I didn't really interpret this tale as a fairy tale. It does have the transformation but that didn't seem like enough. I didn't really feel
like it was a Kunstmärchen either. There is no desire to travel and no passionate desire to know or get something beyond one's reach. The mother does want to know the truth about the baby but in a way she already knows or at least suspects. I feel that either way she is not that passionate about finding the truth. The tale reminds me the most of mythology. It recycles the idea of the innocent human being raped by the miraculous being. When I first began reading the story I thought of the mythological stories of Zeus and his affairs with earthly women, most specifically Zeus/Leda. Usually rape tales end contain a supernatural child, a freak child, a demigod or tragic ending. Usually the tales point to a dominate patriarchy or powerful empire and lust or rape as love. The "rape" in the beginning demonstrates plant's dominance over man and beast but also the supernatural or unexplainable over man and reason. The mom doesn't want to except what happened because it is not reasonable and she won't ell anyone either. The "foolhardy theoreticians" and "pedants" are unable to grasp the supernatural at the end of the tale. They hypothesize that the mom and husband are hysterical. They are "sinners" because they try to separate the "real" and divine/spiritual through reason and scientific practice. The rape also seems like a love scene because they seem to connect in the eyes and they are compelled by a yearning and a magical force. The story also resembles the Christ story to me because the "rape" seems parallel to the impregnation of the virgin, the daughter has some type of spiritual connection to her father ( the father is there but not there "vegetational fatherhood") and knows more than the mother and the daughter dies because of those who don't believe and those who witness the event are considered crazy. I don't know. What do you guys make of the first page and the ending? There is a large emphasis of the supernatural, spiritual, consciousness, the limits of scholars, and what we choose to believe. I guess that makes it a Kunstmärchen.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
The Vegetational Fatherhood
I find this tale very interesting, because of all the symbolism that is interwoven into it. When reading the story at face value it seems like a crackpot story about a rose that impregnates a women and they have a daughter who undergoes metamorphoses and ends up being thrown out a window on her wedding day. So, I tried to read between the lines, and examine what this story is really trying to say.
I interpret the Rose to signify the virginity and the purity of the mother. This idea is further enhanced by the sexual encounter that the women experiences, after which the rose is gone. She has undergone a change that has resulted from her sexual encounter. The story reads "she awoke as though intoxicated with the feeling of some dark knowledge in her limbs. Her mouth was burning from a strangle glow. Her lap was covered with rose petals, her clothes in disarray." After this she gets pregnant and gives birth to a daughter.
The daughter at first grows like a flower. She "blossomed more and more gloriously with each passing day." She paints the picture of the rose labeled "Father," and acknowledgment that she is coming of age and realizes the nature of human reproduction. When she reaches puberty, she undergoes a metamorphoses into a flower. This represents her ability to have children (as evident by menstruation). Now that she has come of age, she is now interested in men and wishes to get married.
The ending of the story really stumps me. Perhaps she is unfaithful, but that does not account for the fact that the mother collaborates the husbands story and they both end up in an insane asylum. It is interesting that the story says "according to Emma's exact testimony, it was beyond all doubt that Dr. Rosenberger had flung his wife over the balcony railing." This seems to suggest that the metamorphoses of the wife is in fact symbolic. The reason for throwing her out the window is beyond me.
I interpret the Rose to signify the virginity and the purity of the mother. This idea is further enhanced by the sexual encounter that the women experiences, after which the rose is gone. She has undergone a change that has resulted from her sexual encounter. The story reads "she awoke as though intoxicated with the feeling of some dark knowledge in her limbs. Her mouth was burning from a strangle glow. Her lap was covered with rose petals, her clothes in disarray." After this she gets pregnant and gives birth to a daughter.
The daughter at first grows like a flower. She "blossomed more and more gloriously with each passing day." She paints the picture of the rose labeled "Father," and acknowledgment that she is coming of age and realizes the nature of human reproduction. When she reaches puberty, she undergoes a metamorphoses into a flower. This represents her ability to have children (as evident by menstruation). Now that she has come of age, she is now interested in men and wishes to get married.
The ending of the story really stumps me. Perhaps she is unfaithful, but that does not account for the fact that the mother collaborates the husbands story and they both end up in an insane asylum. It is interesting that the story says "according to Emma's exact testimony, it was beyond all doubt that Dr. Rosenberger had flung his wife over the balcony railing." This seems to suggest that the metamorphoses of the wife is in fact symbolic. The reason for throwing her out the window is beyond me.
The Romance of the Vegetational Rose
When I read "The Vegetational Fatherhood," I immediately thought of the medieval dream allegory, The Romance of the Rose. This extremely long poem was written in two parts by two separate authors, namely Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun. The two viewed courtly love and women in very differing ways, as is apparent in their respective portions of the work. The poem is styled as an allegorical dream that personifies all of the emotions and feelings associated with courtly live (i.e. Jealousy, Fair Welcome, Lust, etc.). Simply put, it is a manual on the Art of Love. The poet/dreamer falls asleep and dreams about a Rose (the woman of his affection) that is secluded in the Garden of Love. The chivalric knight must abide by all of the rules of courtly love in order to woo said rose, or fair maiden.
