“Brittle Beauty” (also
known as “The Frailty and Hurtfulness of Beauty”) by Henry Howard
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Analysis and Connection to
The Hunchback of Notre-Dame
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Brittle beauty that nature made so frail,
Whereof the gift is small, and short the season, Flowering today, tomorrow apt to fail, Tickle treasure, abhorred of reason, Dangerous to deal with, vain, of none avail, Costly in keeping, passed not worth two peason Slipper in sliding as is an eel's tail, Jewel of jeopardy that peril doth assail, False and untrue, enticed oft to treason, Enemy to youth: that most may I bewail. Ah, bitter sweet: infecting as the poison, Thou farest as fruit that with the frost is taken: Today ready ripe, tomorrow all to-shaken |
The poem “Brittle Beauty” (also known as “The Frailty and
Hurtfulness of Beauty”) by Henry Howard uses pastoral language and similes to
describe the transitory nature of beauty.
Pastoral imagery and similes both allow the reader to make
comparisons in order to see the true nature of the subject. Howard describes
beauty as “flowering today, tomorrow apt to fail” (Howard 3). This
automatically sets the tone of the piece and describes the author’s true
feelings about beauty: that fact that it is all about instant gratification.
The piece then continues by using similes to compare beauty to “the fruit that
with the frost is taken” (Howard 14) and as “infecting as the poison” (Howard
13). These similes continue to express the meaning that the author is
attempting to convey. Beauty is illusive and will never satisfy someone
forever. It is enjoyable for a certain time, such as the flowers in spring as
the pastoral language suggests, but then it is inevitably ruined, just like
fruit left out in the frost.
"Brittle Beauty" continues to describe the illusive
nature of beauty by asking the ultimate question: what is beauty? Howard
describes beauty as "Slipper in sliding, as in an eele’s tail"
(Howard 7). This transitory essence that beauty gives off relates to how
Sister Gudule feels about her fate. Her beautiful baby girl was stolen and
replaced by an "abominable monster" (Hugo). That moment of beauty
she once had slipped away and was replaced by ugliness. The poem also
describes how beauty is "False and untrue, enticed oft to treason"
(Howard). This relates to the characters of The Hunchback because
Frollo is described as an extremely educated, powerful, aristocrat on the
outside but is cold and cruel on the inside. On the other hand, Quasimodo is
depicted as a "deformed ape" (Hugo) but has one of the kindest
souls in the entire novel based on his actions of saving others and his
unfailing loyalty to even those who have treated him the worst.
Through the use of pastoral language
and similes, “Brittle Beauty” relates to The Hunchback of Notre-Dame as
it depicts how beauty is not always what it seems.
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Wednesday, February 13, 2013
"Brittle Beauty" Poetry Analysis
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The question that you say is posed is: What is beauty? You say Howard answers this question describing beauty. I related this to Dorian Grey because he was shown to be beautiful on the outside and not on the inside, which is portrayed through his painting. This concept of the beauty within in common in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame"; which was exciting that your poem correlated so smoothly with this theme.
ReplyDeleteThis theme relates to the poem you chose quite nicely. Within your analysis one point you made that I thought was very strong was, “Beauty is illusive and will never satisfy someone forever”, which is true throughout many novels, your novel in particular as well at this poem. Quasimodo is the physical monster you brought up, however Frollo is evil within and this inner monster shines through and in the end over powers all other evils. “Brittle Beauty” connects to the idea that beauty is breakable, as you explained, this beauty will not last forever and through Hugo’s and Howard’s words and specifically Howards similes were a very good method for him to express how he feels beauty is.
DeleteThe manner with which the speaker considers beauty is rather interesting in this poem, as there is an element of mourning in this poem that you didn't mention in your essay. When he is describing "brittle beauty" he doesn't seem to be condemning beauty or the young, but, rather, he seems to be merely observing an unfortunate phenomenon. He seems to view the issue with a certain degree of resignment, seeming uninterested in placing blame. He seems to be more a sociologist noting the effect certain music has on a culture than he is a moralist blaming beauty for corrupting the youth.
ReplyDeleteFurther, his passivity seems to suggest some degree of power or positivity to the concept of beauty. If he had thought beauty enough of an evil for it to be worth fighting, he would have likely taken on a more didactic tone. Instead, he seems to be accepting of the presence of beauty in the young's mind, allowing it to take its course in the youth. He would only allow this if he thought more damage would be done by attacking beauty than leaving it alone.
I agree with Josh, the speaker of the poem isn't angrily attacking beauty for its fickle nature or condemming it. Instead the speaker is simply explaining the nature of it, which unfortunatly is illusive and deceiving. While the diction of the poem is mostly negative, the fact that it's written alongside words with a more positive connotation, for example, "tickle treasure, abhorred of reason," soften the tone of the piece and prevent it from becoming an angry rant against beauty. This word choice also makes the poem act as a warning not to fall for the illusion of beauty. The speaker acknowledges that it does seem wonderful and honest, but underneath there's no real substance. It's forever changing, finite and decieving. Through this poem the speaker is warning people not to put too much faith in beauty.
ReplyDeleteLine 8 is missing. The poem as it stands on this web page is 13 lines long, one short of a regular sonnet.
ReplyDeleteIn between the lines ending in 'taile' and 'assaile' there should be a line that reads 'Hard to attaine, once gotten not geason'.
Apologies if this has already been pointed out, but it still needs to be changed.
Many thanks.
I want to know the analysis of these two lines ⤵️
ReplyDeleteThou farest as fruit that with the frost is taken ;
To-day ready ripe, tomorrow all to-shaken.
can anyone explain this-------- Extract from the sonnet Brittle Beauty at least four figures of speech and based on that talk about the portrayal of beauty by Surrey over here.
ReplyDelete