Lady Mary Wortley Montague Essay, Research Paper
Literature is a form of art with many facets, many obvious and others
subtle. The surface of literature can be composed of many elements
such as genre, form, rhythm, tone, diction, sentence structure, etc.
Time periods, authors’ personal style and type of work all determine
what elements are used in the literature. The deeper more subtle side
of literature is the use of symbolism, imagery and the significance of
the work. In most works of literature, parallels can be drawn between
the author’s personality and current life’s events through the subject
matter, the characters, and the use of specific literary techniques. Lady
Mary Wortley Montagu’s use of literary techniques in the first two
stanzas of The Lover: A Ballad, are consistent throughout the six
stanza ballad identifying and refuting the ways in which women were
defined by literature of the 18th century era.
“At length, by so much importunity pressed,
Take (Molly) at once the inside of my breast;
This stupid indifference so often you blame
Is not owing to nature, to fear, or to shame;
I am not as cold as a virgin in lead,
Nor is Sunday’s sermon so strong in my head;
I know but too well how time flies along,
That we live but few years and yet fewer are young.
But I hate to be cheated, and never will buy
Long years of repentance for moments of joy.
Oh was there a man (but where shall I find
Good sense, and good nature so equally joined?)
Would value his pleasure, contribute to mine,
Not meanly would boast, nor lewdly design,
Not over severe, yet not stupidly vain,
For I would have the power through not give the pain”
(Montagu, 2567)
The ballad has been traditionally known as the earliest form of
poetry in conjunction with the folk world. It is one of lyrical work,
usually in a simple song or dance form eluding to its’ roots in oral
presentation among the rural culture. The ballad commonly uses
simple language and can be in the form of 3rd person, dialogue or a
combination of the two. The ballad form generally shortens action in
that it focus’ on a single, usually, climactic event and eludes to the
building and conclusion of this event. Coincidentally, the rural roots of
ballads parallel the themes that generally deal with basic aspects of
life, such as; love and death, but seem to have a supernatural element.
“The quatrain, a stanza of four lines, rhymed or unrhymed, is the
most common of all English stanzaic forms. And the most common
type of quatrain is the ballad stanza, in which lines of iambic
tetrameter alternate with trimeter, rhyming abcb (lines 1 and 3 being
unrhymed) or, less commonly abab” (Fergueson, 1114). Montagu uses
many of these elements in that she stays remains consistent with the
theme of ballads and writes about love. The supernatural aspect to her
ballad is not necessarily supernatural, but in fact leans to Greek
mythology. Her conclusion ends with reference to Ovid alluding to
The Metamorphoses’ which “…tells stories of virgins who are
transformed into a laurel tree (Daphne) or a fountain (Arethusa), rather
than succumb to the importunities of a pursuing god” (Footnote to The
Lover: A Ballad, Damrosch, 2568). Greek mythology can be
categorized as supernatural though, depending on the audiences’
beliefs, in that it’s main characters are Gods and humanlike creatures
with supernatural, superhuman abilities. Despite staying in the
framework of themes and elements of the ballad, Montagu goes
against the traditional definition and sets The Lover: A Ballad, in six
eight line stanzas composed of anapestic tetrameter rhyming couplets.
During the 18th century, the literary world was dominated by
male poets and writes leaving the women poets and writers
unsuccessful and unestablished. Notwithstanding the male circles of
literature, Aphra Behn was the exception, she could hold her own and
helped lead the way to women writers at a time when women were
depicted to be passive creatures. Lady Mary Wortley Montagu was a
strong character not only in her literature but also in her personal life.
After her husband, Edward Wortley Montagu, was appointed
Ambassador to Turkey she joined him. She saw something that was in
great interest to her, inoculation of smallpox. As being a survivor of
smallpox, when she returned to England she supported, if not lead the
way, to inoculation in England. Her writings at this time became the
groundwork for her fame as a writer (Damrosch, 2558). Nevertheless,
by going against the traditional form of ballads, she shows that women
were not going to define themselves by traditional stereotypes or try to
fit into an image of what women were supposed to be. Montagu’s own
frustration directed at an era in literature and time that depicts women
passively can be felt by the reader by underlying tones of aggression
from being held down by societal stereotypes and values. “There is
hardly a character in the world more liable to universal ridicule than
that of a Learned Woman” (Damrosch, 2557). Already at a young age
of twenty Montagu identifies the limitations of women. “Women, she
counseled, should know much but hide their knowledge, lest they lose
out on the comforts of love, marriage, and social ease” (Damrosch,
2558). By hiding behind her speaker she acknowledges these opinions
and is saves herself from social ridicule.
Montagu’s diction further invalidates the point of women’s
depiction by using strong and direct words to convey the speaker’s
emotions of frustration in trying to find the ideal mate. The speaker
considers her options in choosing a mate and decides she wants
another choice: she describes, carefully and elegantly, the qualities she
seeks in a partner. Montagu’s intelligence and skill in argument and in
poetry strongly refutes conventional definitions of women as silly,
strictly decorative creatures. The speaker describes the qualities she is
seeking for, “Oh was there a man (but where shall I find Good sense,
and good nature so equally joined?)” (Montagu, 2567, Ln. 11), who
will love her unconditionally, “To all my whole sex obliging and free,
Yet never be fond of any but me.” (Montagu, 2568, Ln. 19), and
someone who she can depend on “In whose tender bosom my soul
might confide, Whose kindness can soothe me, whose counse
guide…” (Montagu, 2568, Ln. 35). These aspects of an ideal mate can
be interpreted to Montagu’s own personal love life. Although
Montagu’s speaker will remain chaste, she does not think of herself
“…as cold as a virgin in lead…” (Montagu, 2567, Ln. 5), referring to
the Virgin Mary, until she finds her ideal mate, Montagu married
Edward Wortley Montagu. Just as in her writing Montagu does not
follow the traditional rules and had an adulterous affair with the
bisexual Italian writer Francesco Algarotti. Whether she finds she is
disappointed with what marriage is or what she got out of her marriage
to Montagu she unfortunately does not find her ideal mate through
Algarotti either.
