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This well-known plot illustrating the first hypothesis, contrary to what might appear,
will not displease feminists. Rather than sadistic cruelty on the man's pan, his "disguise,"
as old as Ulysses, only means to extol her unwavering constancy--in the face of riches, her
lover's own infidelity and even death. Not only does she reject the idea of an affair but a
marriage proposal from a "man of honor," even when her lover's (pretended) death would
allow her 10 commit herself anew. Her exemplary conduct is variously emphasized in other
texts: by the suitor passing himself off for her lover's "loyal comrade" pretending to have
attended to his death; her "falling quite senseless like a girl that was dead"! at the news; her
answer, dagger in hand, that "for her dark-eyed sailor a maid she will live and die;"2 or,
when hearing of his destitution, her declaring that "he's welcome to her also in his
poverty."3 Such a headstrong woman wins or secures her happiness in married life. As
suggested by her readiness to take her life to keep her vows, this endurance of symbolic
death imposed on the initiate in the ritual process promotes her to adult status in marriage:
In the little cottage down by the sea,
They're in wedlock bound and you'll well agree.
Young girls be true while your love's at sea,
For a stonny morning,
For a cloudy morning brings forth a pleasant day.4
9.2.2. "As Susan strayed the briny beach..."5
Strawberry Tower6
1. In Strawberry Tower this damsel did dwell
She was courted by a sailor and he loved her well;
He promised he would marry her when he did return,
But a watery misfortune all on him did falL
2. As he was a-sailing to his great surprise,
When a most and terrible stonn did arise;
Where the winds they did beat and the billows djd roar,
Which drove those poor seamen all on the lee shore.
3. As she was a-walking down by the seaside,
She saw her own true love all on the beach lie;
And when she come by and put her to a stand,
1Peacock, Song.f 2: 556, Sl. 9.
2Peacock, Songs 2: 514, Sl. 5.
3MUNFLA ms 78-236, p. 198, st. 7.
4Pcacock, Songs 2: 514, SI. 9.
5 Peacock, Songs 3: 646; songs belonging to this category arc, for instance, 2: 434-5; 439-40;
486-7; 3: 720-1; 722-5; 1007-8; MUNFLA ms 78-236, p. 191.
6Peacock, Songs 3: 722.