The Cream of the Jest · Chapter
VIII: Of a Trifle Found in Twilight explained
Felix Kennaston, walking in the twilight gardens of Alcluid, reflects on his dissatisfaction with his waking life and the droll ending he has written for the romance of Ettarre and Guiron.
What happens
Felix Kennaston, walking in the twilight gardens of Alcluid, reflects on his dissatisfaction with his waking life and the droll ending he has written for the romance of Ettarre and Guiron. He picks up a broken metal disk inscribed with tiny characters, which he later realizes he had unconsciously woven into his story as a breast-ornament for Ettarre, and pockets it without fully understanding his motive.
Themes in this chapter
Dream vs. Reality
Kennaston regrets that in his own country he is called Felix, meaning 'happy,' yet he is not happy there; he prefers the dream-world of his romance where he is Horvendile.
Art and Illusion
Kennaston reflects on the irrational processes of inspiration and how he unconsciously wove the found metal disk into his story, blurring the line between life and art.
The Power of Storytelling
Kennaston muses on the ending he has devised for his romance, considering its aesthetic satisfaction and the way stories shape and are shaped by the storyteller's unconscious mind.
Characters to notice
- Felix Kennaston
Walks in twilight at Alcluid, musing on his unhappiness in his own country and the unsatisfactory ending he has given to the story of Ettarre and Guiron; discovers and pockets a broken metal disk.
- Horvendile
Kennaston imagines Horvendile walking out of Storisende carrying a bauble similar to the one he has just found; Horvendile is the name Kennaston regrets he must not bear in his own country.
- La Beale Ettarre
Ettarre is the heroine of Kennaston's romance; he has ended her love-business with Guiron, and the found disk is woven into the tale as her breast-ornament.
- Sir Guiron des Rocques
Guiron is the hero of Kennaston's romance; his love-business with Ettarre has been concluded by Kennaston in a droll and unsatisfactory manner.
Key passages
“Thus he walked in twilight, regretful that he must return to his own country, and live another life, and bear another name than that of Horvendile.”
He walked in the twilight, sad that he had to go back to his real world, live a different existence, and be called something other than Horvendile.
Kennaston's longing for his fictional identity over his mundane life.
“It is droll how all great geniuses instinctively plagiarize.”
It's amusing how all great creative minds unconsciously borrow from their surroundings.
Kennaston's reflection on the unconscious process of artistic creation.
“Later Felix Kennaston was destined to puzzle over his inability to recollect what motive prompted him to slip this glittering trifle into his pocket.”
Later, Felix Kennaston would be baffled by his failure to remember why he put this shiny little object into his pocket.
The mysterious, almost involuntary act of picking up the sigil.