Suspiria de Profundis · Chapter
Going Down with Victory explained
The narrator describes the grandeur and emotional impact of carrying news of military victories from London via the mail-coach system, focusing on the collective national pride and the varied personal reactions of those who receive the news
What happens
The narrator describes the grandeur and emotional impact of carrying news of military victories from London via the mail-coach system, focusing on the collective national pride and the varied personal reactions of those who receive the news, including a grieving mother and an exultant woman whose son is in the army.
Themes in this chapter
The Sublime and the Dreadful
The chapter juxtaposes the sublime spectacle of the mail-coach procession—laurels, cheers, and national pride—with the dreadful personal grief of a mother in mourning and the anxiety of a woman whose son is in the army.
Suffering and Grief
The elderly lady in mourning and the woman whose son is a trooper in the 23rd Dragoons embody the personal suffering and grief that accompany national victories.
Divine and Moral Order
The narrator reflects on the moral and spiritual dimensions of victory, describing the scene as 'theatrical and holy' and noting the healing power of the news on a beggar, echoing biblical language ('Be thou whole').
Characters to notice
- The Narrator
The narrator recounts his experience riding on the mail-coach, observing and interacting with the public during the dissemination of victory news.
- The Noble Captain
Referenced indirectly through the mention of the 23rd Dragoons and their memorable charge, though not directly present in the scene.
- Mr. Palmer
Mentioned in the context of the invention of mail-coaches, which underpins the entire chapter's setting.
Key passages
“Five years of life it was worth paying down for the privilege of an outside place on a mail-coach, when carrying down the first tidings of any such event.”
The experience of riding on a mail-coach to deliver news of a victory was so exhilarating that the narrator would gladly trade five years of his life for it.
This hyperbolic statement emphasizes the profound emotional and patriotic value of participating in the dissemination of victory news.
“The victory has healed him, and says, Be thou whole!”
The news of victory has a transformative effect on a beggar, making him forget his lameness and stand upright with joy.
The narrator uses biblical language to suggest that national triumph has a quasi-miraculous power to uplift even the most downtrodden.
“Every joy, however, even rapturous joy—such is the sad law of Earth—may carry with it grief, or fear of grief, to some.”
Even the most joyful events can bring sorrow or anxiety to those who have suffered or fear future loss.
This reflection introduces the contrasting reactions of the grieving mother and the anxious woman, highlighting the duality of human experience.