Themes The Muse’s Tragedy

1 themes

1.1 tragedy
1.2 love
1.3 inspiration

themes
tragedy

as reader figures out beginning of short story title, muse s tragedy s plot relies on tragic aspects.

first of all, tragic dimension of text personified in character of mrs. anerton. apart being victim of time, left alone husband , friends, enhances personal tragedy paradoxical wish lonely yet surrounded friends. life has been spoiled one-sided love felt rendle. tragic aspect of unrequited love taken step further refusal of being loved man. indeed, tells danyers: “it because vincent rendle didn’t love me there no hope you. never had wanted, , never, never, stoop wanting else.” in way, aspects of tragedy exceed main character of mrs. anerton. young danyers touched overwhelming tragic atmosphere of muse s tragedy.

the narrator, depicting mrs. anerton s life, enhances @ same time tragedy of danyers in love failure towards mrs. anerton. rendle, dead may be, still main reason of mrs. anerton , danyers misfortune. both danyers , mrs. anerton impacted pathetic relationship between poet , muse. beyond tragic story, becomes path tragedy carries danyers along, , hurts world around her.

to conclude, tragic aspects of muse s tragedy rely on mrs. anerton’s unsuccessful love towards rendle. event, detail causes suffering, destruction , distress, consequence of conventional tragedies.

love

the theme of love significant leitmotiv in short-story. in fact, mrs. anerton first depicted rendle’s lover, , whole story danyers , mrs. anerton’s love.

to begin with, love between rendle , mrs. anerton fictitious. actually, few clues forshadow unrequited love: whole story set in poetic style , fraught references rendle’s poem. rhythm of short-story underlined romantic atmosphere: @ villa d’este, scene takes place in woods: seems typical amorous scene. therefore, can interpret writing style - underlines poetic aspect of story - sign of muse’s , poet’s love. may foreshadow tragic one-sided passion.

then, love story between danyers , mrs. anerton quite particular: former reader of rendle’s work. therefore, danyers falls in love woman not inspiration inspired enough writer , give him more creativity. thus, love story seems possible. story evokes stay in venice, love keeps growing, passage eluded text. muse seems delivered one-sided love curse. surprisingly, despite love each other, mrs. anerton refuses marry him , announces decision in letter. fact edith wharton concludes short-story written confession makes choice stronger , tragic since emotions of mrs. anerton exposed first time in story.

to conclude, relationship has been built awkwardly throughout short-story, leading relationship cannot move forward. mrs. anerton appears cursed, stuck in same scheme forever: love not able else muse lover. muse’s fate still chasing on , over: muse’s tragedy.

inspiration

in short story, muse s tragedy, edith wharton presents not story of tragic relationship between danyers , mrs. anerton, also, in background, poetic work above language. different feelings @ root of inspiration: love, curiosity , intellectual agreement. title of short-story reference artistic inspiration.

the artist inspired specific woman, called “muse”. narrator offers reader biased picture of mrs. anerton, indeed, seen goddess, because of inspiration arose in poet rendle, , in other men. sentence “ […] on altar of insatiable divinity” shows that. there lexical field of divinity “altar” “divinity” “veneration” “sanctuary”. allows creation. “silvia had herself created sonnets silvia”; demiurge, divinity; spreads aura arouses inspiration.

by being abstract, notion of inspiration needs concrete images stated , why narrator uses numerous comparisons. above all, can quote 2 comparisons between inspiration , other concrete elements.

first of all, inspiration presented through muse, mrs. anerton, garden: mrs. anerton s mind fertile garden wherein inevitably, rendle s imagination had rooted , flowered . sentence compares rendle s imagination plant in need of nutrients, of inspiration. vegetable comparison highlights merging , vital relationship between poet , inspiration. use of different tenses can pointed out: narrator uses preterit in order relate mrs. anerton s state, s passive attitude. on contrary, rendle s action depicted past perfect points active attitude: poet seems main participant.

secondly, can note sentence: mind must have been him (i fancy) tuned instrument on never tired of playing . comparison draws closer poetry , second art, music, , throws light on musical , melodic aspect of poetry. union between mrs. anerton , rendle not human perfect, syntactic place of 2 characters in sentence seem underline roles: mrs anerton, being muse , source of inspiration, @ beginning because inspiration arrives before work of poet, , rendle @ end of sentence or after mrs. anerton s name because acts after birth of inspiration, action posterior anerton s.

in text, role of muse progresses , widens. common opinion confronted danyers changed in course of story. indeed @ end, role of muse not passive anymore danyers claims “silvia had herself created sonnet silvia. hence, perception of role of muses in inspiration , artistic creation progresses until pointing out major part mrs. anerton played in rendle s poetry. narrator creates link inspiration creation.