Short Fiction · Chapter
XXIII explained
The narrator reflects on a series of engravings depicting suffering and heroism, including Ugolino's family dying of hunger, the brave Chevalier d'Assas, a betrayed and enslaved negro woman, and a young shepherdess on the Alps whose peacefu
What happens
The narrator reflects on a series of engravings depicting suffering and heroism, including Ugolino's family dying of hunger, the brave Chevalier d'Assas, a betrayed and enslaved negro woman, and a young shepherdess on the Alps whose peaceful life is threatened by the approach of war.
Themes in this chapter
Melancholy and Joy
The narrator contrasts the serene beauty of the shepherdess's alpine life with the impending sorrow of war, blending melancholy and joy in a single scene.
The Ordinary as Extraordinary
The narrator finds profound meaning in simple engravings, elevating everyday images of suffering and pastoral life to subjects of deep reflection.
Key passages
“And there is the brave Chevalier d'Assas, dying, by an effort of courage and heroism unknown in our days, under a hundred bayonets.”
The narrator points to the engraving of Chevalier d'Assas, who died heroically under a hundred bayonets, a courage rarely seen in modern times.
The narrator contrasts past heroism with the perceived lack of such valor in his own era.
“Sweet shepherdess! tell me where is the lovely spot thou callest thy home. From what far-off sheepfold didst thou set out at daybreak this morning? Could I not go thither and live with thee?”
The narrator addresses the shepherdess, longing to escape to her peaceful alpine home and live with her.
This expresses a desire for simplicity and escape from the narrator's own troubled reality.
“Fly, O shepherdess! Urge on thy flock! Hide thee in the farthest caves, for no longer is repose to be found on this sad earth!”
The narrator warns the shepherdess to flee with her flock to the deepest caves, as war destroys all peace on earth.
The narrator laments the loss of tranquility in the world due to war.