Ark of the Lost Angels

The short story, “The Purple Swamp Hen” the setting is a crucial part of the story. It begins with background information, with the description of Mediterranean bringing a specific idea: Italy, Greece, Turkey, etc. and the cultural tappings associated with those places. It then notes Pompeii by itself, which conjures images of a city long-since destroyed, where the only occupants for many years have been temporary: archeologists and explorers, tourists and artists, Pink Floyd in the seventies, and David Gilmour and the audience to see him in two thousand sixteen.

The idea of Italy, the seat of the Roman Empire, returns when the narrator speaks of how the swamp hens used to be decorating in Roman gardens, and specifically notes the rule of Quintus Pompeius. This signals the biggest shift in the story, as the setting, describing the background, becomes what the story is about: the Roman Empire.

The descriptions, however, allow the narrator to give some thoughts, and the readers to get a glimpse into the narrator’s feelings about the events they are discussing. In an article written by Mary Buckingham called “How Writers Can Craft an Effective Setting,” she notes the enhancement of a narrative through subtext in its setting. Specifically, “Subtext is the underlying message the reader receives from a passage. Dialogue or action may say one thing: all appears to be fine, but the reader understands from other cues—such as the setting—that the subtext is saying something else.”
The same principle can be applied to “The Purple Swamp Hen.” The passage, “Let me fill you in on the general situation that autumn, in the household of Quintus Pompeius. Livia, wife of Q. Pompeius has a new hairstyle. Major event-oh, yes. Fetching curly strands around the forehead is appreciated by Quintus, and even more so by Livia’s lover, Marcus Sempornius, business associate of the husband, who does not know of this further family arrangement.” In that one passage, just talking about a hairstyle as a background event, can establish so much. First, it can be implied that Quintus is somewhat of an idiot, or is unobservant at the very least, not realizing that his wife is stepping out on him with somebody he knows. The line “major event” hints at the social circle being keen on gossip and small affairs, which setting the story in Rome would always give that inclination. The story further notes that Quintus has a desire for politics.

Politics in the Roman Empire were tricky, as those higher up wielded immense power, but were held to incredibly high standards, and were expected to live up to a certain moral standard. The adage, “Ceasar’s wife must be above reproach” when juxtaposed with Livia having an affair and Quintus being in the dark about it should make anyone question what good he would be in politics if he cannot even figure out his marriage is a sham.

It’s the details in the background of a story, just what is described involving the background characters that make up the setting, tell so much more, and conversely, what can be learned about the setting from the characters and their actions.