Conrad Aiken's Short Story 'Mr. Arcularis'
Patriarchal society has hindered or prevented women from realizing their creative possibilities. Often, the derogatory stereotypes of women in literature are written by men merely to enforce the relationship of power in society. In an ideal world, men and women are treated equally in life and literature; but in reality, the nature of relationships in Western society clearly identifies that society is predominately still patriarchal. In fact, women appear to take a subordinate role in many examples of classical literature, specifically in Conrad Aiken's short story "Mr.Arcularis." The protagonist, Mr.Arcularis, experiences a sea-voyage, which evidently represents his journey to death. On his journey to heaven, Mr. Arcularis relives parts of
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his life, including his interaction with the women in his life. Ultimately, the women with whom he interacts flow through three stages of his life and define Arcularis. The first stage, and the most important woman in his life is his mother; later, as a young man his mind is focused on the physicality of women, and the last stage, when he realizes that a woman is not an object to be used, but a person to be loved.
As Mr.Arcularis embarks on his voyage to the afterlife he relives past experiences with the important women from his life, beginning with those from his childhood. As Mr.Arcularis is being wheeled out of his room, he has a brief encounter with his elderly nurse Miss Hoyle, and he says to her, "Good-by Miss Hoyle, and thank you for everything. You were very kind to me and I fear I was a nuisance"(Aiken 87). It appears he is searching for reassurance to clarify his ego. He wants her to relate that he is not a nuisance, but that his time under her care is meaningful. Aiken ponders, "She reminded him of someone. Who was it? He tried in vain to remember while he said good-by to her"(Aiken 87). Undeniably, Miss Hoyle is a parallel representation of Arcularis' mother. He wants Miss Hoyle to accept him, love him, and excuse all his faults.
From a feminist theory perspective, it is realistic to consider Conrad Aiken's own life experiences with women. When Aiken is twelve years old, his father kills his mother and then himself; Aiken is the one to discover the bodies (AAP). Aiken's innocence is shattered early; consequently, it appears he replaces his mother with an ideal' one in his literature by portraying her as an angel'- a common stereotype of women in feminist theory. Indeed, in the feminist theory, "the basic view that Western Civilization is pervasively patriarchal-that is, it is male centered and controlled, and is organized and conducted in such a way as to subordinate women to men in all cultural domains" (Feminist Criticisms), emphasizes the subordinate relationship between Mr.Arcularis and Miss Hoyle. Miss Hoyle jokes, " I think we'll have to operate on him and really cure him" (Aiken 87). Cure him of what? Cure him of his dependency on women? Or perhaps cure him of his inability to illustrate his male dominancy over her.
The second stage of the story illustrates Mr.Arcularis at a point of adolescent lust and puppy love.
Mr. Arcularis has only been on the boat for a short while when he meets a girl at dinner. He says that she reminds him of someone, and he concludes that she is reminiscent of the nurse at the hospital. A significant part of the feminist theory, according to Naomi Wolf, is that men have created an unachievable standard for female beauty by which all women are measured (Bond). In comparison to his interaction with Miss Hoyle, it is evident that Mr.Arcularis' interests in Ms.Dean are more than platonic. He can barely keep his eyes off of her. While the two are sitting facing each other at a table he gazes longingly at her, "[and] realizing that he had perhaps stared too fixedly, averted his gaze" (Aiken 90). It is evident, she is his ideal woman: gorgeous, young, mysterious and incredibly interested in him. He describes her as being charming and graceful with freckles, beautiful hair and voluptuous lips. She reminds him of a Melozzo da Forli angel. It is important to recognize that Ms.Dean is a stereotypical angelic character from a male written perspective and that her purpose is to be a model of beauty and perfection. The Beauty Myth, as defined by Wolf, "pits beauty, sexuality, intelligence, and power against each other making it impossible for a woman to posses all these thing simultaneously"(Bond). Ms. Dean exhibits all of these traits and thus, could only exist in a dream …show more content…
world.
The third and final stage of Mr.Arcularis' dream demonstrates a point in his life where his female counterpart is also his life partner. As the narrator is describing the way Mr.Arcularis feels about Ms. Dean, we see his transformation from a young man full of lust to a man in love: "No such woman had ever before come into his life; there had been no one with whom he had at once felt so profound a sympathy and understanding. No need to put his arm around her or to kiss her it was as if, indeed, she might be his own soul"(Aiken 97). Irrefutably, another significant part of the feminist theory is the creation of the idea of the perfect wife; subsequently, Arcularis transfers his affections into fulfilling his absolute needs to love and be loved.
Another example of the final stage occurs in his dream images.
As Arcularis gets close to the coffin and closer to death, Ms.Dean clings to her man, just like any "good" wife does. Once he accepts his death, and presents it to Ms.Dean, the two stand on the deck together and when they part she says to him; "Be a good boy and take your bromide"(Aiken 99) to which he responds, "Yes, Mother, I'll take my medicine" (Aiken 99). It is at this final exchange where Mr.Arcularis comes full circle, once again making connections to his mother, and completing his journey through a parallel world to the after life. Arcularis observes his surroundings, "fresh green leaves sparkling rainwater singing robins [and] shining cars" (Aiken 88), and he says that he is seeing everything like he does when he is a child. Essentially, Arcularis completes the circle of life and confirms that he is back at the beginning, where his mother is the most important woman in his
world.
