# V explained — Suspiria de Profundis

> Chapter companion for Suspiria de Profundis by Thomas De Quincey.

## What happens

The narrator describes a sublime and dreadful vision within a mighty cathedral, where the music of the organ and the dying trumpeter's love and anguish merge into a triumphant fugue. The quick and the dead sing together to God, and the narrator reflects on the resurrection of a young girl from the brink of ruin, symbolizing divine mercy and the end of war.

## Themes in this chapter

### The Sublime and the Dreadful

The vision of the cathedral, the music, and the mingling of life and death evoke both awe and terror.

### Divine and Moral Order

God's intervention to save the young girl and the restoration of peace after war reflect a divine moral order.

### Dreams and the Subconscious

The narrator describes seeing the young girl 'a thousand times amongst the phantoms of sleep' and in 'the worlds of sleep.'

## Character check-ins

### The Narrator

The narrator experiences the vision of the cathedral and the resurrection of the young girl.

### Cyclops the Charioteer

Addressed as 'Dying Trumpeter' in the vision.

### Jesus Christ

Implied through references to God's angel, resurrection, and divine love.

### Madonna

Referenced as 'sister unknown' and 'young girl' who is saved.

## Key lines

> Then was completed the passion of the mighty fugue.

The intense musical composition reached its climax.

_The fugue symbolizes the emotional and spiritual peak of the vision._

> Lo! as I looked back for seventy leagues through the mighty cathedral, I saw the quick and the dead that sang together to God, together that sang to the generations of man.

Looking back over a vast distance, the narrator saw both the living and the dead united in song to God and humanity.

_This illustrates the transcendence of death through divine worship._

> A thousand times, amongst the phantoms of sleep, have I seen thee entering the gates of the golden dawn, with the secret word riding before thee, with the armies of the grave behind thee.

In countless dreams, the narrator has witnessed the young girl approaching the dawn, preceded by a secret word and followed by the forces of death.

_The 'secret word' may allude to the news of Waterloo or a divine message._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/suspiria_de_profundis_se/chapters/v
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/suspiria_de_profundis_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/suspiria_de_profundis_se/chapters