Author: Inverter of Truth

In Rossetti’s frightening sonnet, “The World,” themes of physical worldly temptation and pleasures are explored alongside drawing a parallel to the beliefs of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. In the poem, the speaker encounters a deadly woman, who “woos [him] to the outer air [and tempts him with] ripe fruit, sweet flowers, and a full satiety”(Rossetti, 5-6). These material goods, including fruit, which can be an allusion to the tempting produce in Goblin Market, are symbols of material temptation. It can be assumed that if the speaker were to obtain these goods, he would “give her my life and youth [and become] a beast [with] pushing horns and clawed and clutching hands” (Rossetti,  13 ,7, 11). These ideas of temptation are reflective of the biblical story of Adam and Eve within the Garden of Eden. In the story, the characters are tempted into consuming fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and as a result, are corrupted by sin. This story’s influence can be seen within the sonnet, as the speaker character is being tempted into consuming goods that would corrupt his soul.

In a way, this poem is also reflective of the Pre- Raphaelite Brotherhood, how they viewed mechanized goods. According to the British Library, “were a loose and baggy collective of Victorian poets, painters, illustrators and designers” who, at the turn of an age of mass industrialization, wished to share a message of artistic renewal with their society. Many of their pieces are lavish with color, and are drawn and painted by hand. When reading the sonnet with this piece of knowledge, it could be considered that the poem reflects anxieties over the loss of handmade goods to a mechanized society. In falling to the temptation of using goods from this mass produced culture, it could be viewed as a form of “heresy” to the brotherhood, and as a result, was “corrupted.” The reason why this individual could be seen as “corrupted” in the eyes of the Brotherhood was because they sought after and acquired goods that were produced by machines, rather than humans. In a “World” that has been defiled by with mechanized goods, a member of this group would think that society was tainted with sin.  Although this viewpoint could be seen as somewhat abstract, it is one of many ways one could read this terrifying sonnet.

In Dracula, there are several scenes featuring a perversion of Victorian ideas. Of these, the scene featuring a vampiric Lucy demonstrates the Victorian anxieties over the notion of the “New Woman.” In this blog post, I will focus upon the idea that Lucy represents a distortion of maternal femininity when the protagonists of the novel encounter her. In this scene, Stoker sets up the encounter by having Dr. Steward state that “When [they saw]… the thing that was before [them was Lucy but] she drew back with an angry snarl [and her] face became wreathed with a voluptuous smile”(225,226). Even then, before she advanced towards the men with a “languorous, voluptuous grace,” she “flung to the ground… with a careless motion… [while clutching a child] strenuously to her breast”(226). As a result of this passage, Lucy the Vampire is portrayed as a perversion of maternal femininity and of Victorian ideals. In an article written by Greg Buzwell, he discusses the idea of how vampires in Dracula represent Victorian anxieties. Greg Buzwell comments on this scene, stating that “Lucy behaves in a manner that would have been viewed as an affront to both femininity and motherhood” because she was feeding upon a child like an animal. In addition to this, by having Lucy approach the men in a manner that would be compared to a succubus, Stoker shows one of the social anxieties that were present in Victorian Society; sexually liberated women. As a result of these developments, Lucy, through becoming a vampire, acting like a seductress and behaving a predator, reflects upon the negative thoughts that Victorian society had about “The New Woman.”

In this blog post, I will discuss and elaborate upon a vampire myth that was not discussed in class: the idea that vampires can become a ghastly fog in order to hunt their prey. In the Bram Stoker novel, Dracula, one of the protagonists, Johnathan Harker noticed “quaint little specks floating in the rays of the moonlight [that] gathered in clusters in a nebulous sort of way”(52). In addition to this, the particulate matter in the air seemingly became “three ghostly women… [who had]  materialized from the moonbeams”(53).  In response, Johnathan “fled [to his room where he] felt somewhat safer… where there was no moonlight”(52). These individuals that Harker witnessed were the three vampiric women that nearly consumed him during the end of chapter 3. These women, through their ghostly forms, are able to skulk throughout Dracula’s castle until it is time to appear. The idea that vampires can assume this form is solidified when the log of the ship, Demeter, is reviewed. Over the course of a month, sailors disappeared because something  was killing them. In addition to this, they were unable to navigate the sea due to a fog which “seemed to move with” the ship (94). One sailor reported that he saw “a man, tall… thin… [and]  ghostly pale”(94). When this sailor stabbed the entity, “the knife went through it, empty as the air”(94). This individual’s physical description matches Count Dracula, who we know is a vampire through popular culture and his actions in the novel. In addition to this, the fact that a sailor attempted stab Dracula, but is unable to, demonstrates the intangible properties of a vampire in this form. The idea that a vampire can transform into fog demonstrates their potential predatory tendencies, as they are able to hunt and ambush their human prey.

