Figures of Earth · Chapter
XXIX: Sesphra of the Dreams explained
Dom Manuel, now a husband and father, is tempted by Sesphra, the clay image he brought to life, to abandon his family and wander the world.
What happens
Dom Manuel, now a husband and father, is tempted by Sesphra, the clay image he brought to life, to abandon his family and wander the world. Under Sesphra's enchantment, Manuel confesses his disillusionment with love and his past pursuits of unattainable women, ultimately agreeing to kill his wife and child before leaving with Sesphra.
Themes in this chapter
The Illusion of Success
Manuel reflects on his past pursuits of unattainable women, finding that achieving his desires only leads to disillusionment and disgust.
Love and Disillusionment
Manuel confesses that love leads to 'sick disgust and self-despising,' and he sees his wife and child as ordinary and burdensome under Sesphra's enchantment.
The Artist and the Creation
Sesphra, a creation of Manuel's own hands, now controls and tempts him, illustrating the creator's loss of power over his creation.
Appearances vs. Reality
Manuel's public image as a devoted husband contrasts with his private confession of boredom and resentment toward Niafer.
Characters to notice
- Dom Manuel
Manuel is tempted by Sesphra, confesses his disillusionment with love and marriage, and agrees to abandon his family.
- Niafer
Niafer is mentioned as Manuel's sleeping wife, whom he now sees as plain and dull under Sesphra's influence.
- Sesphra of the Dreams
Sesphra, the clay image given life, tempts Manuel to leave his family and travel with him, using enchantment to manipulate Manuel's desires.
- Melicent
Melicent is Manuel's newborn child, referred to as a 'mewing lump of flesh' under Sesphra's bewitchment.
- Alianora
Alianora is mentioned as the appearance Sesphra takes on, representing Manuel's lost youth.
- King Helmas
King Helmas is referenced as one of the princes to whom Manuel writes insulting letters under Sesphra's dictation.
- Raymond Bérenger
Raymond Bérenger is mentioned as a prince to whom Manuel writes a droll letter.
- Stultitia
Queen Stultitia is referenced as a recipient of one of Manuel's insulting letters.
Key passages
“I see my fond wife Niafer as a plain-featured and dull woman, not in any way remarkable among the millions of such women as are at this moment preparing breakfast or fretting over other small tasks. I see my newborn child as a mewing lump of flesh.”
Manuel sees his wife as ordinary and his child as insignificant under Sesphra's influence.
Manuel's perception of his family is distorted by Sesphra's enchantment.
“The devil of it was that these proud aims did not stay unattained! Instead, I was cursed by getting my will, and always my reward was nothing marvelous and rare, but that quite ordinary figure of earth, a human woman.”
Manuel laments that achieving his desires only reveals their ordinariness.
Manuel expresses disillusionment with his past romantic pursuits.
“I will go with you. But what will become of the woman and the child whom I leave behind me unfriended? ... Very well, then, I will do that, but you must come up into the room with me, for I cannot bear to lose sight of you.”
Manuel agrees to kill his wife and child before leaving with Sesphra.
Manuel's willingness to murder his family shows the depth of Sesphra's hold over him.
