Hop-Frog. Originally titled "Hop-Frog or the Eight Chained Oranguntanes" was the last story published by the American writer Edgar Allan Poe, in 1849, before his death. The title of the story comes from the name of its protagonist, Hop-Frog (frog jumping), a jester dwarf and lame that after years of humiliation in the court of a king prankster decides to take revenge and to achieve their freedom. Before proceeding I would tell you, reader, that at this point if you have not read the story, down to the end of the text and you'll find it, read it before continuing on these lines, because I feel the need to discuss elements that could provide a preview of the argument and details of the story that might be in bad taste if you have not read the story. Similar to tell you the end of a movie you want to see, so here I written my warning.
have suggested different reasons for the existence of this story and inspiration. It is possible that Poe was inspired by a historic event similar to that in the story, when Queen Elizabeth of Bavaria threw a party for credit to the marriage of one of her ladies in waiting, in January 1393. King Charles VI "the beloved" (or "Carlos the madman" as he was subsequently called) and five men dressed as satyrs tousled head to feet and danced in chains each other. Interestingly their costumes consisted of sewn linen garments and wax resinous hemp ropes to hold - very similar to the costume for the orangutans that describes Poe -. This combination is highly flammable and torches were banned in the room as they presented their show. However, Louis of Orleans - King's brother - came up with a torch on the occasion of playing a joke on the dancers, but one of these began to burn. The king was saved because the Duchess of Berry, Joan II of Euvergne, recognized him immediately, if four men were killed. This event is known as Bal Ardents des (The Dance of the men on fire).
But while it is suggested that this last story was inspired by his person and his life would therefore be an autobiographical work. The fact that Hop-Frog was abducted from his home and taken to the court of a king, could be related to the child had to be adopted and his adoptive father, John Allan, had great wealth. This also makes more sense when it is clarified that the adoptive father imposed on him, a name not given in baptism, as happened to Hop-Frog. Another relationship between the author and his character, is that like the dwarf, the writer was very sensitive to wine, and was furious if He was forced to drink you.
representation of the king in turn may be connected with the figure of Elizabeth Fries Ellet. Also a writer, Ellet was attracted to him, but all were rejected by tentivas love this. The writer was involved in a scandal that involved Poe and Frances "Fanny" Sargent Osgood (poet), being both married to different people. By then he was at the peak of his career for his poem The Raven , and therefore received many letters, including many of Fanny Sargent Osgood and Elizabeth F. same Ellet.
Elizabeth during a visit made to the house of Poe in 1846, allegedly saw some of the letters of Fanny, Poe's wife, Virginia, had shown him and also asked that influenced the return to Poe, as he considered an indiscretion. When this happened the writer refused and angrily suggested that it was Elizabeth who "should take care of their own cards." Then he gathered all the cards and placed them in Ellet house, and although there were already returned, she asked her brother - a colonel - to ask on behalf of all letters, and this threatened to kill the writer. Samuel Stillman Osgood, Fanny's husband threatened to sue Ellet, unless formally apologize. Elizabeth then withdrew his remarks and retract saying that the letters of Frances Osgood Sarget were a forgery Allan Poe, and that is was a drunkard and prone to acts of madness. The rumor quickly spread madness, and the scandal did not end until Osgood was reconciled, though Virginia was very concerned about the whole thing. He had received anonymous letters from July 1845 where she talked about her husband's indiscretions. It is believed that Ellet was behind these anonymous, which had so altered the lives of Virginia in his deathbed declared that Mrs. Ellet had been her killer.
A part of Elizabeth F. Ellet, Poe had many literary critics (perhaps enemies, many of them complicit in the dissemination of his alleged insanity) which could be related to the seven directors of the king. These could be: Margaret Fuller, Hiram Fuller, Thomas Dunn Inglés, Anne Lynch Botta, Anna Blackwell, Ermina Jane Locke and her husband.
I would say it is likely that both events of his life were well above or other suggestions, such as the historical fact of Charles VI, were the inspiration for this story. After all, in the development of a work, there are many factors involved. It is clear that the similarities between the historical facts presented are not coincidental. The similarities do exist, but not that way. What it is a mystery is whether the event with Ellizabeth F. Ellet and literary critics (enough to cause a lot of hate), have something to do.
