| “ | Will you walk into my parlor? | „ |
| ~ The Spider |
The Spider is the main antagonist of the poem The Spider and the Fly written by Mary Howitt as a warning to children to beware strangers who used flowery language to seduce hapless victims.
Biography[]
In the poem, the spider appears as a gentleman-like figure who sets his sights on a female fly and requests that she enter his parlor which was up a winding stair. However, the fly declines due to rumors that any insect that entered his home would never come back again. The spider then takes notice of her wings suggesting that she at the least allow him to tuck her into bed feigning concern for her well-being. Once again, the fly refuses due to the aforementioned rumors.
The spider, still not deterred by the fly's rejections, discusses that he has several tasty goods in his pantry and offers her some of the food, but she reiterates her fears of whatever was inside of his pantry. After the three refusals, the spider changes his tactics and uses flattery words to seduce the fly by complimenting her wings and eyes and that he had a looking glass on his parlor shelf with which she could observe her own beauty. Flattered, the fly takes the bait and tells him that she would come back soon.
Meanwhile, the spider weaves a hidden web and readies his table to dine on the fly. He calls out to her and once she was close enough, he quickly seized her and took her up the winding stair to his parlor where she is eaten.
In the 2002 book, the spider's victims manifest in his home as ghosts who try to warn the fly of what was to become of her if she did not escape. However, they fail, and they mourn her at her tombstone. The book also has an epilogue where the spider humorously berates the reader for expecting a different outcome and he takes pride at his ability to trap his prey. The book also gives him the hobby of making furniture with the dead bodies of bugs.
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