Balladeer’s Blog resumes its examination of the macabre 1868 French language work The Songs of Maldoror.
THE MYSTERIOUS RIDERS
This is the First Stanza of the Third Canto (3:1). It should be no surprise to anyone that Maldoror once again presents an image of himself that contradicts much of what he has previously told the reader. In this stanza he is the Angel of the Land and is forever in the company of his lover Mario, the Angel of the Sea. The two frequently ride their horses at incredible speed along the beaches of the world, tracing the shoreline of continents and inspiring hushed superstitious whispers from the fishermen who observe them speeding by.
The pair glory in each other’s company and share a regal disdain for the human race, dismissing the planet Earth as a “craggy chamberpot”. We are told that “unlimited chains of generations” have regarded the two lovers with unease since they often appear at times of war or disease. (Readers may remember previous hints Maldoror has given that he is one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse biding his time until the end of the world arrives.) Maldoror and his companion are also often sighted flying in the air overhead as hurricanes unleash massive destruction. Continue reading
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