This was an oddly too happy story for me...although I'm not entirely sure why. I've exposed myself to killer levels of cheesy goodness and still loved it, but this story just seemed extra fake to me.
If I look at it in terms of the lessons of goodness and morals she displays, I can see how it has some merit as a popular story. But to me, she was just too calm with meeting her death at sea, for taking her innocent newborn son with her the second time, and for reading such a horrible letter from her beloved husband. Not to mention this overly fantasy, embroidery robe which (for some reason) was always sent with her out to sea. The emperor's first reaction to denial from his daughter is death, and yet, that same day he breaks down into tears over regret for what he's done? I'm sorry, but if you're that temperamental as a parent, and that impulsive as a King, how on earth did he gain his great reputation in the first place?
And although I did enjoy the fact she met, fell in love, and married a good man after her first ordeal at sea, I couldn't help but be surprised to see the King leave his pregnant wife to go to war for several years. I don't know if King's actually put themselves in harms-way every war in real life, but I would think that once they took up the crown they were kept in a place of safety, especially until the confirmation of a living heir was confirmed. Then there's the fact this parent didn't seem to mind at all missing the birth of his son, or his first steps, first word...etc. It said the war lasted for years, but she would've given birth in less than one.
...there are just too many pieces that don't add up, which I think is why I disliked the happy ending. It didn't make any sense how they got there, and was so entirely fantasy I couldn't take satisfaction in it all working out.
The class discussion the other day was interesting though, and answered a couple holes I saw in the plot. I was surprised to discover that the word "Egare" actually meant "Outcast," and found this new name clever because of it. I originally thought she changed it for a simpler transition, since it's only a one letter difference.
I think the story would have been improved had she lost something with each trip across the sea: like her trust in family, maybe some of the beauty in her robe, a toe freezing off from the cold sea...her son being ill for a bit from being exposed to such cold weather while so young, or maybe just her living in great poverty with her son for those first 7 years. Him learning the hardships and work moral of this status, but still remaining courteous, and she who pulls through each trial (but not without sacrifice) to finally be reunited with them all in the end.
You always do such a good job at analyzing the stories from your persepctive, rather than repeating the plot over and over again and making surface comments - thank you!
ReplyDeleteAnyways, it's funny that you didn't think to look up the meaning of "Egare" because you thought the one letter difference was as deep as the switch got; I didn't look it up for the same reason! This just reminds me not only to look up words I don't know but to look for symbolism in absolutely everything.
That dress that she brought out to sea is my favorite symbolism in THIS version of the tale. The fact that it's a dress and not a music box or a gold necklace is significant. It's like - she CAN put it on her body and it COULD engulf her the way it does in other versions, but it doesn't. I don't think it should have ever lost beauty - if anything, I think it should have gained beauty as Emare gained strength. A woman who has to face every basic fear that any woman of her time could potentially face is certainly worthy of it.
-Amanda
I agree that I think this story is too happy, although I think happy is the wrong word. It had a happy ending, yes, but it's honestly not a happy story. I think it's her view point that prevents us from seeing the hardships. We know they're there, but we can't feel them - she shields them from us just as she did for her son.
ReplyDeleteI do think that she's too perfect of a woman though. She gets sent out to sea, but doesn't show any sort of outburst, save for the one time that she even says she should be cursing everything, but instead turns to praying. I think that rather than being a story we are supposed to connect to, this is a story to show us what we should aspire to be and to do - that even though she's been put through all this shit, she still retains her dignity, faith, and noble heart. Perhaps this is so that when we go through horrible situations, we can think, what would Emare do?
-Kirsten