David and Batshsheba, Susanna and Peter Quince

It seems obvious at first, the connection between Peter Quince at the Clavier, and Susanna. As Wallace Steven's poem uses the story of Susanna as a metaphor for Peter's love for the clavier, a person may easily stop here in finding connections. Roots of similarity dive deeper than simply this, though. After reading Psalm 51, I was somewhat lost. I, not knowing the stories of David, was unaware of his sin unto Bathsheba and her husband, Uriah the Hittite. I began to read the stories and was lead directly to the story (2 Samuel 11) in the Bible about David's actions leading up to and following his infidelity. He actually raped this woman, beseeched her husband to come home from the war and sleep with his already gestating wife, in turn causing him to believe that he had indeed conceived the child with her. Being a faithful soldier, though, he did not allow himself to sleep with Bathsheeba, since his fellow soldiers were yet in battle. Now guess what Daniel did. The unthinkable...he basically murdered Uriah by sending him to the frontlines of battle. When the Hittite did die, as was inevitable, Daniel took Bathsheba as his wife.

This is a good place to point out gaping instances of lacuna. What was this poor woman, Bathsheba, thinking? She was forcefully taken by Daniel, watched while the same man killed her husband, then was made to marry him, and nothing was said of her emotions throughout this entire ordeal. What was she thinking? It could not have been a pleasant experience for her.

(that was not a digression) Now, back to the bridge between these three stories. Just as Bathsheba was taken advantage of, Susanna experienced the same difficulties. Innocent and unaware, this woman was led into the most decietful trap conceivable. Two old covetous perverts, out of pure lust, nearly had her killed. This woman, without the help of the spirit of Daniel, had absolutely no credibility in which to rely upon in the time of dire need. She was to be beheaded, but was only saved by a miracle.

The poem by Wallace Stevens also shows Susanna's predicament. A line toward the very end is extremely important in deciphering the significance of these passages:

"Susanna's music touched the bawdy strings

Of those white elders; but, escaping,

Left only Death's ironic scraping."

In both the story of David and Bathsheba and the story of Susanna, "death's ironic scraping" manifests itself in all its justice and cruelty. In the case of David, the son he conceives in infidelity dies seven days after birth. "'Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.'" (2Samuel 12:14) Susanna is also redeemed when the spirit of Daniel appears as she is being prepared for execution. The judges responsible for the trial are then asked to reconsider their position and the elder's are found guilty and put to death.

It is as if Daniel is redeeming his sins against Bathsheba by saving the innocent soul of Susanna. He has repented and is fully aware of his transgressions. It is the first instance I have seen thus far of a man defending the rights of a woman. They are beautiful and sad stories that end well for one woman, while another is left in the background. They are also stories of the power of men over women in the Bible. These two victims have basically no defense, unless of course it is in the form of a male savior and they are left to bend to the will any man's whim. When retribution is allotted, though, justice is exacted and the portrayal of women is slightly changed.