However this story is among the stories of revenge, along with "The Cask of Amontillado", in which the issue is not the only thing that fit. this other story has an ending that is different but has similarities, besides the victim of this clown wears a equal to that of Hop-Frog. These stories are brothers, as is what might be "The Black Cat" and "The Tell-Tale Heart." On "The Cask of Amontillado" was presumably an attempt at literary revenge a personal enemy. If so, to present written with the intention the possibility of personal revenge above could be very successful.
Remember that we speak of an Edgar Allan Poe, in the final stage of his life. Decline, criticized and marked by the death of his wife. And that while he was in his best literary period, in that it already owned all the tools of writing, the weight of his life did not allow him to write beautiful poems in the past had done, or write the extraordinary stories of horror. And although it gave good stories, only with great effort.
Whether to highlight other elements of the story, that would be the appearance of teeth again in his narrative. For Poe, the symbolic element of the teeth was a sign attached to immortality. Hop-Frog emitted a squeal of your teeth at the time plotting his revenge plan. Not if Poe knew that by writing stories and poems was playing with the formula for immortality. Plus this symbolism in the chirp emitted by the teeth of the dwarf, could, of course, represent something more than an element of history. Perhaps
Hop-Frog, not the best story that Poe wrote. More like you have noticed, is a fascinating story, with a very good. A character that has very little, but has everything to be great.
"After avenge and revenge, inflamed victory and liberation, Hop-Frog announced, almost as an omen "This is my last joke." It was true. Edgar Allan Poe wrote in 1849 and in 1849, alone and in rags in a hospital in Baltimore, died. About what? " Freijomil Sebastian Ariel Viña.
Hop-Frog (Traducción de Julio Cortázar)
never met anyone so willing to hold a joke as the king. He seemed to live only for jokes. The surest way to win his favor was to narrate a story where there were many comical and narrate it. It so happened that his seven ministers stood out for its excellence as teasers. They all seemed to the king be stout, strong, sweaty, and pranksters imitated. I never could determine whether people get fat when they engage in jokes, or if there is something in fat predisposes jokes, but it turns out that a prankster is a skinny rara avis in terris.
As regards the refinements - or, as he called the "spirits" of wit - the king cared very little. Had a special admiration for the volume a joke, and was often able to add great breadth to complete. Niceties wearied him. would have preferred Rabelais' Gargantua of the Zadig Voltaire, in general, practical jokes suited his taste far better than verbal.
At the time of my story clowns still enjoyed the favor of the courts. Various "powers" still retain their continental "crazy" professionals, dressed in colorful costume and hat with bells, and that in exchange for crumbs from the actual mass, should be alert to lavish his sharp wit.
Our king was also the Fool. He needed a certain amount of madness, if only to counterbalance the heavy wisdom of the seven sages who formed his ministry ... and his own.
His "crazy", or professional jester, was not simply a madman. Its value tripled in the eyes of the king by the fact that it was also dwarf and lame. At that time abounded in the courts dwarfs as well as clowns, and many monarchs would not have known how to spend their days (days are rather longer at court than elsewhere) without a jester who laugh and a dwarf that laugh. But, as I have already noted, in ninety-nine percent of cases the buffoons are fat, round and clumsy movements, for which our king was pleased to have Hop-Frog (as they called the Fool ) a triplicate treasure in one person.
I think the name Hop-Frog was not given to dwarf their sponsors in the moment of baptism, but fell to a person general contest of the seven members, because he could not walk like other mortals. In effect, Hop-Frog could only move by a convulsive movement - something between a leap and a wriggle - a movement that once entertained the king and also, of course, served as consolation, but the court, despite the belly bulging and the huge size of the head of the king, considered it a paragon of perfection.
But if the deformation of the legs only allowed to Hop-Frog move with great pain and difficulty on the road or lounge, nature seemed to have wanted to make that deficiency of the lower limbs by providing a prodigious arm strength that allowed him to make several wonderful feats of skill, if it were to climb ropes or trees. And while doing these exercises are much more resembled a squirrel monkey or a frog.
