Versions of "Female Nature" in John Gay's <i>Fan</i>
1992; Johns Hopkins University Press; Volume: 21; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1353/sec.2010.0265
ISSN1938-6133
Autores Tópico(s)Media, Gender, and Advertising
ResumoVersionsof"FemaleNature inJohnGay'sFan JACOBFUCHS JohnGaymaybecomingintohisown."WiththatsentenceArthur Sherbobeganhis"JohnGay:LightweightorHeavyweight?",published in1975.Onlythreeyearslater,DianneS.Ames,referringtoSherbo's essay,expressedconcernthatGaymightnotbecomingintohisown.' Now,astheninetiesbegin,youngerscholarsmaywonderwhyanyone everimaginedthatGaymightsomedayberecognizedasaheavyweight. Comparedtotheestablishedcontenders,suchasPopeorSwiftorDefoe, heseemstoentertheringat112pounds,drippingwet.IfnotforThe Beggar'sOpera,hemightnotevenbereckonedaflyweight,andeven thatbelovedplayfailstobringhimsignificantattention.Thelatest ScriblerianreviewstwoarticlesaboutGay,oneofthemonlyonepagein length,comparedtoelevenarticlesonPope,sixteenonSwift,andnine onDefoe.Tomyknowledge,onlyoneconference,heldatDurham University,markedthetercentenaryofGay'sbirthin1985. Hisrankasapoet,whichchieflyconcernsmehere,islow,butitisn't easytoseewhy.Itneverisinthesecases.Perhapshehassufferedlately becauseofhisreputation,formerlyquiteenviable,asapoetofallusion. ProfessorAmes,forexample,praisedhimasa"masterofthepoetryof classicalallusion."However,IrvinEhrenpreisisfarfromtheonlycritic tohavebeenrepelledbytheexcessesofsource-huntingscholarsinthe sixtiesandseventies.2TostudyGay'spoetryisalsotostudyhisusesof 43 44 / FUCHS allusion,andtomany,perhaps,thesemayseemlessinterestingandmore treacherousthantheyoncedid.Ifso,TAeFanmustbeconsidereda workunlikelytoelevateGay'sstatus,sinceitlargelyconsistsofpassages echoingVirgilandOvid.Nonetheless,thismock-epicwillrewardreaders whocometoitunburdenedbyprejudiceagainstallusiveverse,orthis poet,orthisparticularexampleofhisallusivework. Unfortunately,itmaybedifficulttobethusunburdenedwhere77?e Fanisconcerned,sincenoonehaseverthoughtmuchofitfromSamuel Johnson("oflittlevalue")toPatriciaMeyerSpacks("unutterablytrivial andalmostunreadable").Moreover,bothofthesecritics,writingwell beforethecurrentreactionagainstWassermania,objectedtoGay'suse ormisuseofallusion.Johnson,generallyimpatientwithclassical mythologywhenitappearedinEnglishpoems,wrotethat"theattention naturallyretiresfromanewtaleofVenus,Diana,andMinerva."Spacks hasonlycontemptforwhatshefindsinthepoem:a"seriesofOvidian episodes[set]inapseudo-mythologicalframework."3 Iagree,ofcourse,thatitisataleofVenus,Diana,andMinerva(but wouldaddthatMomus,whowillbediscussed,isjustasimportant),and certainlyitsframeworkismythologicalorpseudo-mythological.Infact, thewholepoemis;itisanoddexampleofmock-epicinbeing,asits latesteditorspointout,"almostallmachinery":thatis,almostallgods andgoddesses,primarilythelatterinthiscase.4ButIthinkthemachin- eryworks.Itisamusingtowatch,butitalsogeneratesmeaning,for,as thispaperwillseektoshow,withinTAeFanGayopposesdifferent versionsofwhathecalls"femaleNature"(2.192).InmyreadingTheFan isparticularlyinterestingbecauseheneverdecideswhichversionof femalenatureiscorrect.5 Thepoem'saction,whichisnearlyalltalk,maybeeasilyreviewed.In thefirstofthethreebooks,youngStrephon,spurnedbyCorinna,asks VenusforagifttowinCorinna'sfavor.Flyingtohergrotto,wherea workforceofcupidsproduceslove'sbowsandarrows,aswellas femaleornamentsandcosmetics,Venuscommissionstheconstruction ofthefirstfan.Asthesceneshifts,Book2presentsanOlympian debateinheavenconcerningthescenestobepaintedonthepresently blankfan("WhatStory,"Venusasks,"shallthewideMachineunfold?" [2.42]).Dianaurgesdepictionsofwomenbetrayedbymen—Theseus, Aeneas,Paris—toteachmaidstobechaste;butMomus,thepersonifi- cationoffault-finding,sneersatwhatheconsidersherhypocrisyand sarcasticallyurgesapanoramaofgoddesses,includingDiana,shown seekingorenjoyingphysicallove.InBook3,however,swiftlygaining theassentoftheothers,wiseMinervacoversthefanwithexamples drawnfromancientmythandpoetryofthebadeffectsonwomenof