In Lady Audley’s Secret, Mary Elizabeth Braddon uses allusion and various comparisons to describe Lady Audley and her actions. In particular, during Chapter 12 of Volume II, the author draws a comparison that is used to describe Lady Audley and her actions. Of these correlations, I will choose to focus on how Lady Audley was assigned characteristics similar to that of a siren. The purpose of this blog post is to elaborate on the observations we noticed in class by introducing new and old evidence that would allow us to develop more concepts on why she is compared to a siren.

From what I could observe, the first direct comparison between Lady Audley and a siren occurs on page 280. In this example, Lady Audley “tried to speak… a choking sensation in her throat seemed to strangle those false and plausible words [which was] her only armor against her enemies”(280). Alongside this, her deceiving actions are compared to a “syren’s art”(280). In this part of the novel, Lady Audley’s psyche has been worn away by the inquisition of Robert Audley and her defenses are down. With the idea that one of her strongest weapons against her enemies has been disarmed, she can be considered “vulnerable.” If a mythological siren were to lose their voice, it would mean that it would not be able to lure sailors to their death. This idea of Lady Audley is unable to deceive others to manipulate them means that she has almost been disarmed. Now you may be wondering, “Inverter of Truth, why would you say she has been *almost* disarmed?” Well readers, a siren could not only lure sailors with their voice, but with their appearance as well. On page 366, when Lady Audley is looking at herself in a cheval-glass, she “contemplated the reflection of her beauty [and thought to herself] whatever they did to her, they must leave her with her beauty [because] they were powerless to rob her of that”(366). Lady Audley’s alluring appearance combined with her unstable personality means that Braddon has created a dangerous character. But, like many great characters, she has a functional “Achilles heel.” Without being able to deceive others with her wit and beauty, she becomes powerless. In order to render her without power, the characters of the novel place her in a mad house far away from the people that she has influenced in the past. In this asylum, the power of her slippery tongue is gone, as the doctors know their patients. However, even then, Robert and Michael Audley truly cannot remove her beauty, as evidenced by a French Doctor referring to Lady Audley as a “beautiful devil” (383). Through the author creating the siren archetype for Lady Audley, she makes her into an even more deadly character. With this idea, her weapons (her appearance and her voice) become even more deadly, while her weaknesses also become more apparent.

“A fierce and crimson sunset. The mullioned windows and the twinkling lattices are all ablaze with the red glory… and the rusty iron wheel and broken woodwork seem as if they were flecked with blood.” (28)

 

In Lady Audley’s Secret,  Mary Elizabeth Braddon establishes the setting of the third chapter by saturating Audley Court with the color red. During this August sunset, it is shown how various set pieces are altered by the crimson light. In this analysis, I will focus upon how Braddon uses the color red to foreshadow future events within the novel and how the color reflects upon Talboys’ emotions from Chapter 2.

In the real world, the color red is used symbolically to represent happiness, celebration, excitement, warning, anger, aggression, passion, and emotion. However, how is Braddon using this color to represent past and future events within the novel? In the beginning of the previous chapter, before Talboys becomes distressed about his wife, he demonstrates excitement and is eager to surprise his love with his return through stating “Poor little girl! After three years and a half… she will be surprised”(18). These emotions that Talboys experiences are mirrored by the “fierce and crimson sunset” in the next chapter. Not only does Braddon use the color red to reflect upon previous events within the novel, but she also uses them to foreshadow future events. Braddon uses rust to reflect potential murderous intentions as she likens the color to blood. This act of foreshadowing is only amplified by the idea that red is a color of aggression and warning, and in a way, is conveying to the reader that there is danger coming.

Through the author using a red sunset, they draw upon the symbolism of the color. In particular, Braddon may have used red to reflect upon Talboys’ emotions, and alluded to potential danger later in the novel. In my eyes, using such deep and vivid reds to describe a sunset was a great choice by the author because the color encompasses a wide range of meanings. When the color red is used alongside emotion, it adopts the meanings of happiness, passion, and even celebration. When used along the concept of blood, the color’s theme of violence and aggression is amplified, and it provides a source of foreshadowing that may enhance the reader’s focus with the novel.