The Blazing World

by

Margaret Cavendish

The spirit of the virtue Fortune appears in the Blazing World to explain why she has long disfavored the Duchess’s husband, the Duke of Newcastle. Fortune accuses the Duke of scorning and mistreating her first, but after Honesty blames Fortune for being vain and fickle, Fortune disappears in a rage. The book implies that she will never reconcile with the Duke, who will simply have to accept further misfortune for the rest of his life.

Fortune Quotes in The Blazing World

The The Blazing World quotes below are all either spoken by Fortune or refer to Fortune. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Fiction, Fancy, and Utopia Theme Icon
).
To the Reader Quotes

Though I cannot be Henry the Fifth, or Charles the Second, yet I endeavour to be Margaret the First; and although I have neither power, time nor occasion to conquer the world as Alexander and Caesar did; yet rather than not to be mistress of one, since Fortune and the Fates would give me none, I have made a world of my own: for which no body, I hope, will blame me, since it is in every one’s power to do the like.

Related Characters: Margaret Cavendish (speaker), The Empress, Fortune
Page Number: 124
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 1 Quotes

We wonder, proceeded the spirits, that you desire to be Empress of a terrestrial world, when as you can create your self a celestial world if you please. What, said the Empress, can any mortal be a creator? Yes, answered the spirits; for every human creature can create an immaterial world fully inhabited by immaterial creatures, and populous of immaterial subjects, such as we are, and all this within the compass of the head or scull. […] And since it is in your power to create such a world, what need you to venture life, reputation and tranquility, to conquer a gross material world? For you can enjoy no more of a material world than a particular creature is able to enjoy, which is but a small part.

Related Characters: The Empress (speaker), Margaret Cavendish (speaker), The Immaterial Spirits (speaker), The Duchess, Fortune
Related Symbols: Fire, Blazes, and Light
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 185-6
Explanation and Analysis:

The Duke’s soul being wise, honest, witty, complaisant and noble, afforded such delight and pleasure to the Empress’s soul by her conversation, that these two souls became enamoured of each other; which the Duchess’s soul perceiving, grew jealous at first, but then considering that no adultery could be committed amongst Platonic lovers, and that Platonism was divine, as being derived from divine Plato, cast forth of her mind that Idea of jealousy. Then the conversation of these three souls was so pleasant, that it cannot be expressed; for the Duke’s soul entertained the Empress’s soul with scenes, songs, music, witty discourses, pleasant recreations, and all kinds of harmless sports; so that the time passed away faster than they expected.

Related Characters: Margaret Cavendish (speaker), The Empress, The Duchess, The Duke of Newcastle, Fortune
Related Symbols: Fire, Blazes, and Light
Page Number: 194-5
Explanation and Analysis:

First, I desire, your Imperial Majesty may know, that this Duke who complains or exclaims so much against me, hath been always my enemy; for he has preferred Honesty and Prudence before me, and slighted all my favours; nay, not only thus, but he did fight against me, and preferred his innocence before my power. His friends Honesty and Prudence, said he most scornfully, are more to be regarded, than inconstant Fortune, who is only a friend to fools and knaves; for which neglect and scorn, whether I have not just reason to be his enemy, your Majesty may judge yourself.

Related Characters: Fortune (speaker), The Empress, The Duchess, The Duke of Newcastle, The Immaterial Spirits, Honesty, Prudence
Page Number: 196-7
Explanation and Analysis:

Fortune hearing thus Honesty’s plain speech, thought it very rude, and would not hearken to Truth’s judgement, but went away in a passion: at which, both the Empress and Duchess were extremely troubled, that their endeavours should have no better effect: but Honesty chid the Duchess, and said, she was to be punished for desiring so much Fortune’s favours; for it appears, said she, that you mistrust the gods’ blessings: at which the Duchess wept, answering Honesty, that she did neither mistrust the gods’ blessings, nor rely upon Fortune’s favours; but desired only that her lord might have no potent enemies.

Related Characters: Margaret Cavendish (speaker), The Empress, The Duchess, The Duke of Newcastle, Fortune, Honesty, Prudence
Page Number: 200
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 2 Quotes

Were there but a passage out of the Blazing World into this, said she, you should not only have some of those horses, but such materials, as the Emperor has, to build your stables and riding-houses withal; and so much gold, that I should never repine at your noble and generous gifts. The Duke smilingly answered her, that he was sorry there was no passage between those two worlds; but said he, I have always found an obstruction to my good fortunes.

