What is the meaning behind “Spare him his life from this monstrosity”? Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen
- by imrk
- March 25, 2023
In this line, the persona simultaneously embodies “monstrosity” and is a victim of it. Explicitly, the prevailing regressional tone (e.g. “boy” and “mama”) paints him as passive and powerless. In this sense, the line is a third party’s plea to spare an innocent child’s life of great suffering. Conversely, the persona’s parallels with Scaramouche (i.e. a clown with villainous tendencies) coupled with the assertion that “ Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me”, suggests that he is capable of inflicting great pain and ‘sin’. Thus, the line presents him as the monster and pertains to either the plea to relieve him from a destructive life or the shame of being perceived as a “monstrosity” (i.e. the metaphor serves to portray how alienated he feels). Scaramouche