Sayed Amanuddin Sayedy
Class: Eng 2850
Prof. Jeffrey Peer
Assignment: “The Disappointment”
Date: March 13, 2017
“The Disappointment”
“The Disappointment” is a poem by Aphra Behn, one of the most influential dramatists of the late seventeenth century, was also a celebrated poet and novelist. It is a narrative poem in lyric form consists of fourteen numbered stanzas of ten lines each, and it tells the story of a single romantic tryst. It is written from the woman’s point of view, explaining her frustration or “disappointment” when her young “Swain” is unable to make good on his promise. The lovers in the poem have Greek names; he is “the Amorous Lysander,” and she is “fair Cloris.” They are said to be a shepherd and a shepherdess who meet. The literal meaning of this poem by Behn is pretty obvious. Lysander, a shepherd, attempts to engage in sexual intercourse with Cloris, a maid. After a lengthy seduction, Lysander is unable to perform and leaves Cloris sexually frustrated “the Hell of Impotence”, though one interpretation of the earlier line “Th’ Insensible fell weeping in his Hands” is that he prematurely ejaculates. Although the poem role plays a classic way of of love, but it clearly discusses and reflects the issue of power distribution and gender in the 17th century.
In her poem “The Disappointment,” Aphra Behn shows the complicated nature of a woman’s first sexual experience. While it is clear that Lysander overpowers Cloris with his physical strengths and skills of seduction, Cloris has mixed feelings about yielding. It reflect the paradox between resistance and passion. Her sense of social honor of staying a virgin clashes with her love for Lysander and her desire for him and for the promise of pleasure. “The Disappointment” offers a classic representation of lovers in poetic form, but ties in the disturbing issue of male dominance and fight for power of the period. The poem is seems to challenge the established roles of men and women through the conventional gender roles by highlighting the dynamics of power which are illustrated by Cloris and Lysander in society in order to revise the oppressive presentations of power in relation to gender roles, often notable in the poetic construction of romance sexuality.
Cloris, the shepherdess is a victim. In the first stanza of the poem, the speaker talks about a day “One day the Amorous Lysander, (Behan 1). in a forest “In a lone Thicket made for Love” (11). where a shepherd during his “hunt” abandons reason and thought, being “By an impatient Passion sway’d” (Behan 2) gives a “surprise” to his lover shepherdess “Surprise’d fair Clorise, what lov’d Maid” (Behan 3). While his lover eyes were shining so brilliant and cannot defend from herself “Who could herself no longer… But what from Cloris Brighter Eyes was hurled” (Behan 4, 10). The speaker is talking about a pretty and beautiful virgin lady who her lover shepherd lacks control and is ruled by his physical desires, suggesting his inability to control himself sexually and want to dominate her to have his first intercourse. Although it is implied that the couple are in love, Cloris refuses sexual advances from Lysander “cease…or I’ll call out…my dearer honor even to you I cannot, must not give – retire, or take this life” (Behn, 25-29). Ignoring her refusal Lysander forces himself on her, removes her clothes, and attempts to rape Cloris. Despite his passion for Cloris Lysander remains impotent. He curses the Gods and blames Cloris for his difficulty “he cursed his birth, his fate…but more the shepherdess’s charms, whose soft bewitching influence had damned him to the hell of impotence” (Behn,137-140).
The poem represents the gender roles of male dominance and female submission. In these stanzas the speaker talks about the power distribution in the society in17th century. It was generally accepted in this period that women and men held distinctive characteristics. These views evolved from classical thought, Christian ideology. Physical and mental makeup attributed to differences in qualities and virtues. Men were perceived as physically stronger, and therefore more intelligent, courageous, determined, although also more violent, stubborn, and selfish. Women were considered to be weaker and therefore more passive. They were also viewed to be more emotional, shrewish, lazy, and ruled by their bodies specifically through excessive passion and lust Men were considered the bread-winners and ruled over their wives. Women were responsible for domestic duties, and although they may work outside the home this was often in domestic work and paid much less than men received. Women were also expected to be modest, chaste, compassionate, and pious. She offers her interpretation of gender roles in a readily accepted form. Because “the distribution of power over the female and male partners mirrors the distribution of power over male and females in society at large” (Bertens 83). Such a relationship is replicated in “The Disappointment” as the patriarchal figure (Lysander) seeks to dominate Cloris within the poem. Lysander is portrayed as forceful through the violent diction in the phrases “His daring hand that altar seized” (Behn 45) and “himself he threw” (Behn 77). His insistence is also seductive, persuading Cloris to receive him by “[kissing] her mouth, her neck, her hair” (Behn 34), as if to overwhelm her by giving her attention on all sides. This shows Lysander’s power over Cloris, suggesting that she really has no choice, even if she did not want to yield.
