She was called Maria. She was a Maria Magdalena who washed away sins, and she was Venus Anadyomene to me, though she was ill-nourished I think since birth, my artist's eye saw she was puny, though my lover's eye saw her breasts as globes of milky marble, and the tuft between her legs as the bushes surrounding the gate to Paradise Lost-and Regained.
Maria, often referred to as Maria Magdalena, embodies both purity and beauty in the eyes of the narrator. While she appears frail and undernourished, the narrator's appreciation transforms her vulnerability into an object of desire, likening her form to exquisite marble. This duality emphasizes the contrast between the reality of her condition and the idealized vision of love and art that the narrator perceives.
The narrator's perspective also paints Maria as a symbol of lost innocence, evoking images of paradise with her physicality. The lush descriptions serve to elevate her beyond her circumstances, blending themes of sin and redemption. Through this portrayal, the narrator expresses an intimate connection that transcends the mundane, celebrating both the beauty and fragility of love and life.
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