Hudibras · Chapter
Canto III explained
The scattered rout rallies and captures Hudibras, who had thought himself victorious.
What happens
The scattered rout rallies and captures Hudibras, who had thought himself victorious. The bear Bruin is rescued by Trulla and Cerdon. Hudibras, now in love with a scornful widow, resolves to pursue her despite her disdain. As he prepares to sally forth again, the rout appears and besieges him.
Themes in this chapter
Cowardice and False Valor
Hudibras's initial victory is quickly overturned when the routed enemy rallies and captures him, highlighting the theme of false valor and the fickleness of fortune in war.
Love and Marriage as Warfare
Hudibras's pursuit of the widow is described in martial terms, comparing courtship to a conquest and using metaphors of traps and sieges.
Folly of Pedantry
The opening debate between Hudibras and Ralpho mocks scholastic logic and the reliance on rules over truth, exemplifying the folly of pedantic learning.
Characters to notice
- Hudibras
The Knight, who believes he has won the field but is captured by the rallied rout; later he schemes to win the widow's heart.
- Ralpho
The Squire, who debates with Hudibras about human learning and is later put in Crowdero's place.
- Bruin
The bear, who fights valiantly against the rout but is rescued by Trulla and Cerdon.
- Trulla
A swift and bold woman who pities Bruin and calls on Cerdon to help rescue him.
- Cerdon
A warrior who joins Trulla in rescuing the bear.
- Crowdero
The fiddler who is released when the rout captures the fort.
Key passages
“For nothing goes for sense or light That will not with old rules jump right: As if rules were not in the schools Deriv’d from truth, but truth from rules.”
Nothing is accepted as sensible or clear unless it conforms to ancient rules, as if rules were not derived from truth but truth from rules.
Ralpho criticizes the pedantic reliance on established rules over direct reasoning.
“Ah me! what perils do environ The man that meddles with cold iron; What plaguy mischiefs and mishaps Do dog him still with after-claps!”
Alas, what dangers surround a man who engages in sword fighting; what constant troubles and disasters follow him even after the event!
The narrator reflects on the perils of violence and the unexpected consequences that follow Hudibras's martial exploits.
“She could love none, but only such As scorn’d and hated her as much. ’Twas a strange riddle of a lady: Not love, if any lov’d her! Hey-dey!”
She could only love those who scorned and hated her in return. It was a strange paradox: she would not love anyone who loved her.
Describes the widow's perverse romantic nature, which frustrates Hudibras's advances.