Poetry · Chapter
LXXIII explained
The speaker recounts a mundane and slightly ominous evening: he shoots a moth, makes broth from it, and dines with a princess who initially turns up her nose but then enjoys the meal.
What happens
The speaker recounts a mundane and slightly ominous evening: he shoots a moth, makes broth from it, and dines with a princess who initially turns up her nose but then enjoys the meal. He tries to lighten the mood with a pun, but she frowns. A large owl flies by, which he interprets as a bad omen for the new match.
Themes in this chapter
Social Critique and Mortality
The triviality of the evening's events—shooting a moth, making broth, a failed pun—contrasts with the ominous owl, suggesting a critique of superficial social rituals and a foreboding sense of mortality.
Characters to notice
Key passages
“Five minutes before one—brought down a moth With my new double-barrel—stew’d the thighs, And made a very tolerable broth— Princess turn’d dainty, to our great surprise, Alter’d her mind, and thought it very nice:”
At five minutes to one, I shot a moth with my new double-barreled gun, stewed its thighs, and made a decent broth. The princess, to our surprise, initially acted picky but then changed her mind and found it quite good.
The speaker describes a peculiar hunting and cooking episode, highlighting the princess's capriciousness.
“Seeing her pleasant, tried her with a pun, She frown’d; a monstrous owl across us flies About this time,—a sad old figure of fun; Bad omen—this new match can’t be a happy one.”
Seeing she was in a good mood, I attempted a pun, but she frowned. Just then, a huge owl flew by—a ridiculous, sad old creature—which I took as a bad sign that this new match will not be a happy one.
The speaker's attempt at humor fails, and the appearance of an owl is interpreted as a negative omen for the relationship.