| Description |
In Uffish Thought, A Torment in Six Scourges is a dramatization of Lewis Carroll's famous poem, The Lay of the Jabberwocky. It is the story of a young Boy sent by his Father to slay the monster known as the Jabberwocky, thus earning his Father's love and respect, and quite literally making a name for himself. That the Boy should prevail against the Wocky, the Father bestows upon the Boy a vorpal sword and information indicating the weakness and helplessness of the monster. Leaving home and entering the wild, twisted Tulgey Wood, the Boy encounters two smaller monsters, the Bandersnatch and the Jub-jub Bird, who attempt to deter his quest for his own good. He refuses their help, however, judging them by their fearsome appearances to be evil and monstrous. Finding himself in the middle of a desolated circus deep in the Jabberwocky's territory, the Boy's resolve begins to weaken. Lost and afraid, he is visited again by the Jub-jub Bird. Alone in the desolation of the Jabberwocky, the Jub-jub Bird relates the history of the Wood, revealing more about the nature of the Boy's foe. The Jabberwocky destroyed an entire civilization here, and the Boy begins to realize that he is no match for such a beast. Promising him security and love, the Jub-jub Bird seduces the young Boy, but their tryst is not to be. The Jabberwock attacks the Boy in the arms of his weird lover, dragging him into its lair, a Necropolis. There the Boy discovers that neither the sword nor the information given him by his Father will prevail against the great demon. The Jabberwocky is not interested in destroying the Boy, however, and leaves him in anguish after tricking him into revealing the helplessness of its old enemy, the Bandersnatch. The Bandersnatch, unseen, snatches the Boy from the Jabberwocky's path and brings him to a large barrow or cellar. There the monster presents the Boy with pages missing from his guidebook, pages that would have related the truth to the Boy. In a fit of despair, the Boy realizes that his Father acted against him, sending him out to be destroyed by the monster. He confronts his Father and the Jabberwocky together, and is horrified to discover that they are the same entity. With revulsion mixed with great power, the Boy slays the conglomerate monster, only to return to the Bandersnatch's oubliette. There he discovers that the Bandersnatch was a Boy like himself, and slew a similar Jabberwocky. Further, he discovers that the Bandersnatch is the true form of his Father, and that his betrayal was nothing more than the presentation of a final test of the Boy's manhood.;Reconciled and finally understanding, the pair of confused warriors finally embrace in the midst of death and desolation. |
