Comparing the goddesses Venus (Love’s Victory) and the unnamed Sea Goddess (The Convent of Pleasure).
Hypothesis: Venus and the Sea Goddess are very different in character - they represent divergent concepts of deity, which is also reflected by their respective relationship with the male character in the play (Cupid / Neptune).
Table of Contents
1. Argument 1: The Sea Goddess represents the concept of a merciful and caring deity.
2. Argument 2: Venus represents the concept of a controlling and vengeful deity.
3. Argument 3: These concepts reflect in the goddesses’ respective relationship with the male character (Sea Goddess and Neptune / Venus and Cupid).
4. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This paper aims to compare two distinct female deities—Venus from "Love's Victory" and the unnamed Sea Goddess from "The Convent of Pleasure"—to examine how their divergent character traits and worldviews are reflected in their relationships with their respective male counterparts.
- Analysis of the altruistic and caring nature of the Sea Goddess.
- Examination of the controlling and vengeful character of Venus.
- Comparison of the gods' interactions with human subjects.
- Interpretation of the goddesses' relationships with Cupid and Neptune.
- Evaluation of the contrasting core values: nurturance versus authority and victory.
Excerpt from the Book
Argument 1: The Sea Goddess represents the concept of a merciful and caring deity.
The fact that the Sea Goddess has no name in the play – or that it is not mentioned - indicates that she feels no need to be in the limelight
Of a generous, nourishing and sympathetic nature; she shows altruistic character traits as she cares about the well-being of those depending on her and continuously strengthens them with her energy; she does not demand anything in return: “I feed the Sun, which gives them light, / And makes them shine in darkest night, / Moist vapour from my brest I give, / Which he sucks forth, and makes him live” (Cavendish [1668] 1999: 240)
Emphasizes peaceful coexistence with the sea, her natural habitat, and makes use of things she has readily available in a practical way: “My Cabinets are Oyster-shells, / […] / To open them I use the Tide, / As Keys to Locks, which opens wide” (Cavendish [1668] 1999: 241)
While she is fully aware of her own value “Or else his Fire would soon go out, / Grow dark, or burn the World throughout” (Cavendish [1668] 1999: 241), she is not so keen on influencing and controlling her surroundings
Content with her life: “On Silver-Waves I sit and sing, / And then the Fish lie listening: / Then sitting on a Rocky stone, / I comb my Hair with Fishes bone” (Cavendish [1668] 1999: 241)
Independent and self-confident; at ease with herself: “I See my self as I glide by: / […] / Then on my head the Waters flow, / In Curled waves and Circles round; / And thus with Waters am I Crown’d” (Cavendish [1668] 1999: 241)
Summary of Chapters
Argument 1: The Sea Goddess represents the concept of a merciful and caring deity: This section details the altruistic personality of the Sea Goddess, highlighting her lack of desire for power and her role as a nourishing, content figure in her habitat.
Argument 2: Venus represents the concept of a controlling and vengeful deity: This section explores how Venus uses humans for her own benefit, demanding worship and reacting with spite and retribution when her will is not met.
Argument 3: These concepts reflect in the goddesses’ respective relationship with the male character (Sea Goddess and Neptune / Venus and Cupid): This analysis compares how Venus manipulates Cupid to wield control, while the Sea Goddess maintains a peaceful coexistence with Neptune despite his claims of higher rank.
Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes the findings, arguing that the Sea Goddess's altruism and focus on nature vastly differ from Venus's self-serving desire for authority and victory.
Keywords
Venus, Sea Goddess, Love's Victory, The Convent of Pleasure, Margaret Cavendish, Mary Wroth, Altruism, Vengeance, Deity, Gender Roles, Neptune, Cupid, Renaissance Drama, Literature, Comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper explores the character differences between two goddesses, Venus and the unnamed Sea Goddess, from early modern plays by women.
What are the central themes discussed in this work?
The central themes include the concepts of divine authority, altruistic versus vengeful behavior, and the dynamics of power within male-female deity relationships.
What is the primary research goal?
The objective is to compare how Venus and the Sea Goddess represent divergent concepts of deity and how these concepts manifest in their actions.
What scientific method is employed?
The author uses a comparative literary analysis of original dramatic texts from the 17th century, supporting arguments with direct citations from the primary sources.
What is covered in the main body of the paper?
The main body is structured into three arguments comparing the deities' characters, their use of power over humans, and their specific relationships with male figures.
Which keywords best describe this research?
The work is characterized by terms such as Renaissance Drama, Divine Authority, Altruism, Gendered Power, and Literary Comparison.
How does the Sea Goddess differ from Neptune in terms of power?
While Neptune claims to be the monarch of the sea, the Sea Goddess avoids confrontation and remains content with her modest, nourishing role, despite his need for her energy.
How does Venus manifest her authority over Cupid?
Venus exerts maternal influence over Cupid, using him as an instrument to torment humans and control their romantic outcomes for her own benefit.
What does being "crowned with victory" signify for Venus?
It symbolizes her fixation on retaliation, entitlement, and the importance of defeating those she feels have wronged her.
- Quote paper
- Romy Zhang (Author), 2021, "Love's Victory" and "The Convent of Pleasure". Venus and the unnamed Sea Goddess, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1588068