I can not say with precision what country Hop-Frog had come. It was, however, a barbarous region which nobody had heard of, located far away from the court of our king. Both Hop-Frog as a young dwarf just under it (but of exquisite proportions and admirable dancer) had been forcibly uprooted from their homes, located in adjacent provinces and sent with a gift to the king by one of his ever-victorious generals.
No wonder, then, that in such circumstances would create a great intimacy between two small captives. Soon they became close friends. Hop-Frog, despite its ongoing exhibitions, it was unpopular and could not therefore provide greater services to Trippetta, but is, with grace and exquisite beauty - despite being a dwarf - it was admired and watched by all, which gave him great influence and allowed him to exercise it in favor of Hop-Frog, which never failed to do.
On the occasion of great solemnity official (I forget which) the King decided to hold a masquerade ball. However, since in the court masques or parties was similar, it came without fail and Trippetta Hop-Frog, to deploy their skills. Hop-Frog, especially, was so inventive to show events, suggest new characters and preparing masks for the Masquerade Party, which had said that nothing could be done without your assistance.
came the night's big party. Under the direction of Triplett had prepared a bright room, ornándolo with anything that could add eclat to a masquerade. The court was burning with fever of expectation. With respect to suits and personajes a representar, es de imaginarse que cada uno había aprontado convenientemente. Los había que desde semanas antes preparaban sus rôles , y nadie mostraba la menor señal de indecisión... salvo el rey y sus siete ministros. Me hes imposible explicar porque precisamente ellos vacilaban, salvo que lo hicieran con ánimo de broma. Lo más probable es que, dada su gordura, les resultara difícil decidirse. A todo esto el tiempo transcurría; entonces, como postrer recurso, mandaron llamar a Trippetta y a Hop-Frog.
Cuando los dos pequeños obedecieron al llamado del rey, lo encontraron bebiendo vino con los siete miembros de su Consejo; el monarca, sin embargo parecía in a bad mood. He knew that Hop-Frog disliked the wine, as occurred in the poor cripple a kind of madness, and madness is not a nice feeling. But the king loved his jokes and amused force Hop-Frog to drink and (as he put it) "to be happy."
- Come here, Hop-Frog - sent when the jester and his friend entered the room. - Drink is drink to the health of your absent friends ... (Hop-Frog sighed) ... and see if you are able to invent something. We need characters ... characters okay? Something unusual, something strange. We are tired of doing the same thing. Come on, baby! The wine will enliven ingenuity.
As usual, Hop-Frog tried to answer with a joke of words to the king, but his efforts were futile. It happened that that day was the birthday of the poor dwarf, and order a drink to the health of "absent friends" made tears come to his eyes. Large, bitter drops fell into the cup while taking humbly hands of the tyrant.
- Ja, ja, ja! - He laughed with his forces -. See what can a glass of wine! If you shine your eyes!
Poor wretch! Her large eyes flashed in time to shine, as in effect came to his excitable brain was as powerful as instantaneous. Leaving the cup on the table with a nervous, Hop.Frog looked to their masters with a look almost insane. They all seemed so much fun with the "joke" of the king.
- And now, let's get serious matters - said the premier, who was a very fat man.
- Yes - approved the king -. Come here, Hop-Frog and help us. Love, dear boy. Character is what we need ... Ja, ja, ja!
And as his words were intended to be a new joke, seven held to the choir.
Hop-Frog also laughed although feebly and as if distracted.
- Come, come - King said impatiently -. Do not have anything to suggest?
- I'm trying to think of something new - vaguely replied the dwarf, whom the wine was completely confused.
- Trying! - Shouted the furious tyrant -. What do you mean? Ah I see! You're sad and you need more wine. Here, drink this! - And filling another glass of reaching the disabled, did not look at her, trying to catch his breath -. Drink, I say, "roared the monster - or all the devils that ...!
The dwarf hesitated, while the king was coming down purple with rage. The courtiers smiled foolishly. Pale as a corpse, advanced to the seat Trippetta monarch and falling on his knees, implored him to leave his friend alone.
For a moment the tyrant looked in amazement at the audacity. Seemed incapable of saying or doing something ... adequately express their outrage. At last, without uttering a syllable, rejected violence and threw the contents of the cup.