Gay'sFan / 45 pride,suspicion,delightinmalefinery,andvanityconcerningtheir ownbeauty.VenusthendeliversthefantoStrephon,who—asthe poem'sfinalscenebegins—"offersthePresent,andrenewshisVow" (3.194)toCorinna,atthatmomentenjoyingtheattentionsofarival swain,Leander. "ThePresent"affectsCorinnadifferently,verydifferently,according towhicheditionofGay'smock-epiconehappenstobereading.Inthe revisedversionof1720,sheexaminesthefanandimmediatelyrealizes howfoolishandself-destructiveareherpride,suspicion,delightinmas- culine"Show"(3.204),andvanity,allofwhichwouldpreventherfrom experiencingtruelove"e'er[her]Blossomdies"(3.210).Humblednow, sheisspirituallyreadytofulfillwhattheeighteenthcenturygenerally thoughttobeawoman'sproperdestiny,marriageandalifetimeof submissiontoherhusband.6Accordingly,therevisedFanconcludeswith thisepithalamialcouplet:"ThusPallastaughther.Strephonwedsthe Dame,/AndHymen'sTorchdiffus'dthebrightestFlame"(3.211-12). However,inGay'soriginaleditionof1714,whenStrephongivesCorinna thefan,shegreedily"Snatches"itaway,thenturnstoLeander,and,in theverylastline,"SmilesontheFop,andflirtsthenewMachine."The polardifferencebetweenthetwoendings—betweenmodestbrideand callouscoquette—allowsroomforyetotherconceptionsoffemale natureandsignalsGay'sindecisionregardingwhatseemedtohima bafflingquiddityindeed. Ofcourse,ineithereditionofTheFanmanyofGay'sversespresent thetraditional,condescending,maleopinionthat—untilandunless reformedbythewiseadviceofsomeonelikeGay'sMinervaorPope's ClarissainTheRapeoftheLock—womencaneasilybebothtrivialand vain.Asthepatronessoffemalecharmsandwiles,Gay'sVenus,whois similarincharactertoArielintheRape,istheproperdeityforsuch women.Hergrottoworkshop,staffedbycupids,producessuchtriflesas "ThePatch,thePowder-Box,Pulville,Perfumes,/Pins,Paint,aflat- t'ringGlass,andBlack-leadCombs"(1.129-30). Grotto,cupids,andproductsmakeanobviouscontrasttoVulcan's imposingcave,describedinAeneid8,withhiscrewofcyclopsandtheir outputofwarchariotsandthunderbolts.AskedbyVenustofashion weaponsforAeneas,Vulcan,chiefengineer,brusquelyordersthecyclops: "'Tollitecuneta'(8.439:"Dropeverything");"'Armaacrifacienda viro'"(8.441:"Armsmustbemadeforabraveman").Withthisheavily masculinebusinessgoingoninthebackground,Gay'sVenusseemseven moretoincarnatethetrivial,thefoolish,thefrillyaspectoffemale nature.Insteadofaroughandmanly"tollitecuneta,"shecajolesher 46 / FUCHS cupids:"industriousLoves,yourpresentToilsforbear"(1.151)andthen instructsthemonthemanufactureofapaperfan. ThusGayemployswhatEllenPollakcalls(andfindsinhiswork)the "comicdeflationofthethreatoffemaledeviancy."Comic,becausemen reallyneedfearnothingfromanyactionawomancouldtakeandcan thereforeaffordanattitudeof"urbanetolerance."7However,Gayalso seemstoimply,throughVenus'sactionsandintentions,thatcoquetry concealsrealdangersformen.Inthispoem,inwhichGayseemsgener- allyunsettledonthesubjectofwomen,henotonlydeflatesthe"threatof femaledeviancy,"asIhaveshown,butalsoinflatesit. TounderstandthatGaycantakecoquetryseriouslyrequiresonly thatonerecognizetheobviousconnectionbetweenStrephonand Aeneas,Venus'sson,whomintheAeneidshedoesherbesttosupport andprotect.Thus,in8.608-731,sheprovideshimwitharms,forgedin Vulcan'scave,includingtheshieldwhichbothprotectshiminbattle and,becauseoftheprophetichistoricalscenespictureduponit,serves asanemblemofRome'sultimateprosperity.Incontrast,theloyalties ofGay'sVenusaremixedatbest.Inoneversionofthepoem,bygiving CorinnathefanStrephonwinsthebattleforherheart,butitishardto believethatVenuscareswhetherher"son"(adoptedbyallusion)wins orloses.Toherthefansignifies(asmuchasitcansignifyanything whilestillblank),notatriumphforapowerthatStrephonrepresents, asAeneasrepresentsRome,butafutureofconquestofmenby women. UpinheaveninBook2,whileStrephonwaitshopefullyonearth, VenusboaststotheOlympiansofhavingdesignedthefanasonemore weapontoassistwomen"tosubdueMankind"(2.25).Itisameansof concealment,forblushes,andofambush,fromwhichtodartswift glances,butsheseemstothinkofitasanoffensiveweapon.Indeed,her cupidshaveconstructedtheprototypesheexultantlydisplaysoutofthe sticksandpointsofarrows(1.179-84)."UnhappyLovers!"exclaimsthe poet,"howwillyouwithstand,/WhenthesenewArmsshallgraceyour Charmer'sHand?"