Chapters 25-27
--Kari
POOR MISS FINCH by Wilkie Collins
02 March 2009
GUEST LEAD BLOG--Trollope #9 chaps 25-27
The Small House at Allington
Chapters 25-27
I had a hard time stopping at the end of chapter 27 because I so wanted to read until Crosbie finally figured out how to let Lily know that he is jilting her. So, I decided to read this section again, as I imagine I would have if magazine serials were my main reading.
As I was reading again, I was struck by the importance given to Squire Dale's inability to understand Crosbie's behavior, even titling Chapter 27 "On My Honour, I do not Understand It." I wondered what Squire Dale imagined that Lily would suffer-emotional or social pain? In reading 19th-century novels, I often imagine that marriage is one aid to survival both economically and socially, and Trollope does make it clear that the widows in this novel do suffer in both ways. Not that they are snubbed by the de Courcys, but that they are somewhat lonely and economically stretched. But when Lily was ready to break it off with Crosbie because she sensed distance in him, she claimed she would not marry, nor did she need to, if she does not marry Crosbie.
I felt such satisfaction at Squire Dale riding to defend Lily, but I found myself wondering: does he imagine the loss for Lily in the same way that the narrator does? What does each think she will lose by losing her hopes of/planned marriage to Crosbie? This led me to the second question: What is the point of marriage in this novel? Is it the romantic love and lifelong companionship that this child of the 20th century imagines? Why does Alexandrina want so badly to marry? Just to escape her father? Why does Lily at least for a while think she doesn't need it? And Crosbie is certain that he will never love Alexandrina de Courcy.
It's intriguing that the chapter between Squire Dale first expressing that he can't understand it and the chapter with that title we see the de Courcy's at home: a picture of a painful marriage and painful family life.
I will keep watching for what the novel and different characters think about marriage and what about love-what qualities do make someone worthy of love according to the novel? It does seem to prize love above marrying for social status or in order to be wealthy.
--Kari
Chapters 25-27
--Kari
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3 comments:
Thanks Kari for your thoughts on this installment! Why can't you stop yourself from reading further? I ask because I wonder if we're culturally conditioned to go beyond a segment in whatever medium we're seeking narratives. Even with TV serials, you can always log on to the website to get extended scenes of the next installment. I find I have so much to read, that I'm relieved to pretend it's, say, May 1863, and chap. 27 is all I can get!
I found Squire Dale's response to the jilting plot satisfyingly surprising. He's been portrayed as not especially concerned to the pressing financial needs of the "Small House" women nearby. But increasingly too is the relief that Lily--once she learns and her recovery and reinsertion in a better marriage plot begins--is dodging a bullet by Crosbie's impulsive proposal to Alexandrina.
I agree with Kari about it being hard to stop reading after this particular installment. First, I too wanted to peek ahead to see how Crosbie would convey his treachery and how Lily would react. Second, I am anxious to see whether we are ever going to get into one of the other plots! I am impatient to see the resolution of the Eames-Roper affair. I am also interested to see what is to become of the Bell-Crofts affair, which is obviously in the offing, but has barely been developed so far.
I also appreciate Squire Dale's coming forward for Lily. I think it's the more important follow-up to the way Lady Julia came forward for her. In her injury (which she doesn't even know about yet), Lily brings out the best in the older set (Dale even calls her "my poor girl"). I was also struck by the fact that Dale is concerned for Lily's feelings (whether they be social or emotional that's true). He is not concerned simply about the family honor, which is what I would expect from the 19th-century type he previously appeared to be.
--Maybe that will be a theme in the book: characters who at first appear to be of a certain type who turn out to be something else. Crosbie--Apollo turned cad; Dale--cold aristocrat turned warm father (& husband?) figure; Eames--hobbledehoy turned hero.--
Remembering back to earlier installments, I believe there is something interesting going on with Crosbie's response to place. There are times when he (or others) blame his entanglements with Lily and Alex as arising from the place--Allington and the Castle. He wishes he had never gone to the Castle, because then he wouldn't have betrayed Lily (except that he was already planning to betray her). The Courcys regard his betrothal to Lily as almost an unavoidable accident of his visiting Allington so long. I don't know if he has a similar problem in London.
The Courcys' indifference to Crosbie's obvious caddishness is rather astounding.
Taking off from the end of Maura's post, I wonder if the de Courcy family's approval of Crosbie's offer is part of what is so devastating about the situation to Squire Dale. Right after the highlighted remark, "On my honour, Bernard, I can hardly yet bring myself to believe it. It is so new to me. It makes me feel that the world is changed, and that it is no longer worth a man's while to live in it" (about Crosbie's letter) he answers Bernard's question about a new engagement between Crosbie and Alexandrina with the comment, "Oh, yes; with the full consent of the family." (270). Could it be, in part, the completely irresponsible and hurtful behavior of these aristocrats that has caused such a sea change for Squire Dale? Is the lack of moral and ethical behavior on the part of this aristocratic family--the active willingness to ignore Crosbie's verbal marraige contract with Lily--part of what is so disturbing? Dale's next statement about settlement agreements suggests this to me. Perhaps part of what is so bad about the world is the fact that individuals cannot trust each other--verbal contracts are no longer sufficient (and this may be true when dealing with people like Crosbie, but ALSO when dealing with people like the DeCourcys).
I'm also eager to see how Lily takes the news, especially with the narrator's earlier mention that a slip between the cup and the lip would shatter her. (Interestingly, this possible "slip" is of concern to Alexandrina, too, who wants a February wedding!).
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