Poetry · Chapter
LXXIII explained
The speaker recounts a mundane and slightly ominous evening: he shoots a moth, makes broth from it, and dines with a princess who initially turns up her nose but then enjoys the meal.
What happens
The speaker recounts a mundane and slightly ominous evening: he shoots a moth, makes broth from it, and dines with a princess who initially turns up her nose but then enjoys the meal. He tries to lighten the mood with a pun, but she frowns. A large owl flies by, which he interprets as a bad omen for the new match.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
The emotional and psychological peak occurs when the King, overwhelmed by his own confession, reveals Bertha’s…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Social Critique and Mortality
The triviality of the evening's events—shooting a moth, making broth, a failed pun—contrasts with the ominous owl, suggesting a critique of superficial social rituals and a foreboding sense of mortality.
Characters to notice
Key passages
“Five minutes before one—brought down a moth With my new double-barrel—stew’d the thighs, And made a very tolerable broth— Princess turn’d dainty, to our great surprise, Alter’d her mind, and thought it very nice:”
At five minutes to one, I shot a moth with my new double-barreled gun, stewed its thighs, and made a decent broth. The princess, to our surprise, initially acted picky but then changed her mind and found it quite good.
The speaker describes a peculiar hunting and cooking episode, highlighting the princess's capriciousness.
“Seeing her pleasant, tried her with a pun, She frown’d; a monstrous owl across us flies About this time,—a sad old figure of fun; Bad omen—this new match can’t be a happy one.”
Seeing she was in a good mood, I attempted a pun, but she frowned. Just then, a huge owl flew by—a ridiculous, sad old creature—which I took as a bad sign that this new match will not be a happy one.
The speaker's attempt at humor fails, and the appearance of an owl is interpreted as a negative omen for the relationship.
