passive subjects of some shepherd; or pets of some loving woman;
or sacrifices of some priest。 She was weary to death of mild;
passive lambs and monotonous doves。 If the lamb might lie down
with the lion; it would be a great honour to the lamb; but the
lions powerful heart would suffer no diminishing。 She loved the
dignity and self…possession of lions。
She did not see how lambs could love。 Lambs could only be
loved。 They could only be afraid; and tremblingly submit to
fear; and bee sacrificial; or they could submit to love; and
bee beloveds。 In both they were passive。 Raging; destructive
lovers; seeking the moment when fear is greatest; and triumph is
greatest; the fear not greater than the triumph; the triumph not
greater than the fear; these were no lambs nor doves。 She
stretched her own limbs like a lion or a wild horse; her heart
was relentless in its desires。 It would suffer a thousand
deaths; but it would still be a lions heart when it rose from
death; a fiercer lion she would be; a surer; knowing herself
different from and separate from the great; conflicting universe
that was not herself。
Winifred Inger was also interested in the Womens
Movement。
〃The men will do no more;……they have lost the capacity
for doing;〃 said the elder girl。 〃They fuss and talk; but they
are really inane。 They make everything fit into an old; inert
idea。 Love is a dead idea to them。 They dont e to one and
love one; they e to an idea; and they say You are my idea;
so they embrace themselves。 As if I were any mans idea! As if I
exist because a man has an idea of me! As if I will be betrayed
by him; lend him my body as an instrument for his idea; to be a
mere apparatus of his dead theory。 But they are too fussy to be
able to act; they are all impotent; they cant take a
woman。 They e to their own idea every time; and take that。
They are like serpents trying to swallow themselves because they