ipl-logo

Theme Of A Wagner Matinee By Willa Cather

1113 Words5 Pages
In Sleeping Beauty, a princess falls into a deep, unshakable slumber; she only awakens when her Prince Charming rescues her from the otherwise unceasing spell of sleep. Sleeping Beauty’s plot is far from unique, competing with nearly every Disney film, fairytale, and modernization for that adjective. They all flaunt the same basic structure: a woman experiences a difficulty and her suitor conveniently swoops in to save her. So, what does it look like when a woman’s suitor is the cause of her problems? The short story, “A Wagner Matinee” by Willa Cather, perfectly answers that question, with Edgar Allan Poe’s single-effect theory exhibiting the theme of reawakening. Developing its single-effect, both the absent setting of Nebraska and the immediate setting of Boston construct Aunt Georgiana’s resuscitation environmentally. In conjunction, her characterization highlights the theme, boldly contrasting her wearied form with her past jubilance. Finally, symbolism enacts theme, adhering it to every phrase in Cather’s prose. Returning to the foundational assertion, each of these literary elements are weaved into Cather’s story with the purpose of supporting Aunt Georgiana’s emergence from the quiet and still lull of dormancy. Entertaining setting’s role less rapidly, Boston and Nebraska represent two different sides of the same coin; Boston is Georgiana’s consciousness and Nebraska is Georgiana’s tumble away from it. Giving additional clarity, Boston is a place of excitement,
Open Document