Pg. 76
"The weight upon my spirit was sensibly lightened as i plunged yet deeper in the ravine of Arve. The immense mountains and precipices that over hung me on every side, the sound of the river raging among the rocks, and the dashing of the waterfalls around spoke a power mighty as omnipitence- and I ceased to fear or to bend before any being less almighty than that which had created and ruled the elements, here displayed in ther most terrific guise. Still, as I ascended higher, the valley assumed a more magnificant and astonishing character. Ruined castles hanging on the precipices of piny mountains, the impetuous Arve, and the cottages every here and there peeping forth from among the tress formed a scene of singular beauty. But it was augmented and renderd sublime by the mighty alps, whose white and shining pyramids and domes towered above all, as belonging to another earth, the habitations of another race of beings. "
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To begin, I would like to say that this excerpt contains alot of suggestive language. The first sentence, "The weight upon my spirit was sensibly lightened as i plunged yet deeper in the ravine of Arve", is very sexual. Plunging in a ravine is very similar to the act of sexual intercourse. Judging by Victor's oedipal issues, he feels relief once he "plunges" into the astonishing and magnificent ravine because it is representative of his mothers vagina. There are also many references to water in this excerpt, which is suggestive of the mother, her womb, and the oedipal issues that Victor suffers from. The water eliminates Victors fears, much like a mother would for a child. Furthermore, he is ascending on his journey. Freud would say that this climbing is suggestive of sex and as he climbs he becomes closer and closer to reaching his climax :-0
ReplyDeleteI agree mostly with what Excelsior has to say. There are very suggestive references throughout the entry. The reference to the white snow covered Alps, could very well infer that the climax has been reached. The calmness that has been created after the "climax". The sublime feeling that he get while looking at them is the after affect of the climax.
ReplyDeleteThis passage gives many symbolic scenes that we can analyze. For one plunging in to a ravine, as Excelsior first mentioned, clearly symbolizes the act of sexual intercourse. The mountains can clearly be perceived as a woman's breasts.
ReplyDeleteI also concur with Pwns_babies. The mountains clear are a symbolic reference to a woman's breasts. The only question remaining from this is; which woman is Victor imagining this as? I could be his mother, Elizabeth or just some random girl. I believe that it is either his mother or sister due to his oedipal complex.
ReplyDeleteMy views draw similar parallels to the mentioned themes of sexual suggestiveness. From a Freudian perspective, everything in this passage can be looked at with a sexual connotation, regardless if its original intent was to suggest provocative themes.
ReplyDeleteFor example, "...cottages every here and there peeping forth from among the tress..." represents a phallic symbol protruding from pubic hair (the trees).
"The immense mountains and precipices that over hung me on every side..." This could represent the overwhelming sexual tension he feels looming over him at all times.
"Still, as I ascended higher, the valley assumed a more magnificent and astonishing character." Like stated by Excelsior, this could be symbolic of sexual climax, as in "ascending higher."