The fairy tale begins with an introduction on the mesmerizing effects that plants have on people. From the beginning, we are told that "you would have to be a person without feelings not to sense the sympatetic current that emanates, for example, from a beautiful rose in full bloom. Could it be that the rose itself plays a role in this?" Just as the Rose in The Romance of the Rose represents Woman that stires male desire, the rose in this tale also enduces similar effects. A few paragraphs into the poem we learn that the woman "dreamed a love dream" and wound up giving birth to a girl. I immediately drew a parallel between the fairy tale and the Romance; not only is the entire tale centered around the "Rose," who is a beautiful woman and the object of Dr. Rosenberger's affection, but she is also conceived within a dream.
The fairy tale begins with an introduction on the mesmerizing effects that plants have on people. From the beginning, we are told that "you would have to be a person without feelings not to sense the sympatetic current that emanates, for example, from a beautiful rose in full bloom. Could it be that the rose itself plays a role in this?" Just as the Rose in The Romance of the Rose represents Woman that stires male desire, the rose in this tale also enduces similar effects. A few paragraphs into the poem we learn that the woman "dreamed a love dream" and wound up giving birth to a girl. I immediately drew a parallel between the fairy tale and the Romance; not only is the entire tale centered around the "Rose," who is a beautiful woman and the object of Dr. Rosenberger's affection, but she is also conceived within a dream.
The Vegetational Fatherhood: Fairy Tale vs. Kunstmärchen
The Vegetational Fatherhood by Mynona has a number of elements that are characteristic of fairy tales, and also a number that are characteristic of Kunstmärchen. I found that the story was similar to traditional fairy tales because of the element of transformation. “The rose transformed itself into a handsome young man…” and the daughter transforms into a rose every night during prayer time. The Vegetational Fatherhood is also like a fairy tale in that it has an element of religion. For example, at one point on page 583 Mynona writes that creatures who pick flowers and plants are sinning. Also, the mother and daughter pray together every night. I think that the fact that the daughter transforms into her rose-self during prayer time emphasizes the piety of nature.
The Vegetational Fatherhood contains a number of Kunstmärchen characteristics, as well. First of all, the roses are often personified, “This rose fixed its magic eyes…” Also there is definitely a sexual (inappropriate for children) aspect, “The rose transformed himself into a handsome young man, who embraced and enjoyed the woman…she utterly abandoned herself to him. ..Her lap was covered with rose petals, her clothes in disarray.” As discussed in class, Kunstmärchen often have a sense of irony. In the story, the mother chooses Dr. Floris Rosenberger to be his daughter’s husband. The name suggests flowers and roses, which may have been why her mother chose and trusted him for her daughter. In the end though, Dr. Rosenberger was the cause of the rose-daughter’s death. Lastly, The Vegetational Fatherhood is like a Kunstmärchen because of its tragic ending: not only does the rose-daughter get thrown off a balcony by her new husband and die, but her (somewhat) innocent husband and mother get thrown into an insane asylum.
The Vegetational Fatherhood contains a number of Kunstmärchen characteristics, as well. First of all, the roses are often personified, “This rose fixed its magic eyes…” Also there is definitely a sexual (inappropriate for children) aspect, “The rose transformed himself into a handsome young man, who embraced and enjoyed the woman…she utterly abandoned herself to him. ..Her lap was covered with rose petals, her clothes in disarray.” As discussed in class, Kunstmärchen often have a sense of irony. In the story, the mother chooses Dr. Floris Rosenberger to be his daughter’s husband. The name suggests flowers and roses, which may have been why her mother chose and trusted him for her daughter. In the end though, Dr. Rosenberger was the cause of the rose-daughter’s death. Lastly, The Vegetational Fatherhood is like a Kunstmärchen because of its tragic ending: not only does the rose-daughter get thrown off a balcony by her new husband and die, but her (somewhat) innocent husband and mother get thrown into an insane asylum.
Assignment 10 - 7. April 2009
Hi Alex, Alexandria, Jasmine, Allison and Tim,
For this week, read the tale The Vegetational Fatherhood and try to interpret this tale.
You could talk about the idea behind the story, the characters, the fact that it does/does not fit into the catagory ,,Kunstmärchen", the message it wants to convey/fails to, or about anything other thing that catches your attention...there are no specific expectations...you can work with this tale any way you want.
Looking forward to your posts!
Ann
For this week, read the tale The Vegetational Fatherhood and try to interpret this tale.
You could talk about the idea behind the story, the characters, the fact that it does/does not fit into the catagory ,,Kunstmärchen", the message it wants to convey/fails to, or about anything other thing that catches your attention...there are no specific expectations...you can work with this tale any way you want.
Looking forward to your posts!
Ann
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