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The Silence of Longing p2© Mary C. Legg
Nov 3, 2003
Rusalka, a nymph,inconsolably laments to the moon of her love for the prince. Restricted to the lake and invisibility, she languishes. Although the symbols are similar, there is no hope for Rusalka. The moon is cold, dispassionate and symbolizes infertility. She longs in vain for what can never happen. There will be no redemption for her at the end for the moon can not hear and feels no compassion for her fate. Ironically, the moon is also Diana, the maiden huntress, the goddess who turns Acteon into a deer for his own hounds to tear apart limb from limb because he accidentally trespassed her sacred grove where she bathed. Diana will have no sympathy for a nymph yearning to be held in the arms of a man. The guardian of the lake, the vodnik overhears her misery and despairs. He will lose his fairest daughter. He tries to warn her of the danger, but it only deepens her longing. Like the mermaid, she goes off to find the witch in order to transform herself through magic. Willingly, she suffers self-mutilation in order to gain the prince's attention. Beautiful, she entrances him, but as a shadow she hovers on the edge of his life. Without speech there is no means for communication and the prince is soon weary of her transparent beauty. She can only watch as he becomes involved with another woman on their wedding night. Forsaken, she has lost everything. She has lost her life, her people and voice-she has not even the ability to express her dreadful agony.
A fairytale? No, all too real as the roles are reversed in Alben Berg's Wozzeck based on Buchner's work. In agony, tormented by poverty and exploitation, Wozzeck can only watch as the Drum Major and his commander buy sexual favors from Marie. She taunts him with the gleaming earrings given to her by his rival. Marie's child is his, but her affection wanders to whomever has the baubles and words to entice it. Impoverished, Wozzeck works feverishly at odd jobs, indenturing himself to his rivals who exploit his misery to flaunt their control over his life. Shine the captain's shoes, shave his beard, cut his wood-the misery knows no end when he sees Marie flirting with them. He can not pay for the toddler's food or for the shoes on his feet. He is at the mercy of those who pay his rent and they take delight in tormenting him. In fury, he kills Marie, but as a soldier, he has no escape. He drowns himself in the lake. He does what the mermaid refused to do. He struck out at the object of his torment and ended his life in the marsh.
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