In Izaak Walton’s The Compleat Angler, a seminal fishing guide turned prophetic blueprint for a sincere Christian existence, the Piscator serves as something of a mouthpiece for a righteous lifestyle. While it may appear at first glance that the lengthy religious diatribes and domination of dialogue serve to alienate the other characters, it becomes clear that the Piscator’s role is that of a spiritual mentor. Through a close analysis of Walton’s work along with selections from our Medieval Philosophy anthology and the King James version of The Bible, I will argue that the Piscator follows the Christian tradition of a Man of God serving as a leader, both in body and spirit. In doing so, I will examine the hagiographical bend to the Piscator and the transfigurational virtue present in the main character in relation to scripture analytically both through the Philosophy anthology and in the Bible itself. By examining the Piscator’s vast scriptural knowledge through his lengthy discussion of life in the Biblical arena, his Saintly task of patiently relaying the intricacies of fishing and his Christ-like Feeding of the Multitudes, Piscator becomes something of a divine stand-in.
Enthymeme: Therefore, the Piscator creates a mystical aura which is thereby transferred to the other characters because of his close relationship to God and the Holy Christian tradition in his personal philosophy.
Close Reading sections
· Feeding of the Multitudes reference and scene – Lines 981-1007 in Kindle version – one fish to feed six bellies –
· Piscator and Venator attempt to catch a fish – Piscator takes Venator’s rod and succeeds – Line 889-921 in Kindle version
· Fishing v. Hunting discussion in Chapter 1 – Lines 523-555 in Kindle version – enlightens the other characters to a Christian worldview, other characters seem to have only a passing knowledge of scripture “Angling is of high esteem”…
Sources
The Compleat Angler
The King James Bible – Feeding of the Multitudes in the Gospels
Selections from the Medieval Philosophy anthology
“Fish-Hooks in Amos – Izaak Walton and the Real Truth”, M.A. Bond
“Royalist Reclamation of Psalmic Song in 1650s England” – Paula Loscocco
The Life of Izaak Walton Including Notices of his Contemporaries, Thomas Zouch, 1826
The Piscator, captivating orator that he is, creates a divine association in angling from the first chapter with immediate references to scripture. Whereas the Venator appeals to mortal men by relaying the perception of hunting as a recreation for Princes and noblemen and the Auceps declares birds the political arm of the sky, the Piscator draws on a greater comparison to capture the fleeting attention of his guests. In tying a scriptural narrative to leisurely traipsing over a river bank or in a boat hoping for a nibble, the Piscator gains the admiration and borderline worship of the Venator almost immediately. In admitting that he may lose himself in a scriptural argument on angling (Line 350), the Piscator recognizes the dense metaphorical world he is entering. In a brief reference to Jonah and the Whale before the Aucep’s leaving ends the anecdote, the Piscator builds an immediate intrigue around Christianity, divulging that the ‘Almighty God is said to have spoken to a fish but never to a beast…’ (Line 350). Note the Piscator’s language here. By using ‘beast’ rather than ‘animal’, the Piscator appeals directly to the Venator and creates something of a mental hegemony within the Venator, leading to the Master/Scholar relationship later in the novel. As M.A. Bond states, “Piscator is well-aware of the blessed state of mental and moral composure he enjoys, and is happy to be able to pass on its benefits to such a willing pupil as Venator.” (Bond, 328) Piscator expounds on his sense of moral composure through angling by placing himself among holy men with ties to Jesus Christ. But rather than fall prey to a desire to compare himself to prophets and disciples, the Piscator uses references to Job, the Prophet Amos and others as something of a double entendre.
Continuing the established connection between angling and the divine, the Piscator weaves an anecdote on the association of Job and the Prophet Amos to angling (Line 391). Lending perspective to his comparison, the Piscator offers “that angling is much more ancient that the incarnation of our Saviour,” (Line 379) an admission which serves to amplify the restorative qualities of angling as not reserved for followers of Christ. In divulging the presence of fish-hooks in Biblical times, the Piscator lends historical accuracy to his narrative on the importance of angling and ‘fish-hooks’ serves as an apt metaphor for the increasingly-enthralled Venator, figuratively salivating on his every word. By allowing for an immortal element to be transferred to angling by mention of Biblical figures, the Piscator makes angling more than simply casting a line into the water and waiting for a fish. For the Venator, a man who appears starved for a spiritual connection, the mention is enough to leave him captured hook, line and sinker.
Drawing from the New Testament, the Piscator creates a hierarchy through an analysis of the language used by St. Peter versus St. Paul. Walton effectively personifies the language used by both men, with the gentle, unencumbered nature of angling compared to the humble persona crafted by St. Peter, a fisherman, “Whom having not seen, ye love, in whom, though now you see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.” (KJV, 1 Peter 1:8) The Piscator describes St. Paul’s language as “glorious and metaphorical”, appropriate given St. Paul’s atonement upon his conversion. However, the Piscator explaining that St. Paul was not a fisherman gives insight into his view on the potential disingenuous nature of St. Paul’s teaching. Given St. Paul’s abhorrent past prior to his conversion to Christianity – persecuting early Christians as noted in Acts 8 – the Piscator’s preference for St. Peter – a man who inverted the traditional method of crucifixion as he felt unworthy – becomes clear. While the Piscator refrains from explicitly citing Acts 26 in explaining his preference for fishing over other forms of leisure, it can be dutifully applied. At its most basic level, Saul’s capturing of Christians and call for their death (Acts 26:10-11) can be interpreted as a form of hunting. The Piscator sees angling as the most pure of all recreational activities, as the only leisure worth undertaking, one that can bring him closest to the divine in the earthly realm. In the purest sense, fishing is a sporting activity with little in the way of permanent harm, a statement which plainly cannot apply to hunting. The Piscator’s loquaciousness in regards to the divine element of angling reaches its logical conclusion in a reference to the Ecclesiastical Canons. The Piscator describes angling as “a recreation that invites them to contemplation and quietude” whereas hunting is “turbulent, toilsome, perplexing” (Line 540). In short, the Piscator enjoys angling as it affords him the opportunity to ponder life in all its glory, mortal and immortal and brings the angler closer to the otherworld.
Imagining himself as the most spiritual among himself, the Venator, the recently-departed Auceps, the Piscator borders on a declaration of self-divinity. Explaining that “the nearer we mortals come to God by way of imitation, the more happy we are” (Line 396), the Piscator places himself in a divine light. By continuing that God can only stomach his power and presence through a constant reflection of his abilities, the Piscator draws a parallel between the divine and the serenity afforded by basking in God’s creation through angling. In his flawed egotism, it is clear that the Piscator sees himself in a higher light than others. Much like the devoted men before him, the Piscator prefers contemplation to action, waiting for the ideal moment to seize his opportunity rather than force it into being. (Include S.L. Frank analysis on spiritual center)