $or writing the

piece *ecome more open to view4an& to criti ,e/hro,gh !nahal2 'ehn has shown ,s there e(ists in her time a

nota*le &istinction an& a loa&e& &i erence *etween speaking5writing

an& real action/ Harol& Be*er writes that speaking an& thinking

venery :se(,al &esires; &e0ne the limits o$ a womans se(,al

prerogatives1 to in&,lge those tho,ghts2 to t,rn speech into action2

con$ronts $emale characters :/ / /; with the vast g,l$ *etween the

mai& or wi$e an& the whore. ) The e"toration ake%Hero 788+/ et

women are in a *in& *eca,se :e;ven tho,gh li*ertine attit,&es

&epen&e& on ass,mptions that wo,l& seem to promise acceptance o$

$emale se(,ality2 women remaine& ,na*le to en3oy the se(,al

li*erties taken $or grante& *y men/ Bomen a$ter the Oestoration2

even among the most &e*a,che& section o$ the pop,lation2 occ,py a

worl& o$ strict se(,al limitations. )79?+/ here was a severe

morality &irecte& against women when what all knew to go on in

private s,&&enly *ecame p,*lic :/ / /; :1; all the pr,&ery o$ the Co,rt

was let loose :/ / /; :2; voci$ero,s in &eman&ing 3,stice. )79?+/ et we

cannot ,n&erstan& the &istinction *etween writing a*o,t se(,al

&esires an& acting ,pon them2 whatever the importance in the


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&istinction2 as *eing well artic,late& or ,n&erstoo& at this time/

!wing to her *eing a s,ccess$,l playwright2 'ehn was well aware

that writing $or a p,*lic amo,nte& to in&ecent sel$-e(pos,re to the

worl&/ here wa" great risk2 as Be*er e(plains1 et the p,*lic ri&ic,le she s, ere& reveals the very high priceshe ha& to pay $or her s,ccess/ :/ / /; In attempting to move

o,tsi&e o$ the restricte& roles or&inarily occ,pie& *y women2

'ehn *ecame a convenient target $or those who re$,se& to

accept the participation o$ women in the larger social worl&1 o

p,*lish ones work2 then2 was to make onesel$ Qp,*lic1 to

e(pose onesel$ to Qthe worl&/ Bomen who &i& so violate& their

$eminine mo&esty *oth *y egressing $rom the private spherewhich was their proper &omain an& *y permitting $oreign eyes

access to what o,ght to remain hi&&en an& anonymo,s/ )7F7+Be*er tells ,s that 'ehn simply re$,se& to remain anonymo,s2

an& remin&s ,s that in &oing so :/ / /; she place& hersel$ in a position

where *oth her morality an& her $emininity co,l& *e ,estione&.

)7F7+/ So we have a sit,ation where women possess circ,mscri*e&

possi*ilities $or accepta*le se(,al grati0cation2 in a li*ertine worl&

where se(,al &esires constit,te the conte(t in which everyone

participates an& can *e e(pecte& to *e 3,&ge& within1 Is it not then

appropriate to ass,me that in the one area where se(,al &esire

might *e e(presse&4in writing4that these written wor&s *ecome so

in ate& to trespass *eyon& the vicario,s an& act,ally *ecome live&

e(perience An& i$ any slip $rom privately kept to p,*lic evi&encing

o$ the &esire sho,l& *e e(pecte& to *e eagerly ,se& to $,el the

pop,lar co,rtier sport o$ re&,cing a la&y to a whore2 is it not likelythat 'ehn wo,l& nee& to &isg,ise $rom her rea&ers2 $rom her"e#f 2 the

satis$action o$ her se(,al &esires thro,gh her writing he *est way

to &iss,a&e *oth hersel$ an& her rea&ers $rom consi&ering other

possi*le *,t less legitimate p,rposes $or the novel is to *ring into the


24/432

story an e(ec,tion that co,l&nt help *,t remin& contemporaries o$

Charles Is own/ She presents ,s2 she presents hersel$2 with ,ite the

challenge1 o, co,l&nt possi*ly *e thinking se(2 anything at all l,ri&2

while I &oc,ment my ,m*rage at the e(ec,tion o$ o,r past king2

co,l& yo, However we wo,l& answer2 we might at least to some

e(tent *ack o an& &isarm o,rselves o$ the concept,al tools

necessary $or an alert poetic rea&ing o$ her work2 so that we are not

in some way c,lpa*le o$ &isregar& $or hierarchy an& right-place2

prove o,rselves in sympathy with evi&ent *ar*arians/ She wants

pio,s rea&ers2 not wits2 poetically in$orme& an& rea&y-prime& to note

the metho&s o$ their kin&/

',t i$ we are rea&y to spot contrivance2 we m,st acknowle&gethat the str,ct,ring o$ Oroonoko is similar to that o$ he

