A. S. Byatt's 'Morpho Eugenia'

Paper One: Morpho Eugenia

The passage given is from “Morpho Eugenia” by A.S. Byatt. It describes a man entertaining two of his interests: insects and his love interest. The man, William, is in the position to protect his love interest when she is swarmed by a group of male moths, who believe her to be the newly hatched female Emperor Moth. In the passage, Byatt explores the roles of men and women in romantic relationships. William’s true reasons for his obsession are explained, and moths are frequently used to demonstrate the risks involved with romantic relationships on the edge of obsession.

The objects of William’s affection are both entomology and Eugenia herself. The link between his interests is made clear by the title of A.S. Byatt’s

When Eugenia enters, she tells William: “Your moths are trying to perform suttee.” By this, she is saying that the moths are attempting to kill themselves by flying towards the lamps. Suttee is the practice of a widow throwing herself onto her husband’s funeral pyre. These moths are so driven by their infatuation with the light that they are prepared to die. Like moths, people are driven to destroy themselves in the name of love. In reality, moths are drawn to lights as before manmade light they only used the light of the sun and moon to guide them. When using the moon for direction, moths would never expect to reach it. However, manmade light is much closer, and so moths often die when trying to reach it. This is also appropriate as William is blinded by his obsession with Eugenia, and so is unaware of the risk involved in a possible relationship. William even goes on to say, “See if the moths think you are the moon.” Eugenia is the object of his affection, like the moon is to moths. Without her, he wouldn’t be able to function but if his obsession becomes too strong, he may suffer. William is even willing to put himself at risk for her, as shown by him protecting her from the moths at the end of the