Memoirs of a Midget · Question
How does Memoirs of a Midget develop the theme of Nature and the Sublime?
Answer
Memoirs of a Midget by Walter de la Mare develops Nature and the Sublime across the chapters the companion marks for this theme.
Vivid descriptions of the Kentish landscape, storms, moonlight, and stars (like Orion and Sirius) serve as a source of rapture and comfort, contrasting with the artificiality of high society and reflecting the narrator's inner life.
The epigraph references the orix beast and the dog star, linking natural phenomena to a sense of awe and ritual.
The narrator's deep connection to the Kentish landscape, the barrow on Chizzel Hill, and the telescope given by her grandfather highlight a reverent engagement with nature.
The narrator's detailed descriptions of the garden, stream, and creatures evoke a profound, almost mystical connection with the natural world.
Evidence in the book
- Epigraph
The epigraph references the orix beast and the dog star, linking natural phenomena to a sense of awe and ritual.
- I
The narrator's deep connection to the Kentish landscape, the barrow on Chizzel Hill, and the telescope given by her grandfather highlight a reverent engagement with nature.
- II
The narrator's detailed descriptions of the garden, stream, and creatures evoke a profound, almost mystical connection with the natural world.
- III
The narrator finds wonder in small natural objects (a nut, a shell, a drop of rainwater) and confronts mortality through the dead mole.
- VI
The storm, the moonrise, and the vision of pear-shaped raindrops evoke a powerful, awe-inspiring natural scene that comforts the narrator.
- XIII
The moonlit woods, stars (especially Sirius and the Pleiades), and the nightbird's cry create a sublime, almost mystical atmosphere.
- XXI
The narrator's walk through the woods and her time in the garden at Wanderslore evoke a sense of wonder and connection to the natural world.
- XXVI
The garden setting, the changing weather, and Mr. Anon's vision of a hidden paradise evoke the sublime in nature.