Disappointment/. Speci0cally2 that the n,m*er o$ wor&s compare& as

a proportion to the whole o$ the work chronicling !roonokos $ate

a$ter the sports2 is not &issimilar to the n,m*er o$ lines &etailing

6ysan&ers $ate a$ter Cloris &eparts him in he Disappointment/. I

*elieve this to *e space to ens,re a com$orta*le2 an ass,re&2

&istancing o$ the narrator $rom her male protagonist/ his

&istancing2 re ,ire& so we &o not associate the passions aro,se& in

Oroonoko with the writer o$ the work in he Disappointment2. is not

as cr,cial $or 'ehn in that work *eca,se the passions at work there

are e(plore& ,sing $amiliar mock-epic an& mock-pastoral imagery2

which nat,rally work to help keep the writer in min& as a wit2 as a

remove& o*server o$ the sceneK *,t it is cr,cial in Oroonoko 2 where

to c#o"e the &istance *etween hersel$ an& her 0ctional lover she tells

,s over an& over again that what she writes is a true acco,nt o$ all

that happene&/ 'y telling ,s imme&iately a$ter the sports that she is

o ering a chronicle o$ real happenings2 she helps s,*stantiate them

as s,ch1 she is remin&ing hersel$ that she is &escri*ing the sports2

not simply narrating them/ he &istinction she wo,l& have


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26/432

&o,*leness o$ the se ,ence involving the resc,e o$ a princess in

Coramantien an& the sporting se ,ence in S,rinam/ Be wo,l& then

,n&erstan& the se ,ence in Coramantien2 precisely *eca,se it lea&s

to the re-,nion o$ !roonoko an& Imoin&a2 as no mere &iversion *,t

rather as the c#ima$ o$ the 0rst part o$ Oroonoko 1 the part aro,sing

the highest &egree o$ interest owing to it satis$ying a &esire we ha&

*een *ate& into anticipating since the *eginning o$ the work/

ogether2 *oth o$ these scenes $orm the center o$ the work2 with

everything else either lea&ing ,p to an& away $rom them2 a chiasm,s

)A' 5 'A+ where A. is !roonoko &istant $rom 'ehnK the movement

$rom A. to '. a closing o$ this &istance in the 0rst hal$ ) tis 0t I tell

yo, the manner o$ *ringing them to these new colonies. :>;+K with

'. !roonoko ,nite& to a representative o$ the writer4!nahal in

part one2 an& 'ehn in part twoK an& '. to A. the plot o$ the secon&

hal$ o$ the work2 the movement $rom !roonoko an& 'ehn as a co,ple

to him once again remove& an& remote $rom her/his is why criticism o$ Oroonoko that $oc,ses on anything other

than 'ehns ,se o$ the te(t to satis$y her own se(,al &esires2 testi0es

so well to 'ehns skill as a writer/ Her e(pertise in poetics is s,ch she

can s,*&,e what o,ght really to comman& o,r atten&ance1 the

str,ct,ring o$ the scenes an& the wor&s we wo,l& atten& to less

narrowly i$ we tho,ght o$ the work as a contrivance2 as not so m,ch

a work o$ so*er acco,nting as an act o$ play an& mischie$/ In he

Disappointment. 'ehn shows that wor&s like snake. are to *e

primarily ,n&erstoo& as metaphors $or penis2 an& wor&s like

trophy2. metaphors or similes $or se(,al satis$action2 yet as I have

shown the sporting se ,ence is $,ll o$ penis-seeming o*3ects2

contains several re$erences to trophies2 an& she still claims

)s,rprisingly convincingly2 consi&ering how many critics consi&er the

se ,ence o&& $or a reason 'ehn wo,l& har&ly o*3ect to4namely2 $or

it amo,nting to a ,nnecessary intr,sion in a work mostly concerne&


27/432


28/432

to intervene. )G8G+/ In s,ggesting that the writing o$ the te(t was so

vivi& an& power$,l $or 'ehn that she wo,l& want to *e in on the

sports2 Spensers arg,ment is similar to mine2 *,t in s,ggesting that

'ehns position on the $ringes o$ action. was somehow $orce& on

her2 an& *y arg,ing that 'ehn has well-meaning intentions $or

!roonoko at this point o$ the te(t2 also so very &i erent * I will ,ote

$rom Spencer once again as I *elieve the $ollowing passage o ers the

most $amiliar an& most pre$erre& conception o$ !roonoko an& 'ehn

$or contemporary critics1'ehns Oroonoko 2 then2 is a tro,*le& an& opa ,e te(t2 $,ll o$

an(io,s claims an& o*sc,re ,arrels/ It is not a clear attack on

the instit,tion an& practices o$ slavery2 *,t the sympathetictreatment o$ !roonoko an& Imoin&a2 the &escriptions o$ white

cr,elty2 an& even the narrators very inconsistencies an&

&ivi&e& position2 have the e ect o$ presenting a &ist,r*ing

pict,re o$ colonial li$e2 an& provi&e the germ $or the later2

a*olitionist &evelopment o$ !roonokos story/ )G8G+Spencer &oes note that2 *eginning especially with the 7 >

QMemoirs o$ 'ehn2 whether compose&2 compile&2 or merely

commissione& *y :her $rien& Charles; il&on. )89+2 eighteenth-

cent,ry rea&ers were &rawn to the titillating i&ea o$ a se(,al

relationship *etween !roonoko an& :'ehn;. )8F+/ Spencer says that

it was thro,gh a repetition o$ r,mors an& &enials that eighteenth-

cent,ry rea&ers approache& !roonoko alerte& to the i&ea o$ intimacy

*etween the writer an& a hero who was ,n&erstoo& to *e a,thentic.

)8F+/ I am arg,ing that we sho,l& *e alert $or the same4an& as well

to the poetic toolkit $or writing o$ se(,al passion she ha& create& $orhersel$ *y the time o$ her writing o$ Oroonoko / I have arg,e& that

'ehn hersel$ wo,l& have *een please& *y the reaction o$

contemporary critics to her writings *eca,se they have largely

e(onerate& her o$ any wrong&oing2 choosing instea& to $oc,s their


29/432

hostility on other targets/ 6ike 'ehn2 who &,mpe& &ist,r*ing

passions into 6ysan&er an& !roonoko so to 0n& hersel$ prettily

emptie& o$ them hersel$2 critics have targete& men 5patriarchy an&

le$t ,s with a near pristine 'ehn/ here*y2 'ehn has achieve& the

wishe&-$or e ect ,pon ,s she co,l& not hope to have proc,re& in her

contemporaries/ Still2 even amongst her own contemporaries2 'ehn

co,l& *e heral&e& as one who &i& at once a Masc,line wit e(press 5

An& all the so$tness o$ a Lemal ten&erness. )G +/ She co,l& *e

compare& to Eve2 who2 altho,gh associate& with the $all2 was also

:their; 0rst mother. )G +/ Spencer tells ,s that the i&ea o$ :'ehn;

as a $emale champion $or other women to em,late prove& a potent

one in the $ollowing &eca&e :a$ter her &eath;2. even tho,gh present

too were early anticipations o$ the worries o$ many later women

writers :her $ail,re in virt,e;. )87+/Spenser2 like so many critics2 *elieves that emerging