Montagu’s style of writing clashes with the practiced format of
ballads at this time but her ideas and feelings are clearly portrayed in
this six stanza, eight line anapestic tetrameter rhyming couplets. The
only true following of writing in this ballad is the use of the rhyming
couplets. This technique was perfected by Dryden and Pope and many
poets were trying this new highly sophisticated technique. The first
two stanzas of the ballad set off the way the remaining four will be
linked together. Sentence structure, emphasis of ideas and method of
addressment are all introduced in the introductory stanzas. The use of
enjambment is prevalent in every stanza, even linking the separate
stanzas together. Every stanza can be summed up as a single idea and
the use of enjambment has these ideas flowing together while the use
of a period brings these ideas to an end. The characterization of the
typical relations between men and women leads Montagu to pose a
balance of opposites between the extremes where those extremes of
typical male behaviour are described in the first three stanzas. The
fourth through sixth stanzas imagine the ideal relationship as one in
which “…friend and the lover be handsomely mixed” (Montagu, 34).
Montagu’s subtle satire of male weaknesses also admits a degree of
foolishness in her own nature. Both must participate in social
practices, and only so that they reach the ideal only when removed
from public life to their private world. “He may cease to be formal, and
I to be proud” (Montagu, 30). Montagu’s use of short and harsh
monosyllabic words grabs the reader’s attention right from the
beginning. She clearly marks out that the speaker and/or the author are
contradicting women being passive creatures by getting right in the
face of the audience hence the face of men, making them listen to what
women want. Indirectly Montagu is telling them that they are strong
characters needing a voice and not wanting to follow societal
stereotypes while trying to grasp at the same respect that men receive
in the literary world during the 18th century.
In this ballad, the speaker is clearly female and addressing a
close male friend. The relationship between the speaker and the male
character in this ballad is friendly not sexual. The male in which
Montagu’s poem is directed to is identified, but names are concealed
to maintain his privacy. In particular editions, such as the Norton
Anthology of Poetry, identifying him only as “C – ”, a common
convention in literature of this era also used by John Dryden in
MackFlecknoe, the poem indicates that it is addressed to a particular
person. That particular person has thought to have been many people
and has changed in different interpretations of the work. Some would
say it is in reference to Lord Hervey, Mr. Congreve or Richard
Chandler who was a friend of Lady Mary. (Footnote, The Norton
Anthology of Poetry, 350) In other editions, such as the Longman
Anthology, this “C -” has been replaced by “Molly”, which is thought
to be in reference to Maria Skerrett who was a friend of Montagu’s
(Footnote, Longman Anthology of British Literature, 2567).
However, even though the speaker identifies a particular male
recipient, her argument can be read as a commentary on men in
general. Metaphorically, she offers an implied criticism of authors and
readers who accept these definitions of women being passive objects
incapable of rational thought. By Montagu creating a speaker who is
smart, perceptive, intelligent and capable of rational thought and clear
argument she clearly criticizes these literary conventions and the
social relations they reflect.
Lady Mary Wortley Montagu’s use of literary techniques in the
first two stanzas of The Lover: A Ballad, are consistent throughout the
six stanza ballad identifying and refuting the ways in which women
were defined by literature of the 18th century era. Through her skewed
writing of the ballad form, her use of diction and literary techniques
she explicitly and implicitly refutes the way women were portrayed
through literature at the time of the 18th century. Looking more in
depth to Montagu’s life her work resembles her character and
personality. She is a woman who does not like to follow the normal
actions of women her age nor does she like to be a follower. Montagu
seems to want to be known for her good characteristics and for people
to follow her lead as she wanted to follow the feminist Mary Astell.
Through her life’s events her work becomes more introverted through
“made up” characters and her opinions come through more and more.
She pushes the envelope of traditional methods to fit her own personal
style. The Lover: A Ballad, upon the first surface look is a simple love
poem, but on a deeper more analytical level it is a work of great
complexity with many undertones of the time period and the author’s
personal side. Any poem or work of literature can be interpreted
different ways by different people but the author’s intention when
writing should not be overlooked. These true intentions of who this
poem is truly directed at and about lies with one person, Lady Mary
Wortley Montagu.
52c
Damrosch, David, et al. The Longman Anthology BRITISH LITERATURE,
Vol. 1.. New York: Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers Inc., 1999.
Ferguson, Margaret, M.J. Salter, and J. Stallworthy. The Norton Anthology
of Poetry SHORTER FOURTH EDITION. New York: W.W. Norton &
Company, 1997.
Montagu, Lady Mary Wortley. The Lover: A Ballad. The Longman
Anthology BRITISH LITERATURE, Vol. 1.. New York: Addison-Wesley
Educational Publishers Inc., 1999.