Excerpt

Excerpt from The Sisters' Tragedy, with Other Poems, Lyrical and Dramatic, by Thomas Bailey Aldrich

The spare Professor, grave and bald,
Began his paper. It was called,
I think, "A Brief Historic Glance
At Russia, Germany, and France."
A glance, but to my best belief
'Twas almost anything but brief--
A wide survey, in which the earth
Was seen before mankind had birth;
Strange monsters basked them in the sun,
Behemoth, armored glyptodon,
And in the dawn's unpractised ray
The transient dodo winged its way;
Then, by degrees, through silt and slough,
We reached Berlin--I don't know how.
The good Professor's monotone
Had turned me into senseless stone
Instanter, but that near me sat
Hypatia in her new spring hat,
Blue-eyed, intent, with lips whose bloom
Lighted the heavy-curtained room.
Hypatia--ah, what lovely things
Are fashioned out of eighteen springs!
At first, in sums of this amount,
The eighteen winters do not count.
Just as my eyes were growing dim
With heaviness, I saw that slim,
Erect, elastic figure there,
Like a pond-lily taking air.
She looked so fresh, so wise, so neat,
So altogether crisp and sweet,
I quite forgot what Bismarck said,
And why the Emperor shook his head,
And how it was Von Moltke's frown
Cost France another frontier town.
The only facts I took away
From the Professor's theme that day
Were these: a forehead broad and low,
Such as the antique sculptures show;
A chin to Greek perfection true;
Eyes of Astarte's tender blue;
A high complexion without fleck
Or flaw, and curls about her neck.

THE MENU

I beg you come to-night and dine.
A welcome waits you, and sound wine--
The Roederer chilly to a charm,
As Juno's breath the claret warm,
The sherry of an ancient brand.
No Persian pomp, you understand--
A soup, a fish, two meats, and then
A salad fit for aldermen
(When aldermen, alas, the days!
Were really worth their mayonnaise);
A dish of grapes whose clusters won
Their bronze in Carolinian sun;
Next, cheese--for you the Neufchatel,
A bit of Cheshire likes me well;
Cafe au lait or coffee black,
With Kirsch or Kummel or Cognac
(The German band in Irving Place
By this time purple in the face);
Cigars and pipes. These being through,
Friends shall drop in, a very few--
Shakespeare and Milton, and no more.
When these are guests I bolt the door,
With Not at Home to any one
Excepting Alfred Tennyson.

---

Explanation

Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from The Sisters’ Tragedy, with Other Poems, Lyrical and Dramatic by Thomas Bailey Aldrich

Context and Background

Thomas Bailey Aldrich (1836–1907) was an American poet, novelist, and editor, best known for his witty, polished verse and his role in shaping late 19th-century American literature. His work often blends humor, classical allusions, and keen observations of social life. The Sisters’ Tragedy (1897) is a dramatic poem, but the excerpt provided consists of two distinct lyric poems:

1. "The Lecture" (unnamed in the text but often referred to as such) – A humorous account of a dull academic lecture interrupted by the speaker’s infatuation with a young woman named Hypatia.
2. "The Menu" – A playful, epicurean invitation to a dinner party, blending gastronomic delight with literary camaraderie.

Both poems reflect Aldrich’s signature style: light, ironic, and rich in classical and cultural references.

---

Analysis of "The Lecture" (First Poem)

Summary

The speaker describes a tedious lecture by a "spare Professor" on European history ("Russia, Germany, and France"). The lecture begins with prehistoric times (mentioning extinct creatures like the glyptodon and dodo) and somehow arrives at 19th-century Berlin. The speaker, bored to "senseless stone," is saved from monotony by the presence of Hypatia, a young woman whose beauty and charm distract him entirely. He forgets the lecture’s content, remembering only her physical perfections—her forehead, chin, eyes, and curls.

Themes

1. The Contrast Between Intellect and Beauty

   • The poem juxtaposes the dry, endless historical lecture (symbolizing rigid intellect) with the vibrant, youthful allure of Hypatia (symbolizing beauty and vitality).
   • The speaker’s attention shifts entirely from Bismarck and Von Moltke (figures of political history) to Hypatia’s Greek-perfect chin and Astarte’s blue eyes (mythological beauty).

2. The Power of Distraction and Desire

   • The professor’s "monotone" turns the speaker to "stone" (a mythological reference to Medusa’s petrifying gaze), but Hypatia’s presence revives him.
   • The poem suggests that beauty and youth can overwhelm even the most serious intellectual pursuits.

3. Youth vs. Age

   • Hypatia is described as the product of "eighteen springs" (youth), while the professor is "grave and bald" (age).
   • The speaker’s fascination with her reflects a celebration of vitality over scholarly pedantry.

4. The Fleeting Nature of Attention

   • The speaker admits he retains no historical facts from the lecture—only Hypatia’s features. This humorously critiques how easily human focus can be diverted.

Literary Devices

1. Humor & Irony

   • The title of the lecture, "A Brief Historic Glance," is ironic because it is "anything but brief."
   • The absurd progression from prehistoric monsters to 19th-century Berlin mocks academic meandering.
   • The speaker’s selective memory (remembering only Hypatia’s looks) is comically exaggerated.