,n&erstan&ings o$ 'ehn as primarily a writer o$ se(,al $antasies is

nece""ari# linke& to a &isparaging c,lt,re-wi&e re-eval,ation o$

women/ Spencer writes how a link ma&e *etween :/ / /; 'ehn an&

Miltons Eve ill,minates the $ormation an& masc,linization o$ the

English literary canon &,ring the eighteenth cent,ry/ It is only one

e(ample o$ the rec,rrent &e0nition o$ her in terms o$ the sin$,l an&

se(,al *o&y as oppose& to the heaven-seeking an& spirit,al min& o$

the male geni,s. )G =+/ Milton is conceive& in a way 'ehn wishe&

she co,l& *e1 His choice o$ heavenly s,*3ect ma&e the poet himsel$

appear a spirit,al 0g,re2 rising heavenwar&s. )G =+/ 'ehn2 *y

contrast2 with her $amiliar2 wor&ly-wise poetic persona an& 0ctional

narrator2 her &isc,ssion o$ se(2 political intrig,e2 an& other m,n&ane

matters2 an& her choice o$ come&y an& irony. )G =+2 co,l& har&ly *e

more opposite/ 'ehn2 an& $emale poets in general2 *egan to *e

conceive& in s,ch a way that ma&e so m,ch more o$ her :an& their;

$emininity an& se(,ality than o$ her creativity. )G ?+/ here arose the


30/432

growth o$ a myth a*o,t 'ehn2 which *oth &rew on receive& notions

o$ the relationship *etween a $emale writer an& her work2 an& set

the tone $or the reception o$ later women writers/ he myth is that

'ehns writing re ects a li$e pre-eminently concerne& with se(,al

love. )G@+/ An& Spencer tells ,s that :t;o &isc,ss an a,thors li$e in this way

4as the story o$ her writing career4always risks leaving the

impression that this is the way she hersel$ tho,ght a*o,t it. )G7+2

something2 as I have shown2 she attempts to e(onerate 'ehn $rom/ I

am well aware that an estimation o$ 'ehn as a $emale poet o$ over-

owing passions can *e ,se& to s,stain social-sphere &ivisions *y

se(2 o$ calci0e& s,ppression an& cr,elty2 an& I think it very likely thata goo& portion o$ the eighteenth-cent,ry interpretation o$ 'ehns

works as 3,st imaginative &alliances *etween a writer an& her

$antasy lovers2 wa" move&2 not in any way to $airly assess her *,t

simply to m,&&en her/ ',t2 still4 thi" i" what she was ,p to/ It wo,l&

have *een m,ch more acc,rate an& $air an assessment ha& it showe&

more appreciation $or the intelligence2 creativity2 an& *rava&o

re ,ire& to create a space wherein an a,thor co,l& pla,si*ly *e

imagine& en3oying se(,al pleas,res with her literary creations2 *,t to

my min& it is still a vastly more acc,rate rea&ing o$ her work than

ones which have 'ehn spinning lively tales4*,t principally for so*er

intent/ he real pro*lem $or ,s mo&erns is o,r &i ic,lty in

,n&erstan&ing that this nee& not *e a p,t-&own/ It can an& sho,l& *e

,n&erstoo& as a tri*,te2 a call $or her revival as a writer to *e

cele*rate&2 especially $or her not *eing in the mol& o$ the

eighteenth-cent,ry man o$ reason/ How immensely &,ll this

conception was< o my min&2 to have &enigrate& passions2 have them

principally em*o&ie& in women2 &enie& men greater ac ,aintance

with the kin&s o$ $eelings an& passions that make li$e most worth

living/ 'ehn live& at a time where the se(,al appetite wasnt $or


31/432

mat,re a,&iences only2. always something o$ a no-no2 that is2 *,t

where women still $ace& *eing seen as whores i$ ca,ght in&iscreetly

acting ,pon their se(,al &esires/ L,rther2 a yo,nger woman was the

only appropriate target $or se(,al amo,rs1 the &esires in ol&er

women were to *e s, ere&2 were 0t only $or ri&ic,le/ Lor 'ehn to

create a sim,lacr,m2 an arti0cial worl& in a historical acco,nt5novel

that allowe& $or satis$action o$ this &esire2 is a remarka*le

accomplishment to *e cele*rate&/ An& as $or the i&ea that what

women re ,ire most is $,ll recognition o$ their ,nlimite& inte##ectua#

capacities2 I have two responses1 0rst2 the millenni,m )pl,s+ long

elevation o$ the cognitive over the emotional aspect o$ o,r min&.

) reenspan G+ which has so pro$o,n&ly in ,ence& Bestern tho,ght2

nee&s to *e e(orcise& so to stop its ha,nting o$ o,r presentK secon&2

i$ we create or nee& s,ch a worl&2 yo, can *e s,re that I $or one will

start t,rning to romance to 0n& mysel$ living in a more h,manly

satis$ying worl&/ An& to those who wo,l& $rown ,pon me2 not share

with me my &epart,re2 risk in,ring themselves to my $ate1 Im with

Amazon princesses in a grove o$ ripening citr,s4an& yo, es2 the

*itter2 in the $orm o$ anacon&as2 has arrive&2 *,t Ive learne& clevermeans are at han& to make them act,ally a&& to all o,r $,n/

Borks Cite&'ehn2 Aphra/ Oroonoko / E&/ Nanet o&&/ oronto1 Peng,in2 G@@8/---/ he Disappointment2. Oroonoko, the over, and Other ork" /

E&/ Nanet o&&/ oronto1 Peng,in2 7>>G/ 887-89/ Print/Chi*ka2 Oo*ert/ !h< Do "ot Lear a Bomans Invention.1 r,th2

Lalsehoo&2 an& Liction in Aphra 'ehns !roonoko/ Te$a" !tudie"

in Language and Literature 2 %ol/ 8@2 "o/ 92 Binter 7>>?2 F7@-8F/Print/

reenspan2 Stanley/ The -rowth of the .ind/ +nd the ndangered

Origin" of nte##igence* "ew ork1 A&&ison-Besley2 7>>=/ Print/Marchitell@2 Howar&/ arrative and .eaning in ar# %.odern

ng#and/ Browne'" !ku## and Other Hi"torie"* Cam*ri&ge #P2


32/432

7>>=/ Print/Spencer2 Nane/ +fra Behn'" +fter#ife / !($or&1 !($or& #P2 G@@7/ Print/Be*er2 Harol&/ The e"toration ake%Hero/ Tran"formation in

