Scarlet Pimmernel And Sestina Comparison Essay

“It all begins and ends with your mind. What you give power to, has power over you if you allow it” -Joyce Meyer. There is power everywhere but it only goes as far as one lets it. In The Scarlet Pimpernel, by Emma Orczy, Chauvelin has power over Marguerite because she is fearful of him. Same as in “Sestina,” by Elizabeth Bishop the almanac has power over the Grandma and grandchild because he chooses their future. In The Scarlet Pimpernel and “Sestina” each author uses diction and details to portray the idea that oftentimes one will be powerless towards another.

Bishop and Orczy both use diction to show power over another. For example, in “Sestina” the Grandma and child are always sad because “the tears and rain[..] were both foretold

One example is in the poem “sestina” is when the Almanac controls the grandmas and Child's emotions, “time to plant tears’ says the Almanac” ready to place sadness (Bishop 37). These details show that the almanac can do what he wants and when he wants because no one can stop. Because no one has power over him he can control what happens in the grandmother's life, therefore, making her powerless towards him. Same as when Marguerite sees Chauvelin and “the sight of the French cure seemed to freeze the blood in Marguerite's veins,” and shock her (Orczy 157). These details show how Marguerite acts when she sees Chauvelin and helps the reader visualize what's happened. Marguerite is powerless towards Chauvelin because she hates him and frightens her. These are similar in how they both show someone having power over another.

In both The Scarlet Pimpernel and “sestina” the authors that many have power but others are powerless towards them. In our world, there is power everywhere you look from schools, into classrooms, at restaurants, and even at home. There are many forms of power like a coach, teacher, or president but all show power in our society