Related Characters: The Duchess (speaker), The Duke of Newcastle (speaker), The Empress, Fortune
Page Number: 221
Explanation and Analysis:
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The Blazing World PDF

Fortune Quotes in The Blazing World

The The Blazing World quotes below are all either spoken by Fortune or refer to Fortune. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Fiction, Fancy, and Utopia Theme Icon
).
To the Reader Quotes

Though I cannot be Henry the Fifth, or Charles the Second, yet I endeavour to be Margaret the First; and although I have neither power, time nor occasion to conquer the world as Alexander and Caesar did; yet rather than not to be mistress of one, since Fortune and the Fates would give me none, I have made a world of my own: for which no body, I hope, will blame me, since it is in every one’s power to do the like.

Related Characters: Margaret Cavendish (speaker), The Empress, Fortune
Page Number: 124
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 1 Quotes

We wonder, proceeded the spirits, that you desire to be Empress of a terrestrial world, when as you can create your self a celestial world if you please. What, said the Empress, can any mortal be a creator? Yes, answered the spirits; for every human creature can create an immaterial world fully inhabited by immaterial creatures, and populous of immaterial subjects, such as we are, and all this within the compass of the head or scull. […] And since it is in your power to create such a world, what need you to venture life, reputation and tranquility, to conquer a gross material world? For you can enjoy no more of a material world than a particular creature is able to enjoy, which is but a small part.

Related Characters: The Empress (speaker), Margaret Cavendish (speaker), The Immaterial Spirits (speaker), The Duchess, Fortune
Related Symbols: Fire, Blazes, and Light
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 185-6
Explanation and Analysis:

The Duke’s soul being wise, honest, witty, complaisant and noble, afforded such delight and pleasure to the Empress’s soul by her conversation, that these two souls became enamoured of each other; which the Duchess’s soul perceiving, grew jealous at first, but then considering that no adultery could be committed amongst Platonic lovers, and that Platonism was divine, as being derived from divine Plato, cast forth of her mind that Idea of jealousy. Then the conversation of these three souls was so pleasant, that it cannot be expressed; for the Duke’s soul entertained the Empress’s soul with scenes, songs, music, witty discourses, pleasant recreations, and all kinds of harmless sports; so that the time passed away faster than they expected.

Related Characters: Margaret Cavendish (speaker), The Empress, The Duchess, The Duke of Newcastle, Fortune
Related Symbols: Fire, Blazes, and Light
Page Number: 194-5
Explanation and Analysis:

First, I desire, your Imperial Majesty may know, that this Duke who complains or exclaims so much against me, hath been always my enemy; for he has preferred Honesty and Prudence before me, and slighted all my favours; nay, not only thus, but he did fight against me, and preferred his innocence before my power. His friends Honesty and Prudence, said he most scornfully, are more to be regarded, than inconstant Fortune, who is only a friend to fools and knaves; for which neglect and scorn, whether I have not just reason to be his enemy, your Majesty may judge yourself.

Related Characters: Fortune (speaker), The Empress, The Duchess, The Duke of Newcastle, The Immaterial Spirits, Honesty, Prudence
Page Number: 196-7
Explanation and Analysis:

Fortune hearing thus Honesty’s plain speech, thought it very rude, and would not hearken to Truth’s judgement, but went away in a passion: at which, both the Empress and Duchess were extremely troubled, that their endeavours should have no better effect: but Honesty chid the Duchess, and said, she was to be punished for desiring so much Fortune’s favours; for it appears, said she, that you mistrust the gods’ blessings: at which the Duchess wept, answering Honesty, that she did neither mistrust the gods’ blessings, nor rely upon Fortune’s favours; but desired only that her lord might have no potent enemies.

Related Characters: Margaret Cavendish (speaker), The Empress, The Duchess, The Duke of Newcastle, Fortune, Honesty, Prudence
Page Number: 200
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 2 Quotes

Were there but a passage out of the Blazing World into this, said she, you should not only have some of those horses, but such materials, as the Emperor has, to build your stables and riding-houses withal; and so much gold, that I should never repine at your noble and generous gifts. The Duke smilingly answered her, that he was sorry there was no passage between those two worlds; but said he, I have always found an obstruction to my good fortunes.

Related Characters: The Duchess (speaker), The Duke of Newcastle (speaker), The Empress, Fortune
Page Number: 221
Explanation and Analysis: