Month: September 2020

In Izaak Walton’s The Compleat Angler, angling is viewed as the purest of sport in comparison to the momentary violence of hunting and the perceived hum-drum boredom associated with falconry. While The Compleat Angler is rife with Biblical references as the Angler, Hunter and Falconer all appear well-versed in scripture, the Angler stands alone with lengthy diatribes alluding to the perception of angling in Biblical times and the common interest shared between himself and Saints. Therefore, it can be interpreted in Walton’s eyes that angling would bring one closer to God.

 In speaking to the righteous nature of fishing, the Piscator relates an anecdote about St. Peter, “…it may very well be maintained by our Saviour’s bidding, St. Peter cast his hook into the water and catch a fish, for money to pay tribute to Caesar.” (The Compleat Angler, Line 537) Given St. Peter’s close relationship with Christ, it is interesting that Walton would choose that scriptural reference. Is he implying that the Piscator sees himself in something of a higher light? The Piscator is clearly intrigued at the prospect of a Master-Scholar relationship between himself and the Venator and the seeming worship of the Venator at his oratory and angling abilities serve to strengthen their budding friendship. The humble Venator aims to please the Piscator throughout their fishing journey, consistently chiding his failure to capture numerous types of fish while the Piscator does so with ease regardless of equipment.

While we only see fleeting Biblical references to hunting or falconry in Walton’s work, the frequent scriptural references to angling allow the reader to draw a clear connection between the two. Given the many references, Walton would likely have been familiar with the Feeding of the Multitude narrative from the Gospels and even appears to allude to it by feeding six people with one trout – “Nay, brother, you shall not stay long; for, look you! Here is a trout will fill six reasonable bellies.” (Line 981)

Despite his willingness to dominate conversation much to the chagrin of other parties, the Piscator appears genuine. As Irenaeus of Lyons stated, “…a good will toward us is present with Him continually. And, therefore, He gives good counsel to all.” (Medieval Philosophy, 89) The Piscator’s generosity shines through in giving freely of his fishing talents to provide for the Milk-Maid and Coridon with food in exchange for a small bit of entertainment, providing tangible gifts and asking little in return. While not confusing himself with the divine, it appears as if the Piscator has not only studied scripture heavily but internalized the lessons in scripture and put them into practice.

Classical English Rhetoric – Anadiplosis (although I could have been more precise in my use of this technique)

How to Win an Argument – Appropriateness – use of scriptural anecdotes to relate to Walton

An Exploration of Faith and the Christian marriage tradition in Chaucer’s The Man of Law’s Tale

In the Christian tradition, marriage is often referred to as a blessed union, a linking of two individuals in holy matrimony. While some may excuse the terminology as an overstatement, it serves as a signification of the close bond between the divine and earthly, the immortal and the mortal. Through a close reading of Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Man of Law’s Tale, I will explore the Christian tradition of marriage and its roots in faith as it is no mere coincidence that the standard Christian marriage is held in a place of worship. Throughout the tale, Custance faces potential exile, death and other harrowing ordeals but survives and ultimately triumphs because of her unwavering faith and trust in God.

Close reading sections

• Lines 421-441 – Custance escapes death at the hands of the Sultan’s mother and flees
• Lines 519-538 – Custance is shipwrecked, she is rescued by a constable and immediately praises God
• Lines 1030-1055 – Alla fears that Custance died at sea
• Lines 1128-1148 – Impact of Custance as a wife to Alla

Preliminary source materials

• The Canterbury Tales
• Medieval Philosophy
• Chaucer: A European Life by Marion Turner (may choose a different Chaucer biography when I peruse the selection at the Susquehanna library tomorrow)
• “Discourse Strategies in the Marriage Dialogue of Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales” by Mari Pakkala-Weckstrom, Neuphilologische Mitteilungen, Vol. 105, No. 2
• “Religious Elements in Chaucer’s Man of Law’s Tale” by John A. Yunck, ELH, Dec. 1960, Vol 27, No. 4
• “Miracles in “The Man of Law’s Tale” by William C. Johnson, Jr., The Bulletin of the Rocky Mountain Modern Language Association, June 1974, Vol 28, No. 2

In an incredible display of arrogance, Titaness Mutabilitie explores the theme of divine right in the Mutabilitie Cantos of Sir Edmund Spenser’s The Fairie Queene. First explored through Saul in scripture (1 Samuel 16), Titaness Mutabilitie views herself as an equal to the Gods. Rather than simply stopping at the threshold of divine right and taking her position to be appointed by God, Mutabilitie seeks to be crowned as divine herself. As if placing Earth under Mutabilitiean hegemony wasn’t a sufficient sin to give her a permanent place in the inverse of Heaven, asking the Gods to relinquish their thrones through force would certainly give her a one-way ticket to Hell. Therefore, the Gods re-establish a clear divine between immortal and mortal and follow scriptural doctrine in doing so.