!e$ua# 3nder"tanding in !eventeenth%4entur ng#and / Ma&ison1

he # o$ Bisconsin P2 7>? / Print/


33/432


34/432


35/432

looking at Decker an& a $rom the apartments perimeter/ Be know

the *right neon lights we *rie y atten&e& to $aile& to present ,s with

answers.4mightnt Decker or a come ,pon something more

satis$ying Be $oc,s on the two2 via a long shot that lasts ,ntil *oth

Decker an& a have entere& the apartment2 as i$ consi&ering $or a

*rie$ moment o,r pre$erre& can&i&ate/ Be choose Decker2 who in his

movement across the room mimics the $amiliar2 acc,stome&

movement o$ the car in the opening shot/ !*vio,s choice2 really2 $or

a presents ,s2 with his city-immigrant racial avor an& his !l&

So,th2 *ow-tie&2 co,ntry-gentleman attire2 the same $eeling o$

,ncertainty2 o$ incongr,ence4like we are all s,*3ects to *e playe&

with4we $elt ,pon sight o$ the #J!" sign/ Moreover2 a in his

stillness2 with his &an&yish attire an& m,te& e(pressions2 seems

impert,r*a*le2 ,ite rea&y to mock anyones inconveniently

e(perience& emotions4incl,&ing2 we int,it2 o,r own2 i$ they sho,l&

ever somehow come into play/ ho,gh we will c,t *ack to him while

Decker is in the *athroom2 a 2 no &o,*t2 is o,r "econd choice/Be &o not e(actly fo##ow Decker4that is2 we &o not trail *ehin&

him2 looking over his sho,l&er/ Instea&2 seeing in the previo,s shot

that he was hea&ing into a cham*er )a *athroom+2 anticipating his

&estination2 we c,t to a shot where we are insi&e the cham*er2

looking at him $rom the same vantage point we ass,me& in the

previo,s shot/ However2 we will $ollow him2 the camera wi## come to

sit,ate itsel$ 3,st over his sho,l&er2 as he spots an& 0n&s something

that capt,res his interest/ he movement re ects o,r eagerness1

Bhat has he $o,n& Is it 0t $or o,r consi&eration2 too Be2 the

camera2 now c,t to an e(treme close-,p o$ his han& c,sping a scale

he has place& in a small plastic *ag/ he scale2 in con3,nction with

the han& that hol&s it2 are key components o$ the mise-en-scene1 one

o$ three gro,pings we will *e presente& with in this se ,ence

through the e(plorations )with Decker+ or manip,lations )*y a + o$


36/432

two people who2 thro,gh their actions an& their interests2 are

showing ,s how they themselves e(ist within this worl&/ Thi" i" our

own keene"t intere"t 4how to involve o,rselves in this worl& 2 what

to make o$ this worl& K an& we show this in o,r switch to e(treme

close-,ps when we spot o*3ects like the scale that may a or& more

sel$-,n&erstan&ing than co,l& possi*ly come $rom comman&ant neon

signs/he scale2 tho,gh2 in the same way as the B#ade unner city-

worl& is an& is not a city o$ o,r own e(perience2 is an& is not ,s2. is

a 3ostling rea ,aintance with part o$ o,r own selves/ ho,gh neither

we nor Decker have scales2 *athrooms2 via the t,*2 sink2 or toilet2

have traces o$ o,r *o&y s,r$ace that are as &ist,r*ing to o,r sense o$ what it means to *e h,man as are the skins o$ o,r cities2 an& involve

,s in ,ncom$orta*le sel$- ,estioning/ Is the *o&y 3,st en eshment

Mightnt it *e )or somehow come to *e+ *eyon& simply necessary2

itsel$ &o""e"", rather than 3,st carry2 essence2 anima4so,l his a

consi&eration we are more likely to make in regar&s to h,mans than

with replicants2 not *eca,se they are o*vio,sly all $,nction &own to

their &ensely wire& core2 *,t *eca,se o,r so,ls have winnowe& to

the point where the most *anal2 *r,tal2 &ispensa*le4 dead 4aspects

o$ o,r *o&ies seem to occasion the tr,est acco,nt o$ who we now

are/ro,*ling so we switch to a 2 who2 $or a moment at least2

act,ally seems the more appealing o$ the pair/ Be c,t to an e(treme

close-,p o$ his han& p,tting &own something he was making4an

origami stickman4on a ta*le/ Momentarily2 this $eels reass,ring/ He

is not 5nding anythingK rather2 he is e(erting himsel$2 making acomment on2 we think2 the c,rrent *ehavior o$ Decker/ a 2 thro,gh

this simple2 con0&ent action2 provi&es vis,al evi&ence that one can

avoi& *eing sel$-implicate&2 a&versely a ecte& *y ones actions2 i$

one places onesel$ along the perimeter2 making comments a*o,t


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someone more &irectly involve& an& e(pose&/ a might *e making

an honest appraisal o$ Decker2 *,t not one likely shorn o$ irony or

irreverence )we notice the stickmans erection+/ his *rings to min&

a &issonance-inc,rring ,estion1 I$ like a we are mostly

,ninvolve&2 $or the most part e(trageno,s to a worl& we co,nt

o,rselves still part o$2 to what e(tent can we $airly *e sai& to *e

#iving o,r lives4to what e(tent2 even2 are we a#ive #nlike ,s2 a

has a han&2 an& what a han& represents4an em*o&ie& e(istence in

the 0lm worl&/ ',t through the action o$ his han& we ,n&erstan& he

really e(ists more like a remove&2 &isem*o&ie& eye4that is2 #ike u" 4

than one en eshe&/ h,s remin&e& o$ a way o$ *eing similar to o,r

own which was ,ns,*stantial2 ,nsatis$ying eno,gh to motivate o,r

search $or a more satis$ying way o$ *eing in the 0rst place2 we

choose to once again $ollow Decker2 hoping he might 0n& ,s

something 3,st as interesting *,t more satis$ying to contemplate/Be are not &isappointe&/ Deckers s,*se ,ent e(ploration lea&s

