Stories as a mode of thinking/3

by Richard Green Moulton

III

Thinking on the subject of Witchcraft leads readily to thinking on the wider subject of Destiny, which Witches are supposed to reveal. In Shakespeare's play this has been treated with a mixture of Western and Greek ideas. But Destiny is even more prominent in the thinking of Oriental peoples; and Southey has worked up ideas of Hindoo religion into a brilliant picture.

 

SOUTHEY'S CURSE OF KEHAMA

Southey's Kehama is an Epic poem cast in the medium of Hindoo mythology, just as the Iliad is an Epic of Greek mythology, or the Paradise Lost an Epic of Scripture Story.—Many different kinds of literary interest unite in it.

1. Southey is remarkable for "poetic" power in the strictest sense of the term, that is, power of "creating," or maintaining realisability in the region of pure imagination. In this respect Milton and Southey form a class by themselves.

As illustrations take the conception of Mount Calasay (xix)—or the Palace of the Elements (vii. 10).

With this associate the more general "pictorial power."

Examples of word-painting are the Funeral (i)—the Glendoveer (vii. 3-8)—the Home Retreat (xiii)—the Festival of Jaga-Naut (xiv)—the Submerged City (xv. 10-xvi. 11)—The Regions beyond this World (xx-xxiii).

2. The Human Interest of the poem is the mutual devotion of Father and Daughter, becoming involved in a World-Struggle of Good and Evil, in which the intervention of Omnipotence is delayed to the last possible moment.

3. In Plot, Kehama is a master-piece (of the simpler species of plot): its form consists in the gradual drawing together of all the trains of interest to a single issue, the movement reversing with a surprise close to the end.

4. In the department of Metrical form, Southey belongs to a group of poets (Scott, Shelley, Byron) who apply Lyric rhythm to Narrative—Southey is distinguished by the elasticity and free play of his rhythm.

Among his feats of rhythm note the Curse (ii. 14)—Moonlight (v. 13)—Sapphic metre (x. 1)—especially, Fount of the Ganges (x. 3-4).

5. But the most distinctive characteristic of the poem is one which is more strictly "mythological," viz., that the personages and action are concrete embodiments of metaphysical ideas. [All mythology includes this; but in Greek myths interests of art (story and plastic) predominate, in Hindoo myths thought is supreme.]

This may be seen in individual conceptions:

Kehama: Prayer and Sacrifice as spiritual forces (compare Matthew xi. 12)—but in Hindoo thought independent of the worshipper's motive: 'drafts on Heaven' to be honoured at sight.

The Amreeta-Cup (xviii and xxiv, especially xxiv. 1 7-21)—compare Genesis iii. 22.

Witchcraft as Anti-Nature: Lorrinite (xi).

Casyapa (vi): Wisdom divorced from Power.

Yamen (especially xxiii. 13): compare Conscience.

The Curse (ii. 14) a speculation on the limitations of humanity.

but more particularly, the action of the poem is continually found to embody meditations on

 

Destiny

Distinguish :

Destiny proper: the stream of events apprehended as mere Force.

Providence: the stream of events apprehended as complete Design.

Intermediate between these: a Destiny which is Force variegated with flashes of Design.

The last is the picturesque conception of Destiny most suitable for Epic poetry.

To note some of the thought-flashes on Destiny embodied in the action of the poem—mostly of the nature of Nemesis (the rebound of events) or Irony (mockery as a measure of irresistibility).—Such is the motto of the poem: "Curses are like young chickens, they always come home to roost." [Rescue of Kailyal from the river (iii)—Sacrifice of the Horse (viii)—Rescue in the Shrine of Jaga-Naut (xiv. 8-15)—Contest (xvi) with the Monster of the Deep.]

Forcing the secrets of Fate secures only Half-Truths: compare Macbeth 1. 3. 122. [The main crisis: xxiv.]

The Sinner winning his way only to find it destruction. [Incident of Mariataly's Image: ii. 9-10.]

The Sinner punished in that wherein he offends. [Arvalan's body in the flames: xiv. 12-14.]

Destiny assisting up to the point of guilt, stopping short of the prize. [Lorrinite and Arvalan: xi. 14.]

The single grain of Good in the mass of Evil availing to avert Destruction. Compare Genesis xviii. 23-33. [Baly: xv. 4-6.]

 

Footnote.—The References are to the cantos and stanzas in each canto. The latter are not numbered in all editions, but the cantos are so short that no great difficulty will be found in referring.