Cloris is an active partner during the course of action. She guides Lysander with her ‘bright eyes’ when he has ‘no light to guide the world’ (2). Behn seems to challenge such a relationship by ultimately transferring the power to Cloris. In this sense, “The Disappointment” questions the conventional gender roles by highlighting the dynamics of power which are illustrated by Cloris and Lysander’s meeting in the ‘lone thicket’. This then complicates the traditional ideas of gender and power through some unexpected presentations of female power as a woman tells what a man’s story is traditionally.
Cloris has a passion to “love”. Although in the first stanza the speakers seems to show that the women is a victim of the intercourse about to happen, but in the second stanza the speaker claims about the lady to be an active partner who take the lead and makes love with a passion “Silent as yielding Maids Consent” (Behn 12). And with her agreement “She with a Charming Languishment” (Behn 13). By the end of the opening stanza Cloris is guiding Lysander with her ‘bright eyes’ when he has ‘no light to guide the world’ (Behn 2). It is significant that Behn chooses to follow this first stanza with continued implications that Lysander isn’t a powerful force over Cloris, whom one can assume to be a representative of the female gender role. The phrase ‘permits his force’ clearly suggests Lysander isn’t as influential over her as he or we as readers, first thought. ‘Permits’ suggests she has the “power to permit or to prohibit”, implying he can have an illusion of power if and only when she allows it. Moreover the fact that she ‘permits his force’ with ‘languishment’ enforces this idea of Cloris acting on her own time; she doesn’t bend easily to his will as expected. The poet may have done this to suggest Lysander has a semblance of power within his assigned gender role only because Cloris permits it. The fact that Cloris is by implication left ‘to guide the world’ suggests she is not a passive object of Lysander’s sexual ambitions but she is an active force that participates in (rather than spectates upon) the unfolding events. Moreover, the idea of Cloris taking control when Lysander fails to an 18th century audience in particular may have complicated the existing links between power and gender as its holder is Cloris who is a woman left in control. This further complicates the idea of power within gender roles as Cloris is granted a form of authority over events in which she might have been powerless otherwise. This potential for female power is highlighted later on through interesting presentations of Lysander seemingly weakened by passion. The intensity of his arousal seems to be his undoing as he pursues the defenseless Cloris in the ‘lone thicket’. However, his male power is conveyed through the imagery of natural elements and temperature; “his burning trembling hand he prest upon her melting snowy breast.” This imagery of fire versus ice at first glance favors the power to be in the male gender role as it seems to be the natural order of things. Moreover, the possible mythological reference to Phoebus through ‘the gilded planet of day’ implies that Lysander is in a powerful superior position. However, the fact that he’s described as ‘descending’ could be seen as a suggestive directional indicator highlighting the reversal of sexual dominance-therefore power- within the poem. Yet although Lysander is portrayed as ‘trembling’ he still has power over Cloris who melts even in his weakness. This could be a way of suggesting that due to the social constructs of gender, even weak males are seen to be powerful. The adjective ‘gilded’ seems to compare him to the sun and as golden thus even the imagery employed to describe Lysander initially lends power to his gender. It could also be a way of Behn accepting through the imagery of such natural elements, that the male gender role will always be seen to be more potent and capable of destroying the female.