The poor girl got up as he could and, not daring even to sigh resumed his place at the foot of the table.
For nearly a minute silence was so deadly that it had listened to create a leaf or a feather. The silence was broken by a harsh and prolonged grinding, which seemed to come from all corners of the room at the same time.
- What ... what's that noise you're doing? - Asked the king, turning furiously to the dwarf.
- The latter seemed to have largely recovered from his wine and, looking calmly fixed the tyrant in the eyes, said:
- Me? I do not make any noise.
- the sound seemed to come from outside - said one of the courtiers. - It occurs to me that the parrot in the window, who rubbed his beak against the bars of the cage.
- That must be - said the king, as if the suggestion greatly relieve him -. But the jury had the honor of a gentleman to the noise this idiot with his teeth.
At these words the dwarf laughed (the king was too confirmed a joker to object to the laughter of others), while leaving to see a large, powerful and repulsive teeth. What's more, said he was willing to drink all the wine you would like your majesty, which he soon calmed down. And then to rush another drink without too much noticeable effect, Hop-Frog began to exhibit strongly his plans for the masquerade.
- I can not explain the association of ideas - he said quietly, as if never in his life had taken wine - but only Your Majesty that pushed the girl and threw her face came, he had done just that, and at times the bird produced that strange noise the window, I had an extraordinary fun ... one of the extravagances that are made in my country, and often take place in our masquerades. Here you will be completely new. The downside is it takes a group of eight people y. ..
- Well here we are! - Said the king, laughing at his acute discovery of the match - just eight, I and my ministers! Here! What which is that fun?
- The call - said the dwarf - The eight Oranguntanes Notorious, and whether he is good, is extraordinary.
- We represent it well - observed the king, straightening and raising his eyebrows.
- The fun of the thing - continued Hop Frog - is in the horror that occurs among women.
- Magnifico! - Shouted the king and his council.
- I will disguise of orangutans - continued the dwarf -. Leave it all on my own. The resemblance is so great that those attending the masquerade you will by beasts of truth ... and, of course, feel both terror and wonder.
- using chains to increase their noise confusion. We spread the rumor that you have escaped en masse of your cages. Your majesty can not imagine the effect that a masked ball eight orangutans chained cause, which everyone takes for real, and dropped with wild screams from the ladies and gentlemen delicate and richly dressed. The contrast is inimitable.
- as it should be! - Said the king, as the council arose hurriedly (it was getting late) to implement the plan of Hop-Frog.
Form is proceeded in order to turn their masters in orangutans was very simple, but effective enough for what he wanted. At the time my story takes place orangutans were little known in the civilized world, and as prepared by the dwarf imitations are more than enough bestial and horrible enough, no one would doubt that it was an exact reproduction of nature .
Above all, the king and his ministers wore underwear elastic tissue and very tight. Immediately proceeded to smear it with tar. Someone in the group suggested covered with feathers, but this idea was rejected at the point the dwarf, who was soon to convince eight jokers through practical demonstrations, the orangutan hair replicable best linen. A thick layer of the latter was therefore applied to the pitch. Buscóse then a long string. Hop-Frog passed around the waist of the king and said, then did the same with the whole group, and then the rest. Preparations completed, the members moved away as possible from each other, forming a circle, and to give the thing more natural appearance, Hop-Frog the excess tended to chain two diameters in the circle, crossed at right angles, as do today's hunters chimpanzees and other great apes in Borneo. The
vast hall where he would place the masked ball was a circular room, very high ceiling and only received sunlight through a skylight located at its highest point. Night (time for which had been specially designed this room) it lit by a great five years of a chain hanging from the center of the transom, and that is to go up and down by means of a counter, according to the system current, except that, so that the counter did not look, he found himself installed across the dome on the roof.
