The Spider and The Fly

It’s the beginning of my favourite time of year! The leaves are turning from green to brown, conkers are being harvested for children to play with and Halloween is right around the corner. So, in light of such events I thought it appropriate to discuss some spooky, creepy pieces of literature. This week is ‘The Spider and The Fly’ by Mary Howitt.

It is one that feels weirdly appropriate for the times, as we all know in recent events the Sarah Everard case is wrapping up, and it was revealed she was manipulated into following a police officer into a car. This poem deals with a spider who by means of manipulation, education, coercion does the spider get the fly… “Will you walk into my parlour” said the spider to the fly, “Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy”… 

Ooo it makes my skin crawl. Not because I hate spiders but because of the way the spider sings his praises to the fly. “I’m sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high” effectively this reminds me of the ancient Troubadors whose main mission was to sing the praises of ladies at court. Courtly love was to pronounce a woman so fair and lovely, raising her status even higher to that which is unattainable, the tallest of towers -  even the pedestal that she be placed upon is most unworthy. And that is what the Spider is doing here. Mercifully the fly does not think much of the Spiders efforts “Oh no, no,” said the little fly, “for I’ve often heard it said, they never, never wake again, who sleep upon your bed!” Spider 0, fly 1. This doesn’t last I must say.

We have the fateful stanza, the wicked words the spider has woven are slowly taking affect:

“Sweet creature!” said the Spider, “you’re witty and you’re wise,

How handsome are your gauzy wings, how brilliant are your eyes!

I’ve a little looking-glass upon my parlour shelf,

If you’ll step in one moment, dear, you shall behold yourself.”

“I thank you, gentle sir,” she said, “for what you’re pleased to say,

And bidding you good morning now, I’ll call another day.”

Ah the poor damn fly.flattery seems to have slowly, but surely won over the poor little fly. For at this moment “So he wove a subtle web, In a little corner sly, And set his table ready to dine upon the fly” our spider is a cunning one, and to be honest the fly never stood a chance, even the words that spider spun worked. “Your eyes are like the diamond bright, but mine are dull as lead”…  and that is the end of the fly. 

Beauty is a funny thing. It can be a gift or a weapon. In this case it is used a s a weapon. A rather Machiavellian weapon I must say - using the vanity and pride of the fly against itself ignorer for the spider to get its meal. At the end of Howitt’s poem there is a warning ‘to idle, silly flattering words, I pray you ne’er give heed’.  Flattery was the foil in this unfortunate little tale, but coercion and treachery were its masters in disguise. 

It is a tale that is much darker than it seems, and as the night get longer and the cold creeps in. Be sure to avoid the spider to your fly.