2. Classical & Mythological Allusions

   • Hypatia (a real 5th-century female philosopher, though here just a name for beauty).
   • Astarte (a Phoenician goddess of love and beauty).
   • "Turned me into senseless stone" (reference to Medusa’s petrifying gaze).
   • "A forehead broad and low, such as the antique sculptures show" (Greek ideals of beauty).

3. Imagery & Sensory Language

   • Visual: "Blue-eyed, intent, with lips whose bloom / Lighted the heavy-curtained room."
   • Tactile: "crisp and sweet" (describing Hypatia’s appearance).
   • Contrast: The dark, dull lecture hall vs. Hypatia’s luminous presence.

4. Metaphor & Simile

   • Hypatia is compared to a "pond-lily taking air" (graceful, fresh, rising above stagnancy).
   • The professor’s voice is a "monotone" that petrifies (like Medusa).

5. Structure & Rhyme

   • The poem is written in light, rhythmic couplets (AABB), giving it a conversational, almost flippant tone.
   • The short, punchy lines ("Hypatia—ah, what lovely things / Are fashioned out of eighteen springs!") enhance the playful, admiring tone.

Significance

• The poem is a satire of academic pretension, suggesting that even the most serious subjects can be overshadowed by human desires.
• It reflects 19th-century gender dynamics—the male speaker is intellectually engaged but easily distracted by female beauty.
• Aldrich’s witty, urbane style makes it a fine example of light verse, balancing humor with classical references.

---

Analysis of "The Menu" (Second Poem)

Summary

The speaker invites a friend to a luxurious but unpretentious dinner, detailing an elaborate menu:

• Wines: Chilled Roederer champagne, warm claret, old sherry.
• Food: Soup, fish, two meats, a salad, grapes, cheese (Neufchâtel and Cheshire).
• After-dinner: Coffee (with or without milk), Kirsch (cherry brandy), Kummel (caraway liqueur), or Cognac.
• Entertainment: Cigars, pipes, and a German band playing in Irving Place.
• Guests: Only Shakespeare, Milton, and Tennyson (if he drops by).

The poem blends gastronomic indulgence with literary elitism, suggesting that the best company is that of great poets.

Themes

1. The Art of Hospitality & Refinement

   • The speaker prides himself on curating an exquisite experience—fine wine, food, and select company.
   • The detailed menu reflects connoisseurship (e.g., "the Roederer chilly to a charm").

2. Literary Snobbery & Camaraderie

   • The guest list is exclusively great poets (Shakespeare, Milton, Tennyson), implying that only the finest minds are welcome.
   • The humor lies in the absurdity of casually inviting dead poets to dinner, yet treating them as intimate friends.

3. Sensory Pleasure & Aesthetic Enjoyment

   • The poem is a feast for the senses:
     • Taste: "soup, a fish, two meats"
     • Smell: "coffee black, with Kirsch or Kummel"
     • Sound: "The German band in Irving Place"
     • Sight: "grapes whose clusters won their bronze in Carolinian sun"

4. Humor & Exaggeration

   • The idea of bolting the door to keep out everyone except Tennyson is playfully elitist.
   • The contradiction between "No Persian pomp" (modesty) and the luxurious menu (extravagance) is ironic.

Literary Devices

1. Cataloging (Enumeration)

   • The detailed listing of foods and drinks creates a sense of abundance and indulgence.
   • Example: "A soup, a fish, two meats, and then / A salad fit for aldermen..."

2. Classical & Literary Allusions

   • Juno’s breath (Roman goddess, suggesting divine warmth for the claret).
   • Shakespeare, Milton, Tennyson—invoking the greatest English poets as dinner guests.

3. Hyperbole & Whimsy

   • "Friends shall drop in, a very few— / Shakespeare and Milton, and no more."
   • The idea of locking out everyone except Tennyson is humorously extreme.

4. Sensory Imagery

   • Taste: "Neufchâtel... a bit of Cheshire"
   • Sound: "The German band in Irving Place / By this time purple in the face" (suggesting lively, slightly drunken music).
   • Temperature contrasts: "chilly to a charm" (champagne) vs. "claret warm" (like Juno’s breath).

5. Rhyme & Rhythm

   • Couplets (AABB) give the poem a jaunty, inviting rhythm, like a host cheerfully listing delights.
   • The conversational tone makes the extravagance feel playful rather than ostentatious.

Significance

• The poem is a celebration of epicurean and intellectual pleasures, blending gastronomy with high culture.
• It reflects 19th-century aestheticism—the idea that beauty and refinement are life’s highest pursuits.
• Aldrich’s wit and sophistication shine through, making it both a humorous invitation and a fantasy of literary fellowship.

---

Connection Between the Two Poems

While seemingly unrelated, both poems share:

1. A Focus on Sensory and Intellectual Pleasure – One through beauty (Hypatia), the other through food and poetry.
2. Humor and Irony – Both mock pretension (the professor’s endless lecture, the over-the-top dinner guest list).
3. Classical and Literary References – Aldrich grounds his wit in mythology and high culture.
4. Urbanity and Polish – The poems reflect a sophisticated, well-read speaker who enjoys life’s refinements.

Conclusion

Aldrich’s excerpt is a masterclass in light verse—witty, polished, and rich in cultural references. "The Lecture" humorously explores how beauty disrupts intellect, while "The Menu" playfully elevates dining to an art form, inviting the greatest poets as guests. Both poems reflect Aldrich’s love of irony, classical allusions, and the finer things in life, making them delightful examples of 19th-century literary charm.