(1.195-96).Intheoriginalending,ofcourse, Strephon'sgifthasaneffectexactlyoppositefromthatwhichhe,butnot she,intends.Motherbetraysson,Gayimplies,andallmenalongwith him,toadvancethepowerofwomen. ButotherdeitieshaveplansforthefanbesidesVenus,whobecomesa minorcharacterafterthebeginningofBook2,whereGay'ssubject becomestheheavenlydebateconcerningthescenestobeinscribedupon it.Diana,whospeaksfirst,suggeststhreetalesofbetrayaltoteach youngwomenthatmen"vowbuttoDeceive"(2.104).Werethefan Gay'sFan / 47 decoratedwithscenesofAriadneandTheseus,DidoandAeneas, OenoneandfaithlessParis,thenwould(sheclaims) ...theNymph,whene'ershespreadstheFan, InhistrueColoursviewperfidiousMan, Pleas'dwithherVirginStateinForrestsrove, Andnevertrustthedang'rousHopesofLove. (2.123-26) However,whileDianapaintssomeappealingword-pictures,Gayprob- ablydoesnotintendhisreaderstotakeherseriously."Never"(inline 126)istoolong.Althoughallunmarriedwomenweresupposedtospend theirtimeinDiana'sforests,tomosteighteenth-centuryminds,virginity, asPollaksuccinctlyexplains,wasa"prelude,notanalternative,tomar- riage."8The"CelestialSynod"(2.27)doesnotembraceDiana'sdecorativescheme .Infact,Momusarisestolaughatit.ButmoreofMomus later. ItisMinerva,finally,whoinBook3takesupher"creatingPencil"and "bid[s]thePaintexpresshergreatDesign"(3.10,3.8)uponthefan.The storyofNiobe,whosechildrenwereslainbythegodsasherpunishment forboasting,counselsagainstpride;thatofProcris,whospiedonher husbandanddiedwhenhemistookherforadeerandshother,against suspicion;thatofCamilla,thespoils-seekingwarriorqueeninthe Aeneid,againstcaringaboutthetawdrytriflesofmaledress;thatof Narcissusagainstvanity.Inthe1720ending,everylessontakes.For example, When[Corinna]thefateofNiobebeheld, WhyhasmyPrideagainstmyHeartrebell'd? Shesighingcry'd:DisdainforsookherBreast, AndStrephonnowwasthoughtaworthyGuest. (3.195-98) Corinnaistransformed.Renderedproperlypassive,sheentersinto matrimony. Inthe1714endingeverylessonfails.Thisoutcomeseems,tomeat least,farmorelogicalandsatisfying.First,Corinna'sinstantaneouscon- versionisnotonlyunlikely,givenhercarefreespirit,butalsosimplistic; imaginethedullingeffectinthefifthcantoofTheRapeoftheLockif, afterhearingClarissa's"goodHumour"speech,Belindahadsimplysaid, "Yesdear,you'reright."Moreimportantly,Minerva'sexampleswould probablyfailtopersuadeCorinnaifshethoughtaboutthem(insteadof 48 / FUCHS simplyfallingintotheblessedstateofsubmissiveness),forshewould realize,aswillthethoughtfulreader,justhowremotetheseexamplesare fromanynon-mythologicalreality.Theirunpersuasivecharacter,aswe shallsee,wouldsupporttheunconventionalityofthe1714ending;their retentionin1720indicatesGay'scontinuingambivalencedespitehis ostensiblecommitmenttheretotheconventionalviewoffemalenature. First,thepunishmentsthemythologicalwomensufferaresodrastic, andsobloodilydescribed,thatapplicationtomodernwomenbecomes veryawkward.AfterDianaandApolloslaughtereveryoneofthefour- teenchildrenofNiobe,"FixtinAstonishmentsheweepingstood,/The PlainallpurplewithherChildren'sBlood"(3.67-68).AsforpoorPro- cris,"purpleGorehersnowyBosomdies[sic])"(3.88),andmortally woundedCamilla,the"bloodyGround,/FloatswithaTorrentfromthe purpleWound"(3.105-6).Thesehorrifyingexamplesaresupposedto warnwomenagainstfolliesthatwouldleadthemtoremainunfortu- natelysingleforlife;but,althoughspinsterhoodwasnotanenviable condition,nothinginitcouldhaveseemedequivalenttotheseghastly consequences.Clarissa'swarningstoBelinda,itwillberemembered,are muchmilderandthereforemorerealistic. Second,threeoftheapplicationsseemwhollyorpartiallyinappro- priate.Narcissuswasaboy.Moreimportantly,Niobewasawifeanda mother,who,althoughsheboastedofherbeauty,wasmuchprouderof havinghadsevendaughtersandsevensons;moreover,Niobestupidly...
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