to an o*3ect which2 tho,gh it will likely *ring to Deckers min&

,estions pertaining to his own i&entity )nota*ly2 is he a replicant +2

s,ggests $or ,s an& potentially $or him a way o$ *eing thro,gh a

choice o$ what an& what not to val,e which makes these ,estions2 i$

not moot2 potentially nowhere near as vital $or o,r sel$-

,n&erstan&ing/ Decker &oes not $ear *eing a replicant *eca,se this

wo,l& make him one o$ the h,nte&K he $ears it *eca,se it makes his

e(periences2 his own treas,re& memories2 an implantation $rom

some &isintereste& other person4*eca,se it wo,l& make him more

someone elses personal agen&a than himsel$ a person enso,le&/ ',t

what cannot *e an implantation is his e(perience o$ the here an&

now2 an& his choice whether to make for him"e#f the kin& o$

e(periences worthy o$ photos i" ,n&er his control2 s,*3ect2 only2 to

his &ecision on how to relate to the people he meets2 o*3ects he 0n&s2

the environments he 0n&s himsel$ within/


38/432

he thir& prop we will $oc,s on2 then2 are the replicants photos2

hi&&en ,n&er several layers o$ shirts an& sweaters/ #nlike with the

t,*2 wherein Decker $o,n& evi&ence in min,sc,le $orm *,t *are& to

view2 the photos are not $o,n& in the empty 0rst &rawer we $oc,s on1

they are instea& conceale& in the secon& &rawer/ Scott2 in choosing

to place this prop ,n&er shirts an& sweaters2 o ers ,s an enco,nter

with a replicants home li$e which act,ally s,ggests a h,man)e+2

warm persona/ he replicant is protecting2 ins,lating2 his photos2

keeping them at a &istance $rom cas,al o*servance4what yo, are

s,ppose& to &o with intimate treas,res/ ',t this isnt all he is ,p to/

Here is someone who is not so sensitize& to an& &etermine& *y the

threatening environment so to $eel the nee& to take it into

consi&eration in his every 3,&gment/ he placement is appropriate

$or someone who val,es an o*3ect eno,gh to hi&e it/ ',t *y hi&ing it

in a &resser ,n&er shirts an& sweaters4a place so s,ggestive o$

h,man warmth an& closeness4he is in $act revealing m,ch a*o,t

himsel$/ he nat,re o$ their placement amo,nts to him telling

himsel$2 telling anyone who happens ,pon them1 he e(periences

these photos em*o&y matter to meK they are the very core o$ my*eing/ here$ore to *e place& in the most homey compartment o$ my

living ,arters/. )Shortly $ollowing this se ,ence we will hear 'atty

teasingly ask 6eon2 Di& yo, get yo,r &reciou" photos .1 6eon ha&

o*vio,sly *een harping on the importance o$ retrieving them/+In a col&2 threatening worl& this kin& o$ ostensi*ly trivial2 what

we wo,l& normally think o$ as generic sel$-e(pos,re2 proves

astonishing/ In the close-,p o$ Decker lea0ng thro,gh the photos

)where we see2 an& Decker will $oc,s on2 a ho,se interior we later

recognize in Oachaels treas,re& photos+2 we have move& $rom a

state o$ sa$e remove )in the initial long shot+ to sit,ating o,rselves in

near pro(imity to precio,s v,lnera*ility/ ',t ,nlike with the scales2

whose &iscovery is threatening to ,s *eca,se they involve ,s in an


39/432

act o$ sel$-&e0nition which makes ,s seem more &enat,re& an& col&

than h,man2 the photos are threatening *eca,se they are

&isorienting2 way o,t o$ place/ hey are evi&ence that we tr,ly can 2

whether the memories they are s,ppose& to represent are real or

not2 val,e the intimate h,man worl& they represent/ o know that

someone thinks like this2 co,l& val,e *eing open an& v,lnera*le over

s,re protection2 is itsel$ a so,rce o$ strength/ It presents an option2 a

way o$ *eing2 so l,&icro,s to not *e possi*le yet so won&er$,lly i"6

Bithin a &rawer o$ $ol&e& clothes2 within an apartment2 within a

*,il&ing2 within a city o$ en&less n,m*ers o$ *,il&ings2 we have

$o,n& something power$,l eno,gh to s,ggest an event,al ,n$ol&ing

o$ a macrocosm o$ a &i erent kin&1 a h,mane worl& o$ intimate

pro(imity an& to,ch2 that co,l& well matter to ,s2 an& that may 3,st

*e within reach/his is a 0n& well worthy o$ o,r search/ It is a critical placement

in the mise-en-scene o$ a prop so signi0cant we replicate the actions

o$ the replicant an& protect o,r e(perience2 sec,re it $or $,t,re

consi&eration/ h,s2 as wo,l& *e the nat,ral reaction to a &iscovery

o$ something so s,rprisingly2 so s,ggestive o$ warmth in a worl&

where we possi*ly accepte& it as something on every wall a&vertise&

*,t nowhere really to *e $o,n&2 we c,t to a shot where we are no

longer in the apartment/ Be c,t to a shot similar eno,gh to the

opening shot o$ the se ,ence to s,ggest4like Deckers e(ploration

o$ the &rawers4an opening an& sealing-o o$ a &iscovery/ he

camera is stillK we have a view o$ the city-environmentK an& there is a

vehicle moving in the $rame/ However2 this time2 not tran ,il2 the

scene is instea& very tense1 Be 0n& o,rselves in the path o$ a police

vehicle a&vancing ever larger2 ever larger2 ever larger toward" u"6Perhaps s,rprisingly2 this last shot also $eels as i$ in response to

o,r own will/ Be ,se o,r $ree&om o$ movement to place o,rselves in

view o$ the most threatening image we co,l& imagine an& know to


40/432

provi&e a goo& sense o$ what it can $eel like to e(ist in this city/

#nlike in the 0rst shot2 we choose to *e gro,n&e& at street level2 an&

engage in a long-shot o$ the environment rather than an e(treme

long-shot/ A$ter asking o,rselves2 Can we e(plore o,r h,man nee&

$or a warm comm,nity2 or will this make ,s $eel all too intolera*ly

v,lnera*le to the &angers in this worl& 2. we c,t to a &anger2 an&

see/ Be ask o,rselves2 *e$ore this menacing enco,nter2 Bill we

learn that $aith in privacy an& sel$2 home2 $amily an& $rien&s2 is a

so,rce o$ strength to resist the most $ear-inspiring e(periences we

might enco,nter in this worl& .hese are ,estions that are not settle& or answere& $or ,s )or

