web of guilt

Via Pajamas Media, Sissy Willis has some excellent macro photographs of spiders, along with some keen observations like this:

the night stalker had moved its silken bundle across the room to a more secluded wall near the sink. We tried to get a closer look using one of those bar-magnifier rulers. When it inadvertently touched the web, the spider went into a spinning frenzy worthy of a Clinton spokesperson, even as what was left of the silk-encased lacewing hung motionless attached to the wall close by.
Wonderful! This reminds me of a post I wrote after seeing a funnel weaver spider in my backyard which I thought was "so feminine and graceful in appearance that it reminded me of Salvador Dali's painting of the half human spider Arachne."

Purgatory12.jpg

The thing is, I hadn't considered the political ramifications of spiders when I wrote that post, but Sissy has, and it occurred to me that the religious aspects (Pagan though they may well be) might be worth another look. The word "Arachne" is of traditional Pagan origin, and involves a sort of mythological guilt trip:

Minerva could not stand the insult that Arachne had weaved, so she took her shuffle and tore the weaving to peices. Then she touched Arachne's forehead to make her feel her guilt. Arachne could not stand the guilt any more so she hung herself. Minerva took pity for her and turned her into a spider to let her live.
This might explain the "spinning frenzy worthy of a Clinton spokesperson."

Guilt is a powerful motivator.

So get spinning!

posted by Eric on 07.19.07 at 11:19 AM





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Comments

Art imitates life imitates art. What gloriously tangled webs we weave . . .

Sissy Willis   ·  July 19, 2007 11:47 AM

Sissy thanks for coming!

All glorious entanglements begin with a single strand....

:)

Eric Scheie   ·  July 19, 2007 03:09 PM

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