MALDOROR 7: FROM TODAY I ABANDON VIRTUE

Balladeer’s Blog continues its poem-by-poem examination of the 1868 work The Songs of Maldoror by Isidore Ducasse, the self-titled Count de Lautreamont. The title I’m assigning to this 7th piece for cross-reference purposes is From Today I Abandon Virtue. Prose translations are readily available in English for those who dislike poetry.

FROM TODAY I ABANDON VIRTUE

This poem begins with our supernatural figure Maldoror boasting of a tacit alliance he has made with prostitution to sow discord among families and erode the societal bond. He begins to recount the origin of that pact.

One night while walking through a graveyard Maldoror encountered a glow-worm as large as the mausoleum it stood next to. The light given off by the creature was blood-red, not greenish like glow-worms usually give off. The glow-worm, speaking to him in French told him he was providing illumination for him to read the inscription on a nearby tomb.

The creature made it clear that the order came not from itself but from a higher power, which in The Songs of Maldoror can mean either God or Satan since he considers himself in competition with both of them. Maldoror read the inscription: “Here lies a youth who died from consumption (tuberculosis). Pray not for him. ”    

Next a beautiful naked woman entered the graveyard and prostrated herself before our protagonist. With uncharacteristic tenderness Maldoror helped the woman to her feet with, as he tells us, the same hand with which he roughly slit the throat of his own sister. The glow-worm told Maldoror that the woman is Prostitution, then ordered him to kill her or face his own doom.  

Our narrator at first seemed to be complying, but then double-crossed the glow-worm and killed IT instead. He explained to the woman that it was beneath him to prey on prostitutes – he leaves that for God and Satan. He would rather make the people of “decent society” his victims, and stated that he and Prostitution share a common stake in the anarchy to be unleashed in undermining that decent society.  

The incarnation of Prostitution exchanged words of mutual love with Maldoror, sealing their bargain, before she threw herself into the sea to be with monstrous creatures that – along with our main character – are the only beings she says have never treated her with contempt. Maldoror bids her an affectionate adieu, closing with the words “From today I abandon virtue.”

Obviously the reader can’t help but be struck by that remark, given Maldoror’s heinous crimes up to this point. With his typical blasphemous vanity our narrator advises the world that, when it hears the sound of winds moaning over the sea or by the seashore or above seaside towns they should not consider it to be of Godly origin.

Instead he states that humanity should consider it the sigh of Prostitution mingled with his own deep groans. Then, humanity, whom he refers to with his usual contempt as being “as numerous as lice” should kneel and pray. 

I WILL RESUME THIS LOOK AT THE SONGS OF MALDOROR SOON. CHECK BACK ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK FOR NEW INSTALLMENTS.

FOR PART ONE CLICK HERE: https://glitternight.com/2015/02/28/maldoror-a-neglected-masterpiece-of-surreal-horror/

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