$or Decker+ at 0lms en&/ hey are ,estions that sho,l& not ever *e,ietene& *y ,s lest we ignore their importance an& relevance in o,r

own post > 577 worl&/ Be have seen an& e(plore& how Decker2 a 2

an& the replicants e(ist in their worl&2 an& imagine& how we might

too1 "ow how &o we choose to e(ist in o,r own worl& Bhat

ass,mptions &o we make o$ it" nat,re Is o,r worl& an inevita*ly

hostile one o$ h,nters an& h,nte& !r is it something that can *e re-

ma&e2 an& th,s2 potentially2 peace$,l an& h,mane Bhat are the

conse ,ences o$ this &ecision $or o,r own *ehavior Do we arm

o,rselves an& h,nt2 tho,gh this means enco,ntering li$e with the

min&-$org& manacles o$ polarize& thinking Do we protect o,rselves

an& avoi& whatever co,l& make ,s $eel v,lnera*le2 tho,gh it wo,l&

s,rely also mean narrowing o,r li$e e(perience !r &o we involve

o,rselves as warm-hearte& neigh*ors2 an& he#& rather than h,nt2

reach out rather than isolate2 even i$ this p,ts ,s in harms way

hese are e(plorations we involve o,rselves with in o,r enco,nter

with Scotts creation2 an& sho,l& contin,e &oing long a$terwar&s/Oi&ley Scott makes a mistake in telling ,s that Decker is a

replicant *eca,se he there*y privileges the certainty o$ concl,sions

over the ,ncertainty in loose in ,iry/ In a sense2 he is mimicking the


41/432

too knowing a 2 not in ,isitive Decker/ et B#ade unner s,rely

represents the creation o$ a ,esting an& ,estioning so,l2 *orn o$

an imp,lse to re3ect the kin& o$ clos,re ,rge& on ,s *y impossi*le-to-

ignore neon signs2 in $avor o$ a more open pro3ect/ Oe ecte& in2 an&

pro&,ce& *y2 its choice o$ camera placement an& movement2 an& in

its o ering2 thro,gh close-,ps2 o$ three key props $or o,r

consi&eration2 the 0lm involves ,s in a search which presents ,s with

choices2 not necessarily with answers/ B#ade unner really is an

e(istential 0lmK its glory is its ,ncertainty/ Scott rightly eliminate&

the rosy en&ing o$ the initial release $rom his e&itors c,t/ He sho,l&

have remaine& m,te as to whether or not Decker is a replicant/

Bork Cite& B#ade unner / Dir/ Oi&ley Scott/ Per$/ Harrison Lor&2 O,tger Ha,er2

Sean o,ng/ 7>?G/ D%D/


42/432

7#ea"ure into 7ain, 7ain into 7#ea"ure ( ovember 2001)

Bhen I rea& the criti ,es o$ Mary Shelleys 8ranken"tein an& Nohn

Jeats o&es2 I $eel as i$ I o,ght to ask mysel$ i$ it is act,ally

mislea&ing to i&enti$y either o$ them as Oomantic2 that is2 as

possesse& o$ immo&erate energy2 as move& *y a &esire to ,nsettle

an& change/ Mary Shelley2 wi$e o$ Percy Shelley2 &a,ghter4as she

tol& Percy on their 0rst meeting4 o$ o&win an& Mary

:Bollestonecra$t;. )8=+2 is "ure# a &e0nitive Oomantic writer2 isnt

she Accor&ing to many scholars2 perhaps not/ Ma,rice Hin&le2 $or

instance2 in the intro&,ction to a Peng,in Classics e&ition o$ 8ranken"tein, con0&ently asserts that its : 8ranken"tein'" ; moral

lesson that pri&e m,st have its $all sho,l& *e o*vio,s to the most

in&i erent rea&er. )viii+/ He sees 8ranken"tein as a 0rst work which

evi&ences her commen&a*le li$e-long pre$erence $or simple

&omestic happiness an& goo& $rien&s2. o$ mo&erate an& peace$,l

am*itions. )(lvi+2 not rea## so m,ch o,t o$ having hersel$ known loss

*,t o,t o$ respect $or the mo&erate nee&s o$ the comm,nity.)(((viii+ an& &is&ain $or the Qse(y l,re o$ scienti0c penetration.

)(lvii+/ he pro,&2 sel$-a*sor*e&2 over-reaching hero appeals to the

Oomantic spirit2 a tale that s,*3,gates him to the arg,ment that its

*est to remain in place4not so m,ch/ Hin&le accepts as o*vio,s

) :t;here seems little &o,*t that :4;.+ a 3,&gment *y P/ D/ Lleck that

8ranken"tein contains in an imaginative $orm her critici"m o$

:Percy; Shelley. )ivK emphasis a&&e&+/ So that'" it1 Marys last name

mislea& me into e(pecting her to $oc,s on the Oomantic engagement

with the li$e o$ a great *,t &oome& man2 when she rightly *elongs in

my min&s catalog,e o$ a,thors an& their works with the Classic2

with2 say2 Sam,el Nohnson an& his %anity o$ H,man Bishes2. that

are primarily intereste& in 9udging s,ch a li$e as immo&erate/ Nohn


43/432

Jeats4now he m,st *e a Oomantic2 $or i$ not2 who possi*ly 43,st

'ryon an& Shelley ',t &oesnt Jeats a#"o provi&e a similar lesson to

Nohnsons %anity o$ H,man Bishes. Jeats concl,sion. to his !&e

to a recian #rn2 . Q'ea,ty is tr,th2 tr,th *ea,ty24that is all 5 e

know on earth2 an& all ye nee& to know. )F@+2 even i$ to instr,ct ,s

as to what we sho,l& stick to rather than show what $ollows $rom

having let o,rselves go2 still shares with %anity. the concern to

&isco,rage waywar&ness/ An& tho,gh some critics &isp,te the claim

that the last two moralizing lines tr,ly represent Jeats 3,&gment2

an& tho,gh some hol& that the last two lines are o,t o$ sync with the

rest o$ the poem2 $or many an& perhaps most2 its all Jeats2 all the

way thro,gh/ However2 $rom m own e(plorations o$ 8ranken"tein

an& !&e to a recian #rn2. I &o not &isp,te that *oth a,thors

moralize2 nor that this moralizing can seem so o*vio,s to appear the

point o$ their works2 *,t *eca,se I consi&er the central li$e con ict

that *etween o,r right to p,rs,e o,r own &reams4what we owe

o,rselves4an& the &isapproval or con&emnation o$ signi0cant

others2 s,ch as parents. )'ran&en 8+4what they think we still owe

them4an& that the g,ilt an& $ear this &isapproval ca,ses2 *eca,se o$ its so,rce2 is overwhelming4to the point that it can still people in

place $or generations4it is really no s,rprise that the parents

)el&ers+ moralizing voice o$ten &ominates these works2 can appear

the &oint in these works/ It sho,l&2 rather2 *e e(pecte& to2 even in

works whose overall impet,s i" ver much "ti## contest an& revolt2

an& &oes not *y itsel$ &is ,ali$y either o$ them as Oomantic/ So long

as there is a sense that the moralizing voice is present so the writer

can engage with it2 0n& a way2 perhaps2 to tri,mph over it2 the work

i" a Oomantic one/ An& Shelley an& Jeats are 0ghting2 they are

resisting parental &eman&s $or them to let go their &reams4with

*oth in $act 0n&ing some sol,tion to their parents claims ,pon them1

Shelley2 thro,gh em*racing the monstro,sK Jeats2 thro,gh $,rther


44/432

immersion into his pain/Lrom the very *eginning o$ 8ranken"tein there are signs that

