As historically recounted, the Victorian Period in England characterized a set of virtues emphasizing propriety and morality which were ultimately rejected by the English common folk in the late 19th century. A.E. Houseman's "Terrence, this is Stupid Stuff", alludes to the social stratification of the English working class in objectifying the negative zeitgeist of the time and uses the ironic and immoral nature of alcohol and alludes to Mithridites to emphasize how this period of industrial change benefited the few and stratified the poor.
Throughout "Terence, This is Stupid Stuff", the reference to alcohol further underlines the irony in juxtaposing the late Victorian Period of morality with the immorality of alcohol. Houseman refers to many breweries and liquors to emphasize this point, "Burton was built on Trent, livelier liquor than the muse" (18-20). The rampant use of alcohol sharply contrasts with moral ideals of the Victorian era, which Houseman believes serves as an outlet to the despondent conditions of the working class.
In addition, Houseman makes use of the allusion to Mithridates VI, King of Dontus and his immunity to poison to illustrate how the few reaped the benefits of the industrial age, leaving the vast majority of the common folk to the subservient conditions and destitution that also accompanied the industrial revolution in the Victorian period. As King Mithridates sat at the table to eat, he ingested poisonous food into his body. The symbol of the meal is reminiscent of a bad experience. This negative connotation further deepens when it is revealed that the poison does not hurt the king, but rather the subjects at the table, "Them it was their poison hurt," (74). Ultimately, this furthers the parallel between the rich and poor in illustrating the few who reaped tremendous wealth and power from an age that obliterated the social standing of many English commoners.
Finally, the reference and allusion to both the Victorian period and present day issues at hand as they are revealed to be untrue complete the dissatisfaction with the ideals of the Victorian period and a desire for change.
In describing his past as "the lovelymuck I've lain" (35) the speaker alludes to conditions within his life that loweredhis social standing and ability to remain happ. For he states, "Heigho, the tale was all a lie, the world, it was the old world yet" (38-39). This emphasizes his sarcastic tone in describing the futile worth of Victorian ideals of morality and propriety as they apply to increasing his social standing in the world.
1. Structuralism: The scholarly study of language and the relationships and the significance derived from the effect of a varied words and items. Also explores how the opposites within language construct meaning in literature.
2. Binary Opposites: This - Stupid Stuff, death - brisker, word - world's not, lovely - muck, world - old world yet, much good - much less good than ill, sun - moon, luck's a chance - trouble's sure, ill - good.
3. Thesis Statement: In "Terence, This is Stupid Stuff", the contradictions of the binary opposites such as lovely, muck and this, stupid stuff allude to the speaker's claim that the ignorance is bliss in a world in which knowledge destroys one's innocence because it inevitably informs the individual of the existence of good and evil as simultaneous entities.
4. "horned head... Moping, melancholy, mad... livelier, liquor...smiling, seasoned, sound" (8-67).
5. Thesis Statement: In "Terence, This is Stupid Stuff", the employment of alliteration and rhyming couplets allows for a juxtaposition of harsh and soft phonemes drawing support to the speaker's claim that the best method in handling the certainty of tragedy, one must expose themselves gradually to woes in order to adapt to inevitable evil world.
6. "livelier, liquor than the muse" (20). Alludes to the speaker's opinion that the indulgence in alcohol is easier and more simplistic than emerging oneself into the literary toil of muse and poetry. As a result, the poet elevates himself to a higher level of being and intelligence by contrasting himself from his friend. .
7. In "Terence, This is Stupid Stuff", the presence of alliteration in the line, "livelier, liquor than the muse" creates a conversational tone and alludes to the speaker's opinion that the indulgence in alcohol is easier and more simplistic than emerging oneself into the literary toil of muse and poetry. As a result, the poet elevates himself to a higher level of being and intelligence by contrasting himself from his friend.
8. The poem, "Terence, This is Stupid Stuff", is best described in rhyming couplets with iambic tetrameter, which allows the form of the poem to defy the content, creating a humorous, contradiction between the comic outlook of the speaker juxtaposed with the tragic reality of the world.
9. Oxymoron: A figure of speech in which two opposite ideas are joined to create an effect. In this case, the effect of lovely and muck presents a humorous parallel with a period of despondence for an individual who was going through a rough time. More significantly it emphasizes the experience of the speaker and what their past was like.
“And Down in lovely muck I’ve lain” (35).
Antimetabole: (also
called Epanados) A literary device involving repetition in reverse order. The reverse order in this example of good in
contrasting order creates an effect of resolution as conveyed by the speaker’s
tone and attitude towards the world.
“Therefore, since the world has still much good, but much
less good than ill” (43-44).
Antithesis: A literal
device that juxtaposes two opposite ideas which are put together in a sentence
to achieve a contrasting effect.
Antithesis emphasizes the idea of contrast by parallel structures of the
contrasted phrases or clauses, i.e. the structures of phrases and clauses are
similar in order to draw the attention of the listeners or readers. The effect of this example in relation to the
poem is that it emphasizes the speaker’s sentiment towards the world as one
full of evil and strife, destined for worse things to occur to
individuals. He uses this to allude to
the notion that preparation for the worst is necessary.
“Luck’s a chance, but trouble’s sure” (46).
Alliteration: Repetition of a sound in multiple words. Has the effect of quickening the tone. In this effect, a form of alliteration or
Consonance is used, in which consonant sounds are repeated. This can lead to a form of head rhyme. The effect in this example helps to add
auditory effect to the speaker’s ending allusion to King Mithridates.
“And easy, smiling, seasoned sound” (67).
Prosthesis: Adding an
extra syllable or letters to the beginning of a word. Creates a poetic effect, turns a simple word
into something unique. In this example,
the finality of starting over.
“And nothing now remained to do But begin the game anew”
(39).
10. In, "Terence, This is Stupid Stuff", A.E. Houseman employs multiple tropes and schemes to convey a sense of paradox and contradiction, as such, alluding to the intelligence of the speaker as being superior to that of his pub associates. This ultimately illustrates the author's negative sentiment towards the world, and his desire to stratify his life with despair and wallow, so as to prepare for an even greater tragedy that will identify the evil of the world.
11. "The cow, the old cow, she is dead" (8). Semantics: The cow, a rather old female cow is now dad. Pragmatics: You are free, you are no longer bound to this sadness and despair. You may rejoice.
12. The friends of Terence seem to use deductive reasoning to support their conclusion of Terence and his poetry. They provide a variety of statements to corroborate their contention of Terence's work, and then appeal to his emotions using vivid food imagery, especially alcohol as a means of drowning out all that is bad in the world.
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