Appearance
Excerpt
Excerpt from More Bab Ballads, by W. S. Gilbert
By three or four, when sport was o’er,
The Mystic One laid by his gun,
And made sheep’s eyes of giant size,
Till after tea, at MARY P.
And MARY P. (so kind was she),
She, too, made eyes of giant size,
Whose every dart right through the heart
Appeared to run that Mystic One.
The Doctor’s whim engrossing him,
He did not know they flirted so.
For, save at tea, “musa musæ,”
As I’m advised, monopolised
And rendered blind his giant mind.
But looking up above his cup
One afternoon, he saw them spoon.
“Aha!” quoth he, “you naughty lass!
As quaint old OVID says, ‘Amas!’”
The Mystic Youth avowed the truth,
And, claiming ruth, he said, “In sooth
I love your daughter, aged man:
Refuse to join us if you can.
Treat not my offer, sir, with scorn,
I’m wealthy though I’m lowly born.”
“Young sir,” the aged scholar said,
“I never thought you meant to wed:
Engrossed completely with my books,
I little noticed lovers’ looks.
I’ve lived so long away from man,
I do not know of any plan
By which to test a lover’s worth,
Except, perhaps, the test of birth.
I’ve half forgotten in this wild
A father’s duty to his child.
It is his place, I think it’s said,
To see his daughters richly wed
To dignitaries of the earth—
If possible, of noble birth.
If noble birth is not at hand,
A father may, I understand
(And this affords a chance for you),
Be satisfied to wed her to
A BOUCICAULT or BARING—which
Means any one who’s very rich.
Now, there’s an Earl who lives hard by,—
My child and I will go and try
If he will make the maid his bride—
If not, to you she shall be tied.”
They sought the Earl that very day;
The Sage began to say his say.
The Earl (a very wicked man,
Whose face bore Vice’s blackest ban)
Cut short the scholar’s simple tale,
And said in voice to make them quail,
“Pooh! go along! you’re drunk, no doubt—
Here, PETERS, turn these people out!”
Explanation
Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from More Bab Ballads by W. S. Gilbert
Context and Source
W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) was a British dramatist, librettist, and poet best known for his collaboration with composer Arthur Sullivan on the Savoy Operas (e.g., The Pirates of Penzance, The Mikado). Before his operatic fame, Gilbert wrote the Bab Ballads—a series of humorous, satirical poems published in Fun magazine (1860s–70s). These ballads often mocked Victorian social conventions, romance, and class pretensions with witty wordplay and absurd scenarios.
This excerpt from More Bab Ballads (1873) is a comic narrative about a bookish scholar ("The Doctor") whose daughter, Mary P., is courted by a mysterious suitor ("The Mystic One"). The poem satirizes Victorian courtship, parental authority, and the obsession with wealth and nobility in marriage.
Themes
Satire of Victorian Courtship and Marriage
- The poem mocks the transactional nature of marriage in the 19th century, where love was secondary to social status and wealth. The father’s primary concern is whether the suitor is noble or rich enough, not whether he loves Mary.
- The Earl’s dismissal of the scholar and his daughter underscores the cruelty of class hierarchies.
Absent-Minded Intellectualism
- The Doctor is so absorbed in his books ("musa musæ"—Latin for "a muse to the muse," suggesting scholarly obsession) that he fails to notice his daughter’s romance until it’s blatant. This critiques the impracticality of academia when faced with real-life matters.
Hypocrisy of Nobility
- The Earl is described as "a very wicked man" whose face bears "Vice’s blackest ban," yet he is the first choice for Mary’s hand simply because of his title. Gilbert exposes the moral corruption behind aristocratic prestige.
Love vs. Social Convention
- The Mystic One’s declaration of love ("I love your daughter, aged man") is sincere, but the father only considers material factors. The poem questions whether true affection can overcome societal expectations.
Literary Devices & Style
Humor and Irony
- Exaggeration: The lovers’ "eyes of giant size" and the father’s sudden realization ("Aha!") are comically over-the-top.
