Sartor Resartus · Chapter
IX: Adamitism explained
The Editor defends Teufelsdröckh against accusations of being an Adamite or enemy to clothes, explaining that the Professor recognizes both the utility and symbolic power of clothing.
What happens
The Editor defends Teufelsdröckh against accusations of being an Adamite or enemy to clothes, explaining that the Professor recognizes both the utility and symbolic power of clothing. Teufelsdröckh illustrates how clothes serve as visible emblems of social bonds and authority, imagining a scenario where clothes vanish from a royal ceremony, dissolving government and society into chaos. He argues that society is founded upon cloth, and that clothing confers power and identity, as seen in the judge's robe or the scarecrow's coat.
Themes in this chapter
Clothing as Symbol
Teufelsdröckh explores clothing as visible emblems of social bonds, authority, and identity, arguing that society is founded upon cloth and that garments confer power (e.g., judge's robe, scarecrow's coat).
Critique of Society and Materialism
The chapter satirizes the fragility of social hierarchy and government, imagining their collapse if clothing were removed, and critiques the arbitrary power of dress in determining life and death (e.g., Red commanding Blue to be hanged).
Characters to notice
- Diogenes Teufelsdröckh
Argues that society is founded upon cloth and imagines the dissolution of government if clothes were removed; defends the symbolic power of clothing while critiquing its abuses.
- The Editor
Defends Teufelsdröckh against charges of Adamitism, explaining that the Professor values clothing's utility and symbolic meaning.
Key passages
“Society, which the more I think of it astonishes me the more, is founded upon Cloth.”
Teufelsdröckh asserts that the entire structure of society rests on the symbolic power of clothing.
Central thesis of the chapter, linking clothing to social order.
“What would Majesty do, could such an accident befall in reality; should the buttons all simultaneously start, and the solid wool evaporate, in very Deed, as here in Dream?”
Teufelsdröckh imagines the chaos if a royal ceremony's participants were suddenly stripped naked, dissolving government and civilization.
Illustrates the fragility of social institutions when stripped of their symbolic garments.
“Has not your Red hanging-individual a horsehair wig, squirrel-skins, and a plush-gown; whereby all mortals know that he is a Judge?”
The judge's authority is signified by his distinctive clothing, which marks his role in society.
Example of how clothing confers identity and power.