nature's power

Sonnet 83- Shakespeare

 

I never saw that you did painting need
And therefore to your fair no painting set;
I found, or thought I found, you did exceed
The barren tender of a poet's debt;
And therefore have I slept in your report,
That you yourself being extant well might show
How far a modern quill doth come too short,
Speaking of worth, -- what worth in you doth grow?
This silence for my sin you did impute,
Which shall be most my glory, being dumb;
For I impair not beauty being mute,
When others would give life and bring a tomb.
There lives more life in one of your fair eyes
Than both your poets can in praise devise.

 

From this sonnet springs forth a love rivalry between the speaker, presumably a writer, and painter, both competing for the affections of “you,” the subject of the poem. The sonnet can be broken down into four main sections. The first quatrain, grouped by an ABAB rhyme scheme, addresses the topics of painting and sight. The following quatrain, grouped by a CDCD rhyme scheme, changes the visual focus of the first quatrain to a language-centered approach, bring in writing and reading. The final quatrain of an EFEF rhyme scheme comes in as a stark contrast to the previous quatrains as it removes the stimulus presented before and addresses mainly silence and the lack of expression. These three quatrains are completed with the final couplet, rhyme scheme GG, which finally focuses in entirely on the subject of the speaker’s affections.

 

The poem begins as a response, a defense structured to block the implied accusation of the subject. “I never saw that you did painting need,” the speaker argues. This phrase immediately sets up a contrast between nature, the speaker’s lover’s actual appearance, and the work of man, the painting that was attempted by the unknown painter rival. From the beginning the speaker acknowledges the limitations of man’s work, pointing out that the subject not only did not “need” to be painted, showing a satisfaction with nature without man’s addition, but also “exceeds,” the ability to be painted.

 

However, the speaker soon finds himself in the same position as his rival as he notes that his capability to preserve through writing is just as limited as the painter’s capability to preserve through painting. This inability is highlighted by the contrast between “short” and “extant.” The subject, already described as exceeding the capability of the painter is now shown to reside beyond the ability of the writer as well as she is “extant,” protruding beyond. The writer’s capability, in contrast, is represented by the “modern quill” that “doth come too short.” As the subject “grows,” the contrast is only intensified. This is seen to contribute to the speaker’s “sleep” that is mentioned at the beginning of the quatrain, showing not only a lack of activity but also an inability to act.

 

The multiple failures of manmade creations, both paintings and literature, lead to the lack of expression and stimulus of the last quatrain, a lack that is emphasized by the inclusion of the words “silence,” “dumb,” and “mute.” The subject attributes this lack of effort on the speaker’s part as a “sin,” a thought that is contrasted with the speaker’s own belief that such a thought is his “glory.” While the silence that the subject observes implies that the speaker voluntarily refrains from action, the speaker’s knowledge that he is dumb, incapable of action, results in his joyous reception of the subject’s belief, for at least the subject still thinks of him as someone in control, a belief that the speaker knows is not true. Yet the speaker is not quite ashamed of his lack of action either, seeing instead his lack of action as a preservation of nature’s beauty. He contrasts his lack of action with “others” who “give life” to manmade creations such as painting and literature. This giving of life, the speaker notes, ultimately “brings a tomb.” In creating, the “others” have brought death to true beauty because they are unable to truly capture the unsurpassable work of nature.

 

While the speaker initially struggles with his inability to capture the subject, constantly preoccupied with the fact that the “modern quill doth come too short,” his recognition of the fact that any attempt would bring destruction calms him, creating the volta that changes from the speaker’s original agitation to the calm of the couplet and acceptance that true “life” can only be created by nature, and “poets” are powerless against such works of life.

a geisha and her danna

Memoirs of a Geisha- Arthur Golden

The novel Memoirs of a Geisha, delves into the geisha district of Gion, weaving together not only a riveting account of one girl’s journey but also an intriguing look at the world and culture of geisha. One very interesting aspect of this culture is the relationship between the geisha and their danna, the men that pay to, in a sense, keep them. This relationship, as portrayed in the novel, has several benefits for both parties, but who is truly in control?

Danna definitely exert a considerable amount of power over how geisha act, as geisha essentially live to impress men. Geisha dress in exquisite clothing, thick make-up, and at times a forced smile in order to present the best impression of themselves to men in general and their danna in particular, but at the cost of their true selves. Sayuri, after years of spending time with Nobu, realizes that “Nobu didn’t understand [her] at all.” He doesn’t even know where she was born. Sayuri has to sacrifice her past, forget about escaping to Yoroido, in order to truly excel at being a geisha. She has to live entirely for the men she entertains. Even enemies like Hatsumomo and Mameha are forced to put on a show of friendship while entertaining for fear of hurting their image in front of men.

Of course, their caution is justified, because geisha make their living from men, especially their danna. Their earnings are made from entertaining men, so to show men anything but their best side would be equivalent to risking their livelihood. Their danna in particular are indispensable to them financially. As Mameha informs Chiyo, “My danna is a generous man and bought me most of these robes. That's why I'm more successful than Hatsumomo. I have a wealthy danna.” True success for a geisha requires more money, and the greatest source of money is a danna. Therefore, geisha are forced to submit to their danna because their danna ultimately decides whether or not they will have a truly successful career. Even a top geisha such as Mameha, is forced to turn over her body to her danna, sleeping with him and having abortions at his command. The danna has final say over what the geisha does.

However, the geisha do not have to have a danna. Although danna are the key to real success, geisha are not doomed to failure without one. According to Mameha, Hatsumomo has not had a danna for several years, but she still enjoys a relatively high level of success. Moreover, danna are not permanent, and geisha can be connected to several danna over their careers. The fact that a geisha is not required to stay with her danna gives her power over her danna, because she can break of their relationship. Furthermore, depending on the situation, geisha have an emotional advantage. While danna choose geisha based on who they like, geisha often choose their danna based on who is beneficial to them. The very mask that can show a danna’s control over a geisha’s behavior also separates the geisha’s true emotions from the display she puts on for her danna, giving her control over her own emotions. Because of this, geisha are not emotional slaves and have power over their danna emotionally. Even more importantly, the final choice in the pairing of danna and geisha is made by the geisha. While the danna are the first ones to propose the relationship, it is the geisha and her okiya that make the final decision.

This conflict of control cannot be solved so easily. It is neither the geisha nor the danna that has complete control over the other. Rather, depending on the aspect that you are looking at, the answer changes. Emotionally, financially, socially. Moreover, every relationship is different. While Mameha had no true emotional connection to her danna, in Sayuri’s relationship with the Chairman, the feelings were mutual. Just like any other human relationship, the relationship between a danna and geisha is far more complex than pure business.