The Rainbow Connection- Elmer and Seelye’s “Mourning Picture” Works
Although I had viewed “Mourning Picture” before on the LIL site, I had never looked at it very carefully. To me, it just looked like a little girl playing while her stern parents were watching on. After taking some time to view the work, I was immediately drawn to the vivid rainbow dress that Elmer’s daughter, Effie, is wearing. The colors of the dress are striking, with stripes similar to a rainbow and are in stark contrast to her parents’ mourning attire. Effie’s hat is black, but with a red ribbon, which wouldn’t have been appropriate for mourning during the Victorian era (1836-1901). These factors, as well as Effie’s placement in the picture make her stand out. I considered the rainbow’s symbolism: in biblical terms, the rainbow was a physical image of God’s promise not to flood the Earth again. When thinking about this in Elmer’s picture, Effie’s figure is garbed in a significant representation of heavenly grace and hope. Therefore, I interpret this as Effie is the otherworldly object of “Mourning Picture”, which was evident after reviewing the history of the work.
When reading Seelye’s poem, “Mourning Picture”, the poet brings forth the concept of literary and historical female figures that died young during the Victorian era. This checks out-the child mortality rate during the late 1800s to early 1900s was high despite social status. Yet, when reading this poem, I was confused as to why Seelye focuses so much on Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. I looked up the publication date of The Wizard of Oz, and found that the year was 1900, still technically within the Victorian era, so Dorothy would fit in with those other young female figures. However, as readers of the book might recall, Dorothy does not actually die in the story. Despite that fact, Seelye’s re-imagining of the tale where Dorothy dies in the tornado, enters a colorful world that could be heaven, and returns to gray Kansas as a ghost is compelling, although most likely not Baum’s thematic intention.
Yet, upon reading both the poem and viewing the painting, additional meaning emerges. Although a rainbow was never present in The Wizard of Oz book, the most famous song from the movie is “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”. Seelye makes that connection and writes, “New England graveyards are pastures full of little stone lambs and tiny tombstones like the low doorways at the bottom of gardens, fairy-tale entrances into eternity, that emerald wonderworld somewhere over some rainbow.” Seelye draws parallels from Dorothy’s experiences to Effie’s, filling in the unspoken details and adding depth to the intentions of the portrait.
Questions to ask:
How is Seelye’s comparison of Effie and Dorothy valid?
Why do you think that Elmer chose Effie to be garbed in a rainbow dress in the portrait?
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