Cloris’s feelings contradict themselves as she tries to deal with her desire despite her reluctance. This is shown in the phrase “Permits his force, yet gently strove” (Behn 14) where the caesura splits the two conflicting actions, emphasizing Cloris’s confusion. Her reluctance to have sex with Lysander stems from her anxiety about the social expectation of her chastity. This can be seen by her insistence “I cannot, must not give – retire” (Behn 28). The shift between “cannot” and “must not” shows that she is aware that her resistance is based on what is expected of her, but perhaps does not reflect her true feelings. The pause in the phrase suggests a hesitation in her refusal, showing that it is hard for her to resist. Cloris does love Lysander, which can be seen by the phrase “this life, whose chiefest part / I gave you with the conquest of my heart” (Behn 29-30). The diction of “conquest” suggests that Lysander also took her heart through force, but the fact remains that she does feel for him emotionally. Cloris also feels physical desire for Lysander, as seen in the phrase “Each touch her new desire alarms” (Behn 35). The desire is “new” and “alarms” her, suggesting that these feelings were unknown to her until this moment. Maybe the surprise of this desire is what stops her protests, but Cloris seems to want Lysander to take her, despite the consequences she knows she will have to face after losing her virginity. Cloris loses herself in the attentions of Lysander and fully yields to him. Her submission is shown by the phrase “half dead and breathless lay” (Behn 55). Cloris had the opportunity to cry out, but she lies still instead. However, the image that this phrase conveys is one of a person defeated, such as in battle, suggesting that her submission was not really her choice. Cloris is described as “ready to taste a thousand joys” (Behn 71), suggesting that she is looking forward to the pleasure of having sex with Lysander. Even though she is disappointed, Cloris is now awakened to her sexuality and her desire.
Conclusion
To conclude, “The Disappointment “is a French perfect enjoyment poem. A main point of contrast is that in this poem the male subjects recover from his sexual failure. Behn chooses to challenge the form to omit two-thirds of the poem where Lysander recovers. By not returning his power she does seem to complicate the links between gender and power, as power’s not reasserted, reconfirmed or returned to Lysander in any form as part of his masculine identity. In doing so, Behn also shifts the power to Cloris by enabling her to flee the scene when Lysander fails sexually, suggesting that women have power that men may not be willing to acknowledge. This gives Cloris an active agency within the scene, implying that women already have the power within them to escape ‘the enemy’, which can be seen to be a metaphor for the patriarchal society. Moreover, the power shifting into Cloris’ hands when she ‘permits his force’ and actively attracts Lysander has further sexual connotations, which could be Behn’s way of endorsing female sexuality as a way of achieving power over males. However, viewing sexuality as a source of power can be problematic especially if the symbol of power fails; in Lysander’s case his genitalia which is described as the ‘Fabulous Priapras’. Behn challenges the notion when ironically the victim’s positions are reversed as both Lysander and the events of the poem reach a climax half way through the poem.
Although Behn goes some way to challenge the established links between gender and power she does make some concessions. There is a suggestion that men have a divine right to power that cannot be diminished. Lysander is still likened to and described as ‘god of her desires’, suggesting his power cannot be easily taken away further suggesting women cannot be more powerful despite their efforts, whereby even when men are ‘disarm’d’ they still maintain their position in a divinely sanctioned hierarchy. It is significant that the poem ends by revealing that Cloris has to flee with ‘fear’ and ‘haste’, suggesting that the links are still clear and Cloris seems to recognize that she’s vulnerable within her gender, open to ‘shame’ and judgement from ‘the pursuing eyes’ which in this case could be a metaphor for society. This could be a way for Behn to criticize the way religion has also shaped gender roles through the Bible. It is significant that ‘damned him to hell’ is the last line of the poem, seeming to suggest that when women have any power it leads to troubles. In Lysander’s case he blames his impotence on Cloris. It is then significant that ‘bewitching’ and ‘hell’ have anti-Christian connotations. If read as a metaphor, for some modern and 18th century readers, Behn could be acknowledging the fact that perhaps the reason why the links between gender and power are difficult to separate is that it could be seen as sacrilegious by some to even attempt it.
Work Cited
Behn, Aphra. “The Disappointment.” The Work of Aphra Behn. Ed. Montague Summer. New York: Benjamin Blom, 2003. 178. Print
Bertens Hans. “Literary Theory.” The Basics. London and New York: Routledge. 2014. 83. Print