- Bathos: The shift from lofty Latin ("musa musæ") to the Doctor’s abrupt "Aha!" creates a jarring, humorous effect.
- Satirical Allusion: The reference to Ovid ("As quaint old OVID says, ‘Amas!’")—a Roman poet of love—contrasts with the unromantic, mercenary discussion that follows.
Rhythm and Meter
- The poem uses a light, bouncy tetrameter (four beats per line) with an AABB rhyme scheme, giving it a sing-song, almost childish quality that underscores its satirical tone.
- Example:
"By three or four, when sport was o’er, / (A) The Mystic One laid by his gun, / (A) And made sheep’s eyes of giant size, / (B) Till after tea, at MARY P." / (B)
Wordplay and Puns
- "Spoon": Victorian slang for flirtation or canoodling.
- "Boucicault or Baring": References to Dion Boucicault (a famous playwright) and the Baring family (wealthy bankers), suggesting that any rich or famous man would do as a son-in-law.
Dramatic Irony
- The reader knows the Earl is wicked, but the Doctor still seeks his approval, highlighting the father’s blind adherence to social norms.
Characterization Through Speech
- The Mystic One: Speaks in a melodramatic, almost Shakespearean tone ("Refuse to join us if you can"), parodying romantic heroes.
- The Doctor: His pedantic, detached speech ("I’ve half forgotten in this wild / A father’s duty to his child") reveals his emotional neglect.
- The Earl: His abrupt, rude dismissal ("Pooh! go along! you’re drunk, no doubt") exposes his arrogance.
Line-by-Line Analysis (Key Sections)
Flirtation and Discovery (First Stanza)
- The Mystic One and Mary P. exchange "sheep’s eyes of giant size," a humorous exaggeration of flirtation.
- The Doctor, lost in his books, only notices when he "looking up above his cup" sees them "spoon" (flirting).
- His exclamation—"Aha! you naughty lass!"—is more amused than angry, suggesting he’s out of touch with real emotions.
The Mystic One’s Proposal (Second Stanza)
- The suitor’s speech is formulaic and clichéd ("I love your daughter, aged man"), mocking conventional romantic declarations.
- His argument—"I’m wealthy though I’m lowly born"—appeals to the father’s materialism, not his heart.
The Doctor’s Response (Third Stanza)
- The father admits he’s forgotten "a father’s duty" because he’s been "lived so long away from man," emphasizing his detachment.
- His criteria for a son-in-law are purely class-based:
- Ideal: "dignitaries of the earth— / If possible, of noble birth."
- Backup: "A BOUCICAULT or BARING—which / Means any one who’s very rich*."
- This reduces marriage to a business transaction.
The Earl’s Rejection (Final Stanza)
- The Earl’s rudeness ("you’re drunk, no doubt") contrasts with the Doctor’s polite naivety.
- The abrupt command—"Here, PETERS, turn these people out!"—is a brutal dismissal, exposing the hollow cruelty of aristocracy.
Significance and Gilbert’s Satirical Intent
- Critique of Victorian Values: Gilbert mocks the hypocrisy of a society that values wealth and title over love and morality. The Earl, though corrupt, is still the preferred match simply because of his rank.
- Absurdity of Parental Authority: The Doctor’s bookish obliviousness and sudden, half-hearted parental concern satirize fathers who treat daughters as commodities.
- Subversion of Romance: The Mystic One’s love is genuine, but the poem suggests that in Victorian society, sincerity is irrelevant without social standing.
- Class Satire: The Earl’s rejection underscores that nobility is no guarantee of decency, while the "lowly born" suitor may be more honorable.
Conclusion
This excerpt is a sharp, witty critique of Victorian marriage customs, wrapped in Gilbert’s signature light verse and absurd humor. Through exaggerated characters and ironic twists, he exposes the ridiculousness of class obsession, the neglectfulness of intellectuals, and the cruelty of aristocratic privilege. The poem’s charm lies in its playful language and rhythmic energy, but beneath the humor lies a biting social commentary that remains relevant in discussions of love, money, and status.