Had Mutabilitie studied a certain anthology, perhaps her views would have changed. As Symeon the New Theologian offers, “When the saint saw me and considered the labor I had endured with him he realized why I had undergone these things…Moved with great compassion, he spoke to me and commanded me, ‘Eat, my child, and drink, and from henceforth be not sad. Had not God willed to have mercy on you, it would not have pleased Him that you should come to us.” God would almost certainly not have similar mercy for Mutabilitie given her interest in worshipping a false God, herself, through her desire to conquer the Heavens. Had Mutabilitie stopped at conquering Earth and not looked to extend her reign to the Heavens, the question of forgiveness may have been a possibility but Mutabilitie shows no remorse whatsoever. It is only appropriate that Mutabilitie would receive pushback from the Gods when she attempts to strong-arm them into submission…”But wote this, thy hardy Titanesse, That not the worth of any living wight May challenge in Heavens interesse, Much less the title of old Titans Right.” (Canto 6, Stanza 33)

Despite Mutabilitie’s clear power over Earth, she is rendered nearly powerless when faced with divine beings, able to disrupt the order of the Heavens enough to force her exile but not enough to reach her goal. While misguided at best, perhaps it speaks to our human nature to explore the ineffable aspects of life, that Mutabilitie continues to seek to disrupt the Heavens. It’s enough for Jove to wonder when it might stop…”Will never mortal thoughts ceasse to aspire, in this bold sort, to Heaven claime to make, and touch celestiall seats with Earthly mire?” (Canto 6, Stanza 29). While Jove cites numerous punishments as a result of attempts to understand that which mortals cannot, he perhaps rightly surmises that efforts to stop inquisitive minds once and for all would be fruitless.

It is intriguing, however, that in following a theme perhaps all-too-common in tales of the period, love forces its way into the climax of the tale and brings an abrupt end to Mutabilitie’s punishment with a tangential reference to the destruction of Arlo Hill. The reader is left to wonder about Mutabilitie’s punishment but perhaps the real question is whether it matters.

In reading Edmund Spenser’s The Fairie Queene, I was immediately struck by the metaphor of Redcrosse’s shield. Elaborating on the physical presence of a shield as a last line of defense when a knight’s physical prowess is rendered useless, Spenser wisely creates the image of God as the true last bastion of righteousness through a red cross placed on the appropriately-named Redcrosse’s shield. Therefore, can the metaphor of faith in God serve as the true hero of the epic?

In the words of Medieval Philosophy, no love is held in higher regard than that of God’s love (181). It is wholeheartedly impossible to truly receive and understand love until one rectifies a belief and further devotion to God. And this idea is repeated in the Bible. Psalm 23 places devotion to God as the pinnacle of human safety, a figurative force-field against the perils of evil. Countless other verses offer the idea of giving all glory to God, allowing all human action to be a reflection of divine will. Redcrosse shows that he a devoted servant of God in the immediate lines before commencing his duel with the Dragon, offering “That I this man of God his godly armes may blaze” (Line 2921). Had Spenser taken a secular approach and offered a line such as “I shall raise my sword against this mighty demon”, the story likely would not have changed. Spenser still would have offered a lengthy and vivid description of the Dragon, elaborating on the enormity of the Dragon, both in physical stature and reputation as a diabolical beast before Redcrosse sauntered in, slaying the Dragon, winning the girl and living happily ever after.

But in giving a religious bent to Redcrosse, Spenser allows for a greater impact in the story, creating a dual savior through his shield. In offering a shield simile to describe the Dragon’s eyes, Spenser explains the difference between a shield wrought with God’s protection and one inherently used for nefarious purposes as the Dragon’s ‘shields’, ‘burne with wrath, and sparked liuing fyre;’ (Lines 2957-2958). While Spenser frames the Dragon’s shields as something of a protectorate, it is used to prevent challenges to its empire and frighten any comers rather than allow the beholder to fight for honor. Redcrosse’s faith in God elevates his shield to something that truly protects him from all danger, against Error early in the epic and against the Dragon later in the story.

A striking scene in Sir Philip Sidney’s Arcadia is the image of the Queen Gynecia’s neck on the literal chopping block. Left distraught at the presumed loss of Basilius and willing to take the fall – and subsequent grisly tumble and roll as a punishment – Gynecia is willing to lay down her life. Imploring readers to view Gynecia’s martyrdom as a positive, Sidney phrases the act as “duty to their good king, honour to themselves and favour to her.” (732) However, because Basilius ultimately survives the assassination attempt, intended or not, Gynecia’s willingness to die can be viewed as self-serving.

While it may seem short-sighted to view a noble act as self-serving, consider Gynecia’s immediate reaction following the shepherds’ refusal to kill her. Gynecia appears to lose all sense of honor in a martyred death by exclaiming that she will “excel in misery”, turning the act as one that fulfills her wishes alone rather than the wishes of the people or even the shepherds in the room. Loyal to their queen yet incensed by the thought of her death potentially clearing her name in a legal sense, Dametas immediately chastises his queen, explaining that the reprieve of death at that moment is only temporary. In a display of karmic retribution, Dametas states that “You shall not long be cumbered with being guided by so evil a soul.” (736) If Gynecia is unwilling to face her presumed actions – and the shepherds are unwilling to force death upon her – she will see it soon enough.

Gynecia’s response to loyalty is in stark contrast to that of the Third Eclogues, in which Dicus delivers a song praising the loyalty of newly-found matrimony in a sea of floral metaphors. Faced not with death but with the joining of Thyrsis and Kala, Dicus sings of loyalty in its purest sense, as if their union saw “mother earth deck in flowers” (692). Allowing for the imagery of weaponry to pervade the song, Sidney replaces a sword in death with the vanquishing of Cupid’s arrows – unity rather than division. For a novel in which many of the most vivid scenes of relationships are those in which the negative side shines from the poisoning of a king to Musidorus’ momentary suicide attempt that opens the novel, Sidney pivots to show loyalty in a positive light. Sidney even goes as far as to use the continual refrain of “O Hymen, long their coupled joys remain,” as a show of loyalty to Hymenaeus, the Greek God of marriage, adding repeated displays of the mutual respect of marriage, one that would not end with a queen begging for her death. Perhaps Gynecia could have looked to the relative peasants for guidance.