INTRODUCTION:
The most immediate question that rose to my mind after reading Barbauld's
"The Mouse's Petition" was: "for whom did she write this poem?" Despite the
poem's ostensible addressee--Doctor Joseph Priestly--I sensed an underlying
complexity surrounding the issue of intended audience. Is it an allegorical
and didactic poem written for children? Or rather, is it a petition against
rigid eighteenth century social and political hierarchies targeted at a
mature and intellectually sophisticated audience? The answer perhaps lies
midway these two hypotheses in the recognition that, according to Mitzi
Myers in her essay "Of Mice and Mothers . . ." "the mouse's tale is child's
talk and woman's art, a tiny masterpiece with multiple meanings for multiple
audiences" (277). Upon careful consideration, the reader may be surprised
to perceive that the poem is not solely a contribution to juvenile
pedagogical literature but also makes implicit political and social
statements in an attempt to educate and reform the adult as well.
The poem as intended for children:
-it conforms to the criteria that characterize most of Barbauld's prose
works for children--Barbauld's educational writing is "concerned with every
day child life, not romantic myth making" (Myers 278)
-the poet gives a voice to the mouse who then employs intelligent rhetoric
in order to persuade his captor to set him free.
-he strikes an empathetic chord in the reader in lines 9-12.
-the mouse thus appeals to infantile sentiment and sensibility and expresses
himself in simple language: the syntax is uncomplicated and the even and
melodious rhythm is reminiscent of nursery rhymes.
-the genre of writing about victimized little animals is consistent with
ancient fable traditions aimed at children.(Myers 275)
The poem as intended for adults:
-the inscription "Parcere subjectis, & debellare superbos" (McCarthy and
Kraft 36)at the head of the poem can be translated as "spare the vanquised
and subdue the proud" (Myers 275)
-Barbauld prepares the reader for the implicit critique of social
hierarchies that is communicated through the voice of the captive
mouse.
-it is hardly reasonable and characteristic of juvenile literature to
presume a child would be able to read and understand latin therefore one can
only assume that Barbauld intended her audience to be comprised of adults as
well as children.
-another reason why the poem seems to be addressed to an adult audience is
the implicit political undertones that seep through the lines and words of
the text.
-Barbauld was known in her time, not only for her educational works for kids
but also for "the several vehement and forthright political tracts that she
wrote" (Haynsworth 8).
-she was an advocate for civil and religious liberty since she herself was a
religious dissenter. it seems possible that he may have found a haven for
the expression of her political opinions within the unobtrusive parameters
of kid's lit. This is particularly evident in lines 21-24 where according to
Marlon B. Ross, there is a trace of "liberal political language" (35) in the
phrase "nature's commoners"
CONCLUSION: By attacking and re-working conventional ideas about the
socially and politically constructed hierarchy b/w humans and animals and
even between humans themselves, Barbauld's poem implicitly targets an adult
audience since it is addressing issues and modes of thought that would
surpass the knowledge and comprehension of any child reader.
PRESENTATION 2
INTRODUCTION:At first glance, the last four stanzas of Pope's poem appear to
be eulogistic. Following a rather harsh and critical depiction of female
folly, these concluding verses offer a contrast and convey the praise Pope
bestows upon the addressee of the epistle--his historical lady-friend Martha
Blount. However, upon closer examination we are quickly perplexed and
disturbed at how problematic Pope's depiction of his lady-friend truly is
There are many critical implications that surround her depiction as the
goddess Diana which are not entirely accidental or unintentional. They stem
from the fact that the poem extends beyond the artificial realm of
literature into the realm of Pope's personal world. This sort of
meta-fiction inspires the antithetical use of myth that ultimately
undermines any pretext of a platonic relationship b/w Pope and his
Lady.
-in lines 253-56 the goddess Diana isn't mentioned explicity yet the
allusion to her is made by Pope's description of the moon. Pope appears on
the surface to be praising her chastity since this analogy suggests her link
to Diana, the goddess of chastity.
-however, in the figure of Diana there is a paradox: nakedness is an image
that revolves primarily around the image of Diana or the moon.
-Pope's preoccupation with nakedness is present in lines 185-188. This image
of nakedness is a metaphor that works on two levels: 1) to be painted in
words by a critical artist is to be stripped of one's superficiality and
false pretensions.Pope accomplishes this in his severe criticism of female
folly and of the problematic praise of Martha Blount's virtues 2)nakedness
operates on a mythical level where the erotic undertones present within
Martha's analogy to Diana are disguised.
-according to a myth that involves the goddess Diana, Actaeon sees her naked
by the fountain. He is in turn transformed into a deer andis then attacked
by his hounds (Smith 430-31). Pope is implicitly linking himself to the
ill-fated Actaeon who is punished to the goddess' determination to preserve
her purity since he himself suffered from unrequited love. (Martha rejected
his feelings towards her)
-in simultaneously praising and cursing her moral resolve and chastiy, Pope
is creating antithesis. This antithesis is the poetical expression of his
inner complexity and the contradictions that exist in his feelings for
Martha.
-the presence of antithesis in the analogy b/w Martha and Diana also calls
into question the very form of Pope's poem. An epistle is usually addressed
to a friend or an adversary (Miller 158)and it is clear that Marhta
represents neither one. Instead Pope is addressing an unattainable lover,
the lady to whom he feigns friendship in order to guise and keep at bay his
much stronger and illicit desires.