Shelley is not simply a*o,t to te## ,s a moral tale2 *,t rather is tr ing

on a moralizing voice2 as i$ looking to resolve $eelings o$ ,ncertainty

towar&s this voice2 its message2 while at the same time askinghersel$ i$ it tr,ly is her own/ I$ we are not too hasty to ass,me that

simply *eca,se Shelley is $emale )an& th,s cognizant2 even at this

early age2 o$ the monstro,s sort o$ over-am*ition ostensi*ly pec,liar

to the male se(+2 an& *eca,se the lesson we think she wants to

impart regar&s the &angers o$ Promethean-style scienti0c overreach

4still one o$ o,r own $avorites4we might remin& o,rselves that this

is what we might e(pect o$ a nineteen year ol&2 who2 thro,gh herelopement2 her travels an& &istance $rom her $ather2 her attempt to

start her own $amily4*,t most pointe&ly $or the sheer $act o$ her

growing ,p4is constantly e(periencing within hersel$ a &isapproving

voice as she insec,rely an& ,ncertainly2 nevertheless perseveres on/here is something o$ this am*ition in o,r early &escription o$

Lrankenstein/ Balton tells ,s 0rst o$ a *roken Lrankenstein1 I have

$o,n& a man who2 *e$ore his spirit ha& *een *roken *y misery2 I

sho,l& have *een happy to have possesse& as the *rother o$ my

heart. )G +/ Shortly therea$ter we learn *eing *roken &oes not

e(empt Lrankenstein $rom remaining someone o$ whom it can still *e

sai&1 no one can $eel more &eeply than he &oes the *ea,ties o$

nat,re. )G?+/ Balton asks4an& I will later consi&er i$ it is in $act

what constit,tes his very *rokenness.4 what ,ality it is which he

possesses2 that elevates him so immeas,ra*ly a*ove any other

person. )G?+/ hen we have a sign )i$ we havent alrea&y a co,ple o$them2 in knowing him to *e so $eeling an& so elevate&+2 not only that

he still has spirit *,t that he has not learne&2 not internalize&2 the

lessons he hopes to impart to Balton/ Lrankenstein tells Balton to1:p;repare to hear o$ occ,rrences which are ,s,ally &eeme&

marvello,s/ Bere were among the tamer scenes o$ nat,re2 I


45/432

might $ear to enco,nter yo,r ,n*elie$2 perhaps yo,r ri&ic,leK

*,t many things will appear possi*le in these wil& an&

mysterio,s regions2 which wo,l& provoke the la,ghter o$ those

,nac ,ainte& with the ever-vario,s powers o$ nat,reK 4nor

can I &o,*t *,t that my tale conveys in its series internal

evi&ence o$ the tr,th o$ the events o$ which it is compose&/

)G?+ An& here he stops ,s short2 i$ more o,t o$ *e$,&&lement than

won&er2 $or in the very e ort o$ making his tale cre&i*le to Balton

Lrankenstein shows goo& reason to &o,*t the very wis&om he hopes

to impart/ "ote that Lrankenstein tells ,s the e(perience o$ the

ever-varie& powers o$ nat,re. is empowering2 en$ranchising1 he yetstill knows what is an& what is not possi*le in these wil& an&

mysterio,s regions. )G>+/ More importantly2 note that Lrankenstein2

knowing the magnit,&e o$ the tale he has to impart2 shows signs o$

str,ggling with sel$-&o,*t2 sel$-castigation2 his $ears o$ *eing

ri&ic,le&/ Most importantly2 we note the similarity o$ this passage to

the one in which he artic,lates the h,*ris o$ tho,ght an&

&emonstrates the sort o$ sel$-*elie$ he tells ,s got him into s,ch &ire

straights in the 0rst place/ Bhen Lrankenstein &iscovers how to

create li$e2 he says1I was s,rprise&2 that among so many men o$ geni,s who ha&

&irecte& their en ,iries towar&s the same science2 that I alone

sho,l& *e reserve& to &iscover so astonishing a secret :/ / /;/

Oemem*er2 I am not recor&ing the vision o$ a ma&man/ he s,n

&oes not more certainly shine in the heavens2 than that which I

now a irm is tr,e/ Some miracle might have pro&,ce& it2 yetthe stages o$ the &iscovery were &istinct an& pro*a*le/ )F7+

In *oth cases he is o ering an acco,nt o$ something important

an& tr,e *,t also so har& to *elieve it strongly cre&its the person

who can act,ally appreciate it2 placing him envia*ly *eyon& the rest

o$ man2 in $act2 an& yet still insists on its tr,th2 telling ,s in *oth


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cases that he can &rove it6 here is another way that *y the very means in which he

intro&,ces his tale to Balton2 Lrankenstein o ers reasons $or

&o,*ting2 not his sincerity2 *,t the &egree to which Shelley2 thro,gh

Lrankenstein2 is ,sing her work to 3,st simply lay o,t her ownalrea&y settle& val,e system/ "otice the mo&esty an& respect $or

critical 3,&gment Lrankenstein shows Balton ,pon s,rmising that he

seeks $or knowle&ge an& wis&om2 as :he; :/ / /; once &i&. )G?+1 I &o

not know that the relation o$ my &isasters will *e ,se$,l to yo,K yet2

when I re ect that yo, are p,rs,ing the same co,rse2 e(posing

yo,rsel$ to the same &angers which have ren&ere& me what I am2 I

imagine that yo, may &e&,ce an apt moral $rom my tale. )G>+/"otice2 too2 his concern that Balton &e&,ce his own moral $rom the

