Poem 43

Poem 43 is different from any of the previous poem I have read by Catullus so far because in this poem we see Catullus verbally attack another person because she is compared to Lesbia. First of all, a woman can’t help if other people compare her to someone else or if other’s think she is pretty. Catullus has no right to attack he physical features and make fun of her because he is offended that someone would think her as pretty to Lesbia. Through this poem however, it is clear that Catullus is obsessed with Lesbia and has an unhealthy relationship with her if he is that defensive. Perhaps he feels that if he insults other woman she will like him better or it will somehow bring him closer to Lesbia. One interesting aspect of the poem however is that Catullus uses sarcasm or a 'double negative' to get his points across. For example, he does not say the other woman has a big nose but rather that "she does not have a small nose"; which implies she has a big nose. The fact that Catullus would right a whole poem insulting an innocent woman just because she was compared to Lesbia is still a little disturbing. In previous poems, some of Catullus's obsessive behavior has come out like when he was pleased that Lebia was mad at him but this poem really crosses a line.