The Imagery of Johannes’ Stalking
In “The Nineteenth” entry Johannes writes, “I already recognized her a long way off; she was walking with two other girls on her left. The movement of their walking seemed to indicate that they were about to stop. I stood on the corner and read the posters, while I continually kept my eye on my strangers. They parted. The two presumably had gone a little out of their way, for they were in a different direction. She came along toward my corner. When she had walked few steps, one of the young girls came out running after her and cried loudly enough for me to hear it: Cordelia! Cordelia!...I followed them. They entered a house on Stranded. I waited for a while, since there was a strong probability that Cordelia would soon come back alone.” Johannes is so blatantly obsessed with Cordelia that he stalks her persistently. Cordelia is unconscious of Johannes’ surveillance. The stalking affirms that Johannes is resolute about unearthing all the specifics about Cordelia’s life so it will expedite his seducing mission.
The Imagery of Cordelia
Johannes remarks, “Cordelia! That is really a splendid name-indeed the same name as that of King Lear’s third daughter, that remarkable girl whose heart did not dwell on her lips, whose lips were mute when her heart was full. So also with my Cordelia. She resembles her, of that I am certain. But in another sense her heart does dwell on her lips, not in the form of words but in a more heartfelt way in the form of a kiss. How ripe with health her lips! I have never seen lips more beautiful.” Johannes draws parallels between King Lear’s daughter and Cordelia to stress on Cordelia’s desirability. Cordelia’s lips bid evidence of gratifying kisses because they depict glamorous ripeness. Accordingly, Johannes is unequivocally mesmerized by Cordelia’s tempting looks.
