Upon reading up on Adrienne Rich and learning that she was a lesbian I came to the conclusion that Diving into the Wreck is a poem that tells the story of exploration and finding of one’s self through the use of symbolism. The poem talks about a diver who is searching the sea for a wreck and any potential treasure it may contain. The sea here represents the mind and the diver is diving into a sea of memories, the wreck possible representing a specific bad memory or experience. “First the air is blue and then it is bluer and then green and then black” as the diver delves deeper and deeper into the memories it may be harder to remember older memories or that these memories are dark and painful. However not all the memories are bad, “And now: it is easy to forget what I came for among so many who have always lived here” the diver here is reminiscing about the different people the diver has encountered and the events they have shared together. “I came to see the damage that was done and the treasures that prevail” if the wreck does represents a bad memory/experience then the purpose of exploring this particular memory is to go through it, study it, and learn from it. By learning from it, the diver gains the treasure, the knowledge that might help if the diver were to go experience the situation once again. With the knowledge that Rich was a lesbian and knowing that being gay in her time period was no easy thing lead me to think that the “book of myths” mentioned in the poem refers to one’s true self. “The thing I came for:the wreck and not the story of the wreck the thing itself and not the myth”the diver was here looking through the memories to find his true self who he buried deep in his mind and to salvage it and to bring it up back to the surface.
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Tartuffe 4-5
“They come to you as people come, and sit before you as My people and hear your words, but they do not do them, for they do the lustful desires expressed by their mouth, and their heart goes after their gain. – Ezekiel 33:31
While we knew that Tartuffe is a religious hypocrite it is not until act 3 in which we begin to see his devious ways. However it is within these last 2 acts in which we fully see his true nature emerge. Tartuffe, who takes on the role of a man who is devoted and loyal to God and the church yet his real self is one who would use religion to exploit someone for his own needs.
Elmire has come up with a plan to show Orgon that Tartuffe is nothing but a lie by seducing him and showing his true nature. While Tartuffe does fall for Elmire’s trap, he is suspicious in her sudden change of heart, and demand that she prove her love by having sex in the very room they are in.
In a differently translated yet similar version of the play, Elmire says, “But how can I consent to what you wish, without offending Heaven you talk so much of?” Tartuffe responds with, “If Heaven is all that stands now in my way, I’ll easily remove that little hindrance; your heart need not hold back for such a trifle” and Elimore responding back “But they affright us so with Heaven’s commands!”
Elmire here speaks of the 6th commandment which states “Thou shalt not commit adultery” which is something all religious people should know by heart since the 10 commandments are considered God’s law in which all should follow.
Tartuffe continues his advances toward Elmire saying, “There’ll be no sins for which we must atone, cause evil exist only when it’s known. Adam and Eve were public in their fall. To sin in private is not to sin at all” However is is common knowledge that God is all seeing, as it states in the bible “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” These religious facts that Tartuffe has wrong, are so basic and simple, they are one the earliest things that one would learn in church, shows that he is a religious hypocrite. These mistakes eventually leads to Tartuffe’s downfall with Orgon finally seeing Tartuffe for who he really is.