Elisa of The Chrysanthemums :: The Chrysanthemums Essays

Why-why enzyme-linked-immunosorbent serologic assay. You look strong enough to break a calf over your knee, happyenough to eat it like a watermelon. (Steinbeck 232) Most people reading this would just pass itoff as a tactless mans attempt to compliment, besides is that all told it is? In The Chrysanthemums,enzyme-linked-immunosorbent serologic assay is a farm wife, whose only passion in life is found in her gardening. enthalpy, her husband,owns a farm and is oblivious to the monotony of Elisas life. Throughout the story, Henry is onthe outside, never truly understanding Elisa and how she feels. Until, a play comes by the farmand speaks with Elisa about her Chrysanthemums. By asking just one question, the tinker opensElisa and allows her to release the passion and femininity that she keeps hidden throughout herlife. In hindquarters Steinbecks The Chrysanthemums, Henry Allens seemingly inept comment is notjust that but an allusion, put in place by Steinbeck, to the Dionysian maen ads.Dionysus is the Greek god of wine, merry make and gathering. His followers, themaenads, were said to be pushed into some word form of divine madness, aided by wine, whichwould lead to prophecy and insight. more often, however, it led to drunkenness and promiscuity.They would then dance, sing and wander about, not to mention, cooperate in sexual activities tostimulate fertility of the earth and achieve ecstasy. The maenads would on occasion reach adangerous frenzied state where if they happened across it, they would perpetrate animals apart anddevour the raw flesh (Maenads par.1). So, knowing that, we take a second look at our story.Elisa Allen has had an erotic experience with the tinker by merely speaking of the passion she has for her chrysanthemums that has opened her eyes to how often of herself that she hides andsubdues. Henry notices a difference in Elisa, beyond the way she is dressed, but he has neverseen the passionate side of her and does not know what to say. Wh en Henry claims that Elisalooks strong enough to kill and eat a cow, Steinbeck is making an allusion to the maenads of theancient Greek world. David Leon Higdon, a scholar, claims that With this imageSteinbecktransforms the characters and the ranch, synchronizing empirical and fabulous realities, andidentifying Elisas new power and beauty with those of the Maenads or Bacchantes in theirworship of Dionysus (par. 1).It is preferably clear that Henrys comment is more than just that. It is as if Steinbeck wishedhis reader to feel, for one brief moment, that he or she had opened a door inappropriately and