Dear Reader,

I hope you enjoy the essay you are about to read; that of a young maiden who was engaged in, presumably, her first sexual encounter. The argument I am attempting to prove is that despite her brief hesitations, which are quite normal for a woman confronted with desire for the first time, the act was consensual.  Further to consent, I am attempting to prove that Cloris even indicated her own enjoyment before being let down by Lysander which resulted in her great shame and anger.  I feel that I best managed to make this point on page three where I delved into the intricacies of their encounter.   As I revise, I will work on making my argument clear and flesh out the details to ensure the evidence and analysis flows properly and my argument is supported.

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There is much speculation as to whether the maiden Cloris was a willing participant in the sexual encounter discussed in Alphra Behn’s, “The Disappointment.” While most might assume that she was uninterested in Lysander’s advances, I do not believe this to be the case.  There are a few particular instances where Cloris indicates not only willingness, but enjoyment; thus, I believe the maiden’s disappointment was primarily a result of being so wooed by the Amorous Lysander that she was angered and ashamed that he appeared to not be sufficiently aroused by her.

In the beginning of the poem, the following stanza sets the scene and describes their first reactions: “In a lone Thicket made for Love, Silent as yielding Maids Consent, She with a Charming Languishment, Permits his Force, yet gently strove; Her Hands his Bosom softly meet, But not to put him back design’d, Rather to draw ‘em on inclin’d” (II p. 178).  So much of this stanza speaks out to her consent.  Though it’s important to recall the range of emotions that go along with one’s first sexual encounter, where there is rarely a situation that full female consent is given without any hesitation.  Case in point, “Where Love and Shame confus’dly strive” (III p. 178).  It’s also important to note the mitigated language used in her internal conflict: “charming languishment” and “gently strove.” Cloris naturally struggles with those common emotions but soon succumbs to Lysander, not just merely being present, but actively encouraging him with her hands.

The following stanza brings about a turning point in their encounter:

Fresh Vigor to Lysander give; And breathing faintly in his Ear, She cry’d – Cease, Cease – your vain Desire, Or I’ll call out – What would you do? My Dearer Honour ev’n to You, I cannot, must not give – Retire, Or take this Life, whose chiefest part I gave you with the Conquest of my Heart.” (III p. 179)

It’s easy to assume that Lysander, being the male, is dominant in this encounter. But as things start to heat up between them, Cloris exerts her own power to calm him down.  Cloris tells Lysander to cease his vain desire, or roughly, to not be selfish and focus on himself for she will not stand for it.  She discusses the importance of her honor, or her virginity, which she will only allow him to have should he win her heart.  Otherwise, he should retire, or stop.  Lysander, heeding her words, slows his advances and proceeds with passion.  Lysander “Kisses her Mouth, her Neck, her Hair; Each Touch her new Desire Alarms…While she lay panting in his Arms.  All her Unguarded Beauties lie The Spoils and Trophies of the Enemy.” (IV p. 179)  Cloris is allowing him to focus on her, to woo her, all the way to the culminating point of the following stanza:

He seeks the Object of his Vows, (His Love no Modesty allows) By swift degrees advancing – where His daring Hand that Altar seiz’d, Where Gods of Love do sacrifice: That Awful Throne, that Paradice Where Rage is calm’d, and Anger pleas’d; That Fountain where Delight still flows, And gives the Universal World Repose. (V p. 179)

Here again is a clear indication of the power Cloris has wielded over Lysander. Shedding gender roles, Lysander shamelessly continues to pleasure Cloris in very metaphoric language until the build-up of her orgasm.  The mention of repose is significant as it describes the state of sleep or tranquility Cloris has entered at this point post-climax.  This is further evidenced when it is stated “Cloris half dead and breathless lay” (VI p 180) and “Cloris returning from the Trance Which Love and soft Desire had bred” (XI p. 181) Cloris has not fainted from trauma or fear of Lysander, she has simply put, experienced la petite mort, a sensation of orgasm as likened to death.

Upon rising, Cloris resumes her attention to Lysander to soon find an unwelcome surprise.  “Abandon’d by her Pride and Shame. She does her softest Joys dispence, Off’ring her Virgin-Innocence A Victim to Loves Sacred Flame; While the o’er-Ravish’d Shepherd lies Unable to perform the Sacrifice.”  (VII p. 180)  Cloris fully surrenders to her desires, her physical wants and needs, swooned by Lysander and the love he has given her, to now find the passion lost and romance dead.  As a woman, after bearing oneself to a man especially for the first time, to then find him seemingly uninterested raises the question of “what did I do wrong?”  It’s a natural assumption for Cloris to correlate Lysander’s lack of physical response to a lack of desire for her.  Thus, Cloris, ashamed and angered, ran away post haste as described in the following stanza.  “Finding that God of her Desires Disarm’d of all his Awful Fires…And strew’d with Blushes all her Face, Which both Disdain and Shame exprest: And from Lysander’s Arms she fled, Leaving him fainting on the Gloomy Bed.” (XII p. 181-182) The coupled use of disdain and shame is a profoundly appropriate description of Cloris’s confused emotions.  Cloris has already showcased in the beginning that she isn’t a weak woman.  Even in the last stanza her power is referenced as Lysander’s downfall: “He curs’d his Birth, his Fate, his Stars; But more the Shepherdess’s Charms, Whose soft bewitching Influence Had Damn’d him to the Hell of Impotence.” (XIV p. 183)  Cloris exudes a prideful contempt over Lysander and the situation, but she also feels guilty and ashamed by her own actions, and can’t help but to question her decisions.  Her final emotion, “The Nymph’s Resentments” (XIV p. 183), is also a prideful indignation towards Lysander for him making her feel unworthy.

In conclusion, this is a tale of a young woman’s highs and lows of sexual desire and the aftermath of her actions. Cloris, seemingly indecisive or hesitant, is in actuality quite assured in what she craves and exerts herself over Lysander to attempt to get just that.  Unfortunately, Lysander could not “perform the sacrifice” that Cloris was willing to give him in the end which led to everyone’s disappointment.