Margaret Cavendish’s Female Figures

In line 17, the speaker mentions what will happen to her body after her death. Ultimately every particle of dust will be safe because of God’s justice, even though it might be tossed in a thousand figures or shapes. “Figures” is a term used to characterize the movement of atoms at this time. Margaret Cavendish offers a playfully gendered perspective in the poem “Motion makes Atomes a Bawd for Figure.” She personifies motion as male, and atoms and forms as female. Motion, who is wild, persuaded atoms to be his bawds (or procurers of prostitutes) in order to create a variety of young female forms or figures to delight him. Because motion likes variety, young forms are constantly replacing the old.

Margaret Cavendish,
Motion makes Atomes a Bawd for Figure.

Did not wild Motion with his subtle wit,
Make Atomes as his Bawd, new Formes to get.
They still would constant be in one Figure,
And as they place themselves, would last for ever.
But Motion she perswades new Formes to make,
For Motion doth in Change great pleasure take.
And makes all Atomes run from place to place;
That Figures young he might have to imbrace.
For some short time, she will make much of one,
But afterwards away from them will run.
And thus are most things in the World undone,
And by her Change, do young ones take old’s roome.
But ’tis butt like unto a Batch of Bread,
The Floure is the same of such a Seed.
But Motion she a Figure new mould, bak’d,
Because that She might have a new hot Cake.

Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle, Poems and fancies (London, 1653), pp. 17-18. EEBO. [original italics are preserved]