[Ttha-potm] Anthropomorphism, Dumbledores Etc.

[Betty Cortus]

I found much to agree with in both Carolyn's and David's most recent  
posts.  I do feel, however, a little less strongly about the  
anthropomorphism in the poem than they seem to do.  By that, I mean,  
that apart from equipping the fly with "hands" the insects seem to me  
to be behaving in a perfectly insect-like way. It is, after all,  
midnight. Flies are not naturally nocturnal critters, but if kept  
awake for a long time they do appear sleepy and move sluggishly.  
Moths who are active at night are doing what they do--flying toward  
light, bumping into things, and falling supine.  I'm not all that  
sure about the sleeping habits of the longlegs or the dumbledore, but  
none of these insects are truly humanized.  They don't wear tiny  
little top hats, sport canes, and display a perfect command of the  
English language as does Jiminy Cricket.  That's what I consider  
blatant anthropomorphism.

There was an interesting discussion on the Forum back in 1998, soon  
after this poem appeared on the POTM for the first time, regarding  
the definition of "dumbledore."  (don't try to google it or you will  
be inundated with Harry Potter references).  I checked the old Forum  
Searchable Archives and I am going to copy a comment Bob Schweik made  
back then.

Date:         Fri, 18 Sep 1998 1:21 pm EDT (17:21:48 UT)
From: "Robert C. Schweik Dr" <SCHWEIK at fredonia.edu>
Organization: State University of New York - College at Fredonia
Subject:      Did Hardy Notice That?

In "An August Midnight" Hardy pictures a scene in a study where
there enter a "longlegs, a moth, and a dumbledore."  A "dumbledore"
at midnight?  In every source I've consulted, a "dumbledore" is
glossed as a "bumblebee" or "humblebee."  But every naturalist I've
consulted tells me that's not right: bumblebees do not fly at
night, and for one to fly into a study at midnight strains
credulity.

Is there another sense for the word "dumbledore"?  "Dore" does, among
other things, refer to certain flying beetles which do fly at night.

Or was Hardy in this case merely taking poetic license and a vacation
from his usual habit of observing nature closely and accurately?

Bob Schweik

  Robert Schweik
  Department of English
  State University College
  Fredonia, NY 14063
  schweik at fredonia.edu

**********

Julian Whipple disputed this in a following post, assuring us that he  
had seen bumble bees active well after dark in Dorchester.

Anyway, this is just something from the Forum's past I thought might  
interest you.

Betty

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