Nick Hall's Channel Firing Essay

Defense of “The Haystack in the Floods”

Using the one hundred year war as a staging ground “The Haystack in the Flood” by William Morris is an example of Pre-Raphaelite literature, a move towards pre renaissance art and literature as well as an attempt to turn away from traditional Victorian values. The study next semester of “The Haystack in the Floods” could be used to better acquaint the class with the movement, but more importantly allow for exploration of an often conflicted view of the topic of relationships of Victorian ladies and gentleman as well as show a vision of travel and empire through the lens of the one hundred years war.

In “The Haystack in the Floods” a knight, Robert, and his French mistress, Jehane flee from France and the traitorous English knight Godmar to English territory, after a lost battle, but are found by Godmar and Robert is slain before Jehane’s eyes. The characterization of Jehane as well as her relationship with the principal male characters is displayed in a conflicting light throughout the poem. As the audience is introduced to Jehane, she is portrayed as a woman that “rode astride as troopers do; with kirtle kilted to her knee, to which the mud splashed wretchedly (1675).” She is not described in a way that one would normally think of the ideal Victorian woman, nor an ideal medieval one for that matter. This is a woman who is a skilled enough rider to be compared to a soldier and capable enough to ride through the wet and disgusting conditions that one would think the classically portrayed Victorian lady would not ride through if her life depended on it. She appears to be dressed for practicality wearing her skirts up and showing leg, so as to ride more effectively. Yet immediately after this somewhat masculine and unladylike description, the reader is shown her “fair” eyelids and told that tears stream down her face. Her hands are described as slender and her body frail: “scarce could [she] hold the wet reins (1675).” The conflicting descriptions of the soldier like rider with practicality in apparel and with a fragile, tearful damsel leaves the reader with conflicting images of what Jehane is like. The poem seems to juxtapose its description of the lady Jehane between two competing ideals: the dependent tearful lady completely dependent on men and unable to function without one, like in “Mariana,” to the warrior queen who is fearless and brave, like in “Judith”. The Victorian Era was a time for change and conflict in what a proper lady should be and this conflict is exemplified in Morris’ poem. This conflicted image is contrasted once more in her interactions with men. Upon being discovered by Godmar, Robert tells her that she must flee and she answers by telling him that “I have to tread the long way back without you; then the court at Paris. . . while my weak hands try to recollect how strong men swim (1676).” She tells Robert that she will not make it if he is not protecting her and that she will be tried in Paris and forced to perform some sort of swimming test. This is very much the weak traditional female image of the time, dependent on a strong willful man to protect her. Yet as Godmar captures her lover and offers her relief should she “yield. . . as [his] paramour,” she gives him an emphatic “No!” He then threatens rape upon her but instead of yielding or being submissive she has “a wicked smile,” and says that she would “strangle [him] while [he is] sleeping; or bite through [his] throat,” if he were to try anything (1677). This is not at all what one would expect from the dependent and despairing woman of previous lines. Not only does she stand defiantly against him, but she threatens him with violence. It is also the knight Godmar that submits to her will by heading her refusal to be his mistress. While he does kill her lover she stands bravely before him and ignores all of his threats. This last portrayal of Jehane is one of a strong, willful woman who is independent. One possible message one could draw is that society may give the false impression to both woman and men that woman are docile and submissive by nature but when pushed out of the normal they are capable of every bit of bravery and resilience that men are.

Another theme that can be explored in the poem is that of Travel and Empire. While a far more subtle theme throughout the poem than that of Victorian ladies and gentlemen, both the setting and resolution of the poem invite debate on the subject. The poem is set in a period of time in which Britain is attempting to exert its influence over foreign lands and gain control of France; just as in the Victorian Era Britain is similarly doing so in its colonization efforts. The setting, during the period of the one hundred year war represents a seemingly endless conflict that Britain eventually loses. Similarly the scene depicted in the poem is of a knight betrayed by his own countrymen and is apprehended before he is even able to die in battle by his own followers, “no man of all his train gave back that cheery cry again. . . someone cast about his neck a kerchief long, and bound him (1676).” In fact there is not a single French character that is portrayed as dishonorable within the poem. The only person of the country England seeks to control is Jehane, who is one of only two honorable character portrayed in Morris’s poem. The resulting message as a result could quite possible be taken as one of anti imperialism.

“The Haystack in the Floods” has distinctive themes dealing with Victorian Ladies and Gentlemen and Travel and Empire. It is a beautiful and powerful poem which would bring more diversity of authorship with a poet, William Morris, uncovered in this semester’s section. Most importantly it is a poem that lends itself to a variety of interpretations with a complex and conflicted portrayal of its principle heroine, while simultaneously exposing the class more thoroughly to the medievalist and pre Raphaelite movements of the Victorian Era.

Word Count: 1065