Manfred was an interesting, and actually somewhat enjoyable read. Although complicated and dragged out at times, I felt like the story was unique and relative to all people because of its connection of good and evil as well as nature and fantasy. As the Abbot says, it is an intricate "chaos--light and darkness--And mind and dust--and passions and pure thoughts Mix'd," (665).
Within the first act Byron establishes the Spirits of course, but before this he establishes that Manfred sees the world in an extremely negative light. He believes that "They who know the most must mourn the deepest o'er the fatal truth," which made me think of other things we read earlier in this course (639). The thought of knowing too much of the world, and leaving innocence into the wise connects to how Manfred sees the world. He hates that he knows so much and has seen so much, because he knows the evils of the world and is tired, just waiting for his death. This again appears on page 659, when the First Destiny says, "And they have only taught him what we know-- that knowledge is not happiness, and science but an exchange for ignorance for that which is another kind of ignorance," (659).
Manfred also establishes that he feels extreme power over everything, and does not take death or the spirits that could control his death seriously. He "ha(s) no dread, and feel the curse to have no natural fear" (639). This is interesting because usually when characters test their fate (like in mythological tales) and go against the Gods, they are soon easily fearful of what is to come. Even when the spirits seem to send warning, Manfred answers them with a questioning, defiant tone:
First he feels power over the spirits:
"I call upon ye by the written charm which gives me power upon you--Rise! appear!"
(640)
Later he answers them with what seems like sarcasm:
"Can ye not wring from out the hidden realms ye offer so profusely what I ask?"
(640)
Is that how YOU would talk to the spirits of the world if you could ask them questions and get help from them? Dumb.
I was a bit confused when after Manfred says to the spirits, "Accursed! What have I to do with days? They are too long already--Hence--begone!" (643). Does Manfred condemn himself here to eternal life? It seems that he does because within the next couple of pages he keeps wishing for death over and over, and it does not come to him.
Lastly about the spirits: I really enjoyed how they toyed with him in the beginning, the Seventh spirit turning itself into a woman, and then dissapearing. This, like we have said in class, reiterates how romanticism writers saw women and men. They seem to have seen women as objects of man's desire, and not useful for very much else. As we have said, men were the predominant writers of this period, and made that very known.
I felt that the scenery said more than most would realize about Manfred's state of mind. In the beginning, he is high up with power, in the mountains, and feels above the world. Later, he is seen in a cottage and feels babied or not in very much control. Then he goes to the lower Alps, and here he meets the Witch who makes him look on his past, and brings him down emotionally. The next scene he is in the summit of the Jungfrau Mountain (the very top), and this is to contrast the hellish speeches of the destinies. Here in the Hall of Arimanes Manfred sinks down to a powerless mortal who must "bow down and worship" yet he does not kneel down because it's Manfred, of course (658). When Manfred is in the hall of his castle, he feels powerful and strong over Herman.
I can honestly say I have never read anything more depressing than Manfred's aside, alone, in the end of scene 2. This kind of intrigued me because of how sad Byron can make a paragraph sound, and I felt like I could actually feel Manfred's emotions through his language. I loved the line, "If I had never lived, that which I love had still been living; had I never loved, that which I love would still be beautiful--Happy and giving happiness," (655). I felt like it was somewhat romantic, but could also connect to nature. Humans feel that nature is beautiful, but if untouched and unloved, it would be much more beautiful and would give even more happiness. Maybe this is off, but this is one of the connections I made with the line.
Manfred's responses when he meets with the Abbot are very different from what anyone would expect. The Abbot tries to tell him that he can be pardoned and gain penitence, yet Manfred responds by saying that mortals, these men that are of high standing in the church, have little to no power. I liked seeing someone question God because this rarely happens in the writing I read for college reading. This made me really wonder about Byron's personal religious views. Does he really believe that there is "No power in holy men, nor charm in prayer," (663)?
Lastly, Manfred's other aside while in the interior of the tower in Act 3, Scene 4 made me think of Wordsworth's Lines because of Manfred's reminiscing of his view of nature in childhood. How he "linger(s) yet with nature," and "remember(s) (himself), that in (his) youth," (668).
Overall, I found it interesting that Manfred wishes to end his life, when in "normal" pieces, people more frequently wish that they had more time during their life. But, after all, according to Manfred, "And some of wither'd, or of broken hearts; For this last is a malady which slays More than are number'd in the lists of Fate," broken hearts are the leading cause of death, and maybe this is why Manfred wishes to die (665).
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