Francis Quarles Emblemes
While a portion of Francis Quarles works went unnoticed, his well-received “emblem books” gained him enough attention that his self-given title of the “Essex Quill” (or pen, rather) would be remembered even today. His works, however, have been mistaken to be of a Puritan nature when in reality they support Anglican theology1 . Furthermore, Quarles’ works often support his political stances, namely the Royalist movement. Immediately, within the first book of Emblemes, we see that Quarles had made his religious allegory quite clear: the rebellion of the parliament was much like that of Adam and Eve. He states at the end of the first emblem after the dialogue between the serpent and Eve: “Unlucky parliament! Wherein, at last, both houses agreed, and firmly past an act of death confirm’d by higher powr’s: O had it had but such success as ours!” 2 In Quarles’ perspective, the Parliament had committed the political equivalent of eating the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge.
Interestingly, Quarles’ Emblemes Divine and Moral could be compared to Milton’s Paradise Lost thematically; both works focus on the loss of the Eden through the original sin. However, Quarles supported the Royalist movement whilst Milton was for the Parliament, though Milton had received accusations that Paradise Lost seemed rather supportive of the monarchy. The chosen Biblical story seems more fitting in Quarles political stance, after all, as it details the serpent’s influence on Adam and Eve to rebel. What truly creates a parallel between the two works is the two poets’ portrayal of Satan. This was a key feature to Milton’s work. The editor supports this in Quarles’ poem as well, suggesting that “Quarles is richly deserving of the laurel he has gained. His wit is bright, and his discrimination of characters keen”2 .
Quarles wrote his emblem books to set standards and to teach lessons; emblems, in this sense, are allegorical illustrations that are supported with poetry to convey a message. The introduction to Emblemes addresses the reader, stating that “this book shall teach the pious Heart To soar above the Earth,” which is later supported by the editor when he suggests that this book contains the most important lessons for the youth2 . Much of Quarles’ work focused on spiritual lessons; Boanarges and Barnabas, or judgment and mercy, contains a catalogue of vices, ranging from vanity to drunkenness, contains their “verdicts” and “sentences,” and contains the recommended prayer against thee vice 3 .
Emblemes, on the other hand, incorporates similar lessons, but through use of allegory.
The first allegory, appropriately, occurs as subtext to the first Biblical story, the Garden of Eden. Emblem I for Book I of Emblemes depicts Eve being tempted by the serpent2 . It begins, as with the other emblems, with a Biblical quote: “Every man is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed” (James 1:14). As with Milton’s Paradise Lost, the serpent is depicted as logical in his persuasion. For example, he asks Eve of the fruit, “why was it made, if not to be enjoy’d?”2 . Each emblem’s allegory concludes with a statement from the narrator, which depicts the lesson to be learned, and in this case: “It is the devil’s part to suggest; ours, not to consent”2 .
An interesting key feature to Francis Quarles’ work is his fascination with the theorbo. It is even depicted in one of the emblems to his central masterpiece, Emblemes Divine and Moral, as a figure on the frontispiece holds the lute-like instrument2 . The ecstasy of musical appeal often plays an important role in religious poetry, particularly in reference to Psalms. It is also noteworthy that the theorbo is suggested to be “a symbol of divine poetry” 1 . Of course, the theorbo is more than a reference; Quarles was a lutenist, as seen in his invocation of the muses.
Appropriately, Quarles references David in this invocation, whose name is tied to the psalms: “the flames of love too much, assist me, David’s Muse!” 2 . Initially, the reader may notice that Quarles wishes to “invoke no muse” 2 , but this is to avoid calling upon what might be considered pagan influences 4 . It is important to notice how Quarles does not call upon David as his muse, but rather “David’s Muse,” or God, to improve the quality of his performance of the theorbo as he pays spiritual tribute in psalm. This, then, provides direct evidence that this lute-like instrument plays a key role in the performance of Emblemes, and that this poem should be assisted with its music.
Francis Quarles did more to promote this instrument than just in invocation; the poet insisted that his peers played the instrument, as well. His friend to which Emblemes is apparently dedicated, Benlowe, commented, “You have put the Theorboe into my hand; and I have play’d” 1 . Benlowe paid tributeto this instrument as well, as can be seen in Hieroglyphikes of the Life of Man, which was Quarles second emblems book that Benlowe helped write. Within the invocation of this emblem book, Benlowe asks for inspiration from a muse he created in which personifies a theorbo: a goddess by the name “Theophila” 4 . It could be said, then, that Quarles started a short movement which insisted on using the theorbo as the primary essence of religious poetry.
Of course, Hieroglyphikes doesn’t just share likeness of musical themes as Emblemes; both books include similar structure elements, such as each involving 15 parts, each including an illustration, a supplementary poem, and a lesson5 . However, it is argued that the illustrations don’t include as many narrative elements as those in Emblemes despite Quarles’ promise in his address to his readers that the two would be similar5 . Additionally, this book of emblems revolves around an analogy that compares a man’s life to a candle, death being a central theme, as opposed to consisting of Biblical allegories.
Works Cited
1 Höltgen, Karl Josef. “Quarles, Francis (1592–1644).” Karl Josef Höltgen In Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, edited by H. C. G. Matthew and Brian Harrison. Oxford: OUP, 2004. Online ed., edited by Lawrence Goldman, January 2008. Web. 15 Oct 2015. http://www.oxforddnb.com.argo.library.okstate.edu/view/article/22945 Back to text.
2Quarles, Francis. “Emblems divine and moral.” Vol. 1. John Bennet, 1839. Web. 18 Oct 2015 https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=pUUgAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&hl=en&pg=GBS.PP1Back to text.
3Quarles, Francis. “Boanarges and Barnabas, or, Judgment and mercy for afflicted soules containing of [brace] meditations, soliloquies, and prayers by Francis Quarles.” Ed. Ann Arbor. MI ; Oxford (UK) :: Text Creation Partnership, 2005-12. Web. 15 Oct 2015. http://quod.lib.umich.edu.argo.library.okstate.edu/e/eebo/A56943.0001.001?c=eebo;c=eebo2;g=eebogroup;rgn=main;view=fulltext;xc=1;q1=Francis+quarlesBack to text.
4Edward Benlowes, John Horden, Karl Josef Höltgen, Francis Quarles,. “Emblemes (1635) and Hieroglyphikes of the Life of Man (1638).” Georg Olms Verlag, 1700. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=eOZe7_Fgz5MC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=Hieroglyphikes+of+the+Life+of+Man&ots=N9WRbm_Onw&sig=YVBT4oiBfJH1VsjwtrkDnFMJWGo#v=onepage&q=Hieroglyphikes%20of%20the%20Life%20of%20Man&f=falseBack to text.
5Roberts, Lorraine M. “Francis Quarles (1592-8 September 1644).” Seventeenth-Century British Nondramatic Poets: Second Series. Ed. M. Thomas Hester. Vol. 126. Detroit: Gale, 1993. 227-38. Dictionary of Literary Biography Vol. 126. Dictionary of Literary Biography Main Series Web. 19 Oct. 2015. http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=LTVDQH938480279&v=2.1&u=odl_adapl&it=r&p=DLBC&sw=w&asid=362bc767f8db6920214206e70d432bf5>.Back to text.