tale/ It seems clear that Shelley is attempting to make Lrankenstein

cre&i*le thro,gh his very respect $or the reasoning powers o$ man/

et note the change in Lrankenstein when he1see:s; *y :Baltons; :/ / /; eagerness an& the won&er an& hope

which yo,r eyes e(press2 my $rien&2 that yo, e(pect to *e

in$orme& o$ the secret with which I am ac ,ainte&K that cannot

*e1 listen patiently ,ntil the en& o$ my story2 an& yo, will easily

perceive why I am reserve& ,pon that s,*3ect/ I will not lea&

yo, on2 ,ng,ar&e& an& ar&ent as I then was2 to yo,r

&estr,ction an& in$alli*le misery/ 6earn $rom me2 i$ not *y

my precepts2 at least *y my e(ample2 how &angero,s is the

ac ,irement o$ knowle&ge an& how m,ch happier that man is

who *elieves his native town to *e the worl&2 than he who

aspires to *ecome greater than his nat,re will allow/ )FG+Lrankenstein is now moralizing to Balton2 telling him the lesson

he mu"t take $rom the tale/ I will later &isc,ss why I think $or Shelley

the very consi&eration o$ yo,ng Baltons eagerness o$ won&er an&

hope. )FG+ wo,l& s,mmon this cr,shing &eclaration *y Lrankenstein

)p,rporte&ly $or Baltons own goo&+2 *,t $or now I will highlight


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signs o$ ,ncertainty in Lrankenstein at the very moment he

el,ci&ates the moral lesson many critics take to *e the o*vio,s

moral2 to be the who#e &oint 2 o$ the *ook/his lesson2 inci&entally an& importantly2 is not what many critics

take it to *e1 &espite its appearance2 it is as m,ch a sp,rring $or$,rther sel$-e(amination an& sel$-e(ploration as it is a stop-sign in

way o$ it/ Lrankenstein &oes not re$er to the &angers o$ man'" pri&eK

instea&2 he re$ers to the &angers $or those who seek to rise a*ove

what their own &articu#ar nat,re allows/ his *egs the ,estion1

Bhat2 then2 is my partic,lar nat,re4how &o rank . How &o we

think Shelley2 &a,ghter o$ o&win an& Mary2. thinks she compares

with other people Perhaps we see some in&ication o$ it in Baltons&escription o$ Lrankenstein2 whom he places *eyon& all other men/

Certainly Lrankenstein2 when he &isc,sses o,r weak an& $a,lty

nat,res. )G?+2 generalizes a*o,t a h,man con&ition/ ',t again2 this

prono,ncement is *ase& on what he has learne& thro,gh

e(traor&inary li$e e(periencesK an& this prono,ncement2 as with all

those he makes2 owing to his insistence in his a*ility to prove it2

evi&ences an e ect,al will that clashes with any claim to its

ine ect,ality/ It is &i ic,lt $or me to *elieve that Shelley co,l&

present ,s s,ch an e(traor&inary 0g,re an& really think that

Lrankenstein was &e0cient2 limite&/ I *elieve that Shelley2 thro,gh

Lrankenstein2 is o ering ,s a real sense that this4a &esire to *e

great2 co,ple& with a $ear o$ the conse ,ences o$ &eeming himsel$ so

s,perior4is a so,rce o$ consi&era*le inner con ict $or her/

Lrankenstein will at times &eval,e his own worth2 *,t as I have

shown there are also times where in *ringing the possi*ility that he

is or&inary to the $ore2 he str,ggles in making himsel$ seem wholly

cre&i*le2 in convincing ,s he tr,ly *elieves what he is arg,ing/In the very intro&,ction o$ the tale2 Shelley shows signs she is

e(ploring the possi*ility that moralizing is a conse ,ence o$ sel$-


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s,rren&er2 o$ $ail,re/ "ote that Lrankenstein tells Balton that his

own tale may &irect yo, i$ yo, s,ccee& in yo,r ,n&ertaking2 an&

con"o#e yo, in case o$ $ail,re. )G>K emphasis a&&e&+/ Oea&ing this2

s,rely we sho,l& ask o,rselves whether at some level Shelley is

aware that the very act o$ writing a moral lesson concerning the sa&

conse ,ence o$ sel0sh pri&e is e$act# the kin& o$ thing one might &o

to console yo,rsel$ i$ yo, sense& yo,& *een compromise&/ I e(pect

this is why Shelley intro&,ces Lrankenstein *y atten&ing to his

greatness2 even tho,gh it calls her te(ts overt moral lesson into

,estion/ Shelley is 0ghtingK she is resisting inviting ,pon hersel$ the

sel$-assessment as a $ail,re she knows wo,l& $ollow $rom telling a

wholly convincing moral tale/ his is why she at times resists

generalizing a*o,t mans nat,re2 having Lrankenstein say2 et why

&o I say this I have mysel$ *een *laste& in these hopes2 yet another

may s,ccee&. )G7@+/ At nineteen2 an& with a chil&hoo& an&

a&olescence o$ a kin& I will e(plore later2 she might *e asking hersel$

i$ she might *e this another2. this someone else2 this e(ception/

"evertheless2 she seems ,ncertain o$ li$es o,tcome2 an& th,s

consoles hersel$ thro,gho,t m,ch o$ the te(t4with note2 whatamo,nts to a kin& o$ pri&e4with the i&ea that the man who

imagines his native town to *e the worl&. )FG+ is greater than those

not similarly enlightene&/Shelley2 thro,gh Lrankenstein2 is e(ploring the sel$-satis$action2

the sel$-pri&e that $ollows $rom *eing a mem*er o$ a remarka*le

$amily4what she has most closely in min&2 I think2 when she writes

o$ *elonging to a native town/. Chapter one *egins with a statement

*y Lrankenstein o$ the s,perior nat,re o$ his own parents/ He tells

,s that1:m;y mothers ten&er caresses an& my $athers smile o$

*enevolent pleas,re while regar&ing me2 are my 0rst

recollections/ I was their plaything an& their i&ol2 an&


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something *etter4their chil&2 the innocent an& helpless

creat,re *estowe& on them *y Heaven2 whom to *ring ,p to

goo&2 an& whose $,t,re lot it was in their han&s to &irect to

happiness or misery2 acc

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