The living arrangement had been entrusted to the Trippetta address, but apparently, it had left guide in some detail by the most serene discernment of his friend the dwarf. According to indications, the luster was removed. Drops of wax candles (which in those hot days it was impossible to avoid) would have spoiled the rich dresses of the guests, who, because of the crowd that filled the room, could not stay away from the center, which is under five years. In its place additional chandeliers were installed in various parts of the room, so do not bother, while torches were fixed pleasant scent given off in the right hand of each of the caryatids that stood against the walls, and totaling between fifty and sixty. Following
the advice of Hop-Frog, the eight orangutans waited patiently until midnight, when the room was full of masks, to make your entry. No sooner had the last stroke off the clock, precipitáronse - or rather, surrounded together, since the chain was brought down their movements and stumble to most everyone as they entered the room.
The commotion produced in attendance was wonderful and joy filled the heart of the king. As anticipated, few guests not believe that those fierce-looking creatures were, if not orangutans, at least truly beasts of some other species. Many ladies swooning with terror, and if the King had not been careful to prohibit any carrying of weapons in the room, the merry band would not have been slow to atone for its bloody extravaganza. A lack of defense, to produce a general race to the gates, but the king had ordered to be closed immediately after the entry, following a suggestion of the dwarf, the keys had been entrusted to him.
While the tumult reached its peak and each mask is concerned only for their personal safety (for now there was real danger because of the crowding of the excited crowd), I could have that candle which habitually hung five years, and which had been traced to dispense the former, descended gradually until the hook from the end was about three feet off the ground.
Shortly after the king and his seven friends, who had come staggering around the room, eventually found its center and, naturally, in contact with the chain. While they were there, the dwarf, not away from them and urged them to continue the joke, took over the chain of the orangutans at the point of intersection of the two diameters crossing the circle at right angles. With lightning speed here inserted the hook from which hung before the five years, in an instant, and the work of an intervention, not known, the chain of five years up enough to leave the hook out of the reach of every hand and, therefore inevitable, dragged against each other, and face to face.
At this point, the guests were recovering part of its alarm and began to regard all this as a stupid joke, so raucous laughter broke out when he saw the awkward situation in which they were monkeys.
- Leave them to me! - Then screamed Hop-Frog, his voice penetrating to easily hear the din - Leave them to me! I think I know them! If only I could take a closer look, may soon tell us who are!
Climbing over the heads of the crowd, managed to reach the wall, where they seized one of the caryatids wielding torches. In an instant he was back at the center of the room and agile monkey jumping on the king's head, how he seated a few feet from the string, while down the torch to examine the group of orangutans and screamed again:
- Soon I will tell you who you are!
And then, as everyone present (including monkeys) are doubled up with laughter, the jester uttered a shrill whistle; instantly soared chain with violence at a height of thirty feet, dragging the terrified orangutans, who struggled to get loose, and left suspended in the air, halfway between the skylight and the floor. Clinging to the network, Hop-Frog was in the same position, over the eight disguised, and as if nothing had happened, pretending still approaching his torch out of those concerned.
assembly was so stunned at this ascent, that there was a profound silence. Had lasted for a minute, when it was broken by a rough and deep grinding, such as we had drawn the attention of the king and his advisers after the wine that was thrown in the face of Trippetta. But this time there was no doubt of where the sound came. It came from the teeth of the dwarf-like fangs of a beast; rattled, while from his mouth flowed the foam, and his eyes, like a madman, eyes were fixed on the king and his seven companions.
- Ah, I see! - Shouted, finally, the angry clown - I see who you are!
And then, pretending to look more closely at the king, he applied the torch to the layer of linen and wrapped him instantly filled with livid flames. In less than half a minute the eight orangutans horribly burned from the screams of the crowd, who watched from below, terrified, and could do nothing to speak once more:
- Now I see clearly who these men - he said -. They are a great king and his seven privy councilors. A king who has no qualms about hitting a defenseless child, and seven directors, who agree that outrage. As for me, I am nothing but Hop-Frog. The Fool ... and this is my last jest.
Because of the high combustibility of flax and pitch, the work of vengeance was fulfilled as soon as the dwarf had finished speaking these words. The eight corpses swung in their chains unrecognizable mass, fetid, blackened, hideous. The clown threw his gun on them and then quietly climbed to the roof, disappeared through the skylight.
Trippetta is supposed to, installed on the roof of the hall, was an accomplice to his friend in his fiery revenge, and both escaped their country together because they are never seen again.
- End -
Sources:
. Hop-Frog (Original language)
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