Mel believes he has authority over the subject to declare, what love is and what love isn't. Such as, he declares Ed to be a heartless man, who never loved Terri, because of his violent nature. Mel is also under the belief that if one were a Knight they would have the ultimate protection from heartbreak, because Knights are, "pretty safe with all that armor" (135). However, this ideal is debunked when Nick abruptly states,
"But sometimes they suffocated in all that armor, Mel. They'd even have heart attacks if it got too hot and they were too tired and worn out. I read somewhere they were too tired to stand with all that armor on them. They got trampled by their own horses sometimes"... "That’s right" said Mel "Some vassal would come along and spear the bastard in the name of love" (136).
Nicks graphic statement ultimately reveals, that whether one is a crazy man like Ed or a protected Knight in Shining Armor, one is still susceptible to danger, when it comes to love. Which leads Mel to drink more to avoid the painful realization, that love is dangerous and there is no way to protect oneself from heartbreak.
Therefore, do you agree that this story serves to warn against the deadly powerfulness of love?
I think that this moment is particularly significant as well, but for a different reason. Mel's drunken wish to live again as a knight might indicate that he secretly desires protection when dealing with matters of love, but not because he's afraid of vulnerability, but because he's reckless. In his previous analysis of the nature of love (Carver 133) when he claims that anyone in their group would mourn the loss of a lover but also continue to love again, he reveals this symptom of recklessness. Throughout the conversation, he continues to voice his opinions and entertain personal digressions. It's as if all he wants is to live in the present and submit to his impulses. At one point he even sort of takes a pass at Nick's wife Laura. The guy takes all these risks without considering what the consequences will be. But if he were protected, if feelings weren't so fragile, then he could love exactly how he wanted. I don't know that Nick's rebuttal to this wish helps anyone confirm that love can never be a game played without stakes, but it does speak to Mel's character and how it has shaped his view on love.
ReplyDeleteCan it be possible to love impulsively and not be reckless?