Presumably, the women in his life define Arcularis' existence in three main stages. First, the most important woman in his life is his mother; then, as a young man, his mind is focused on his lust and need for women, Later as he ages, he realizes that a woman is not an object to be used, but a person to be respected and admired, like his mother. If indeed the journey is a dream sequence, which ultimately leads to his death, Arcularis' reflections illustrate a lack of power to control the women in his life. They exist because he wants them to exist, but in reality, they are mere puppets to his own fantasy. Nevertheless, if, society is patriarchal, then women's identity can never develop outside of her relationship to men. Thankfully, modern Western society is beginning to recognize that women play a more vital role, infused with compassion, yet, able to exist independent of men's needs.
his life, including his interaction with the women in his life. Ultimately, the women with whom he interacts flow through three stages of his life and define Arcularis. The first stage, and the most important woman in his life is his mother; later, as a young man his mind is focused on the physicality of women, and the last stage, when he realizes that a woman is not an object to be used, but a person to be loved.
As Mr.Arcularis embarks on his voyage to the afterlife he relives past experiences with the important women from his life, beginning with those from his childhood. As Mr.Arcularis is being wheeled out of his room, he has a brief encounter with his elderly nurse Miss Hoyle, and he says to her, "Good-by Miss Hoyle, and thank you for everything. You were very kind to me and I fear I was a nuisance"(Aiken 87). It appears he is searching for reassurance to clarify his ego. He wants her to relate that he is not a nuisance, but that his time under her care is meaningful. Aiken ponders, "She reminded him of someone. Who was it? He tried in vain to remember while he said good-by to her"(Aiken 87). Undeniably, Miss Hoyle is a parallel representation of Arcularis' mother. He wants Miss Hoyle to accept him, love him, and excuse all his faults.
From a feminist theory perspective, it is realistic to consider Conrad Aiken's own life experiences with women. When Aiken is twelve years old, his father kills his mother and then himself; Aiken is the one to discover the bodies (AAP). Aiken's innocence is shattered early; consequently, it appears he replaces his mother with an ideal' one in his literature by portraying her as an angel'- a common stereotype of women in feminist theory. Indeed, in the feminist theory, "the basic view that Western Civilization is pervasively patriarchal-that is, it is male centered and controlled, and is organized and conducted in such a way as to subordinate women to men in all cultural domains" (Feminist Criticisms), emphasizes the subordinate relationship between Mr.Arcularis and Miss Hoyle. Miss Hoyle jokes, " I think we'll have to operate on him and really cure him" (Aiken 87). Cure him of what? Cure him of his dependency on women? Or perhaps cure him of his inability to illustrate his male dominancy over her.
The second stage of the story illustrates Mr.Arcularis at a point of adolescent lust and puppy love.
Mr. Arcularis has only been on the boat for a short while when he meets a girl at dinner. He says that she reminds him of someone, and he concludes that she is reminiscent of the nurse at the hospital. A significant part of the feminist theory, according to Naomi Wolf, is that men have created an unachievable standard for female beauty by which all women are measured (Bond). In comparison to his interaction with Miss Hoyle, it is evident that Mr.Arcularis' interests in Ms.Dean are more than platonic. He can barely keep his eyes off of her. While the two are sitting facing each other at a table he gazes longingly at her, "[and] realizing that he had perhaps stared too fixedly, averted his gaze" (Aiken 90). It is evident, she is his ideal woman: gorgeous, young, mysterious and incredibly interested in him. He describes her as being charming and graceful with freckles, beautiful hair and voluptuous lips. She reminds him of a Melozzo da Forli angel. It is important to recognize that Ms.Dean is a stereotypical angelic character from a male written perspective and that her purpose is to be a model of beauty and perfection. The Beauty Myth, as defined by Wolf, "pits beauty, sexuality, intelligence, and power against each other making it impossible for a woman to posses all these thing simultaneously"(Bond). Ms. Dean exhibits all of these traits and thus, could only exist in a dream …show more content…
world.
The third and final stage of Mr.Arcularis' dream demonstrates a point in his life where his female counterpart is also his life partner. As the narrator is describing the way Mr.Arcularis feels about Ms. Dean, we see his transformation from a young man full of lust to a man in love: "No such woman had ever before come into his life; there had been no one with whom he had at once felt so profound a sympathy and understanding. No need to put his arm around her or to kiss her it was as if, indeed, she might be his own soul"(Aiken 97). Irrefutably, another significant part of the feminist theory is the creation of the idea of the perfect wife; subsequently, Arcularis transfers his affections into fulfilling his absolute needs to love and be loved.
Another example of the final stage occurs in his dream images.
As Arcularis gets close to the coffin and closer to death, Ms.Dean clings to her man, just like any "good" wife does. Once he accepts his death, and presents it to Ms.Dean, the two stand on the deck together and when they part she says to him; "Be a good boy and take your bromide"(Aiken 99) to which he responds, "Yes, Mother, I'll take my medicine" (Aiken 99). It is at this final exchange where Mr.Arcularis comes full circle, once again making connections to his mother, and completing his journey through a parallel world to the after life. Arcularis observes his surroundings, "fresh green leaves sparkling rainwater singing robins [and] shining cars" (Aiken 88), and he says that he is seeing everything like he does when he is a child. Essentially, Arcularis completes the circle of life and confirms that he is back at the beginning, where his mother is the most important woman in his
world.
Presumably, the women in his life define Arcularis' existence in three main stages. First, the most important woman in his life is his mother; then, as a young man, his mind is focused on his lust and need for women, Later as he ages, he realizes that a woman is not an object to be used, but a person to be respected and admired, like his mother. If indeed the journey is a dream sequence, which ultimately leads to his death, Arcularis' reflections illustrate a lack of power to control the women in his life. They exist because he wants them to exist, but in reality, they are mere puppets to his own fantasy. Nevertheless, if, society is patriarchal, then women's identity can never develop outside of her relationship to men. Thankfully, modern Western society is beginning to recognize that women play a more vital role, infused with compassion, yet, able to exist independent of men's needs.