Dear Serial Readers,
Crosbie's jilting of Lily Dale--can you recall such a protracted event as the composition, delivery, and reception of this letter? Trollope's postal service career might suggest a humorous subtext to the drama of the letter, again with post-mistress Mrs. Crump, but finally the letter is signed, sealed, delivered, and Lily is released from her first marriage plot, at the midpoint of the novel. Lily's remarkable composure over Crosbie's letter is perhaps not surprising, nor her flashes of anger, although I hope to see more of her spirited reaction in future chapters.
When the squire converses with Mrs. Dale about possible punishments for this scoundrel (whom we know even falls short on this score), they reject the breach of contract option because of the necessary publicity such a legal proceeding would impose on Lily (who finds it difficult to bear the knowledge that her parlour-maid knows she's been jilted). It seems more likely that Amelia Roper would be less hesitant about public scandal over a breach of contract from Johnny Eames; Trollope makes clear the class dimensions of responses to failed or half-hearted or messed-up proposals from men.
Meanwhile, Johnny can stand up to a bull in a park but cannot withstand Amelia's advances in her mother's back parlour. Chap. 29 concludes, "Oh, Johnny Eames! But then a woman in such a contest has so many points in her favour." Amelia's "points" parallel Alexandrina's with Crosbie. Yet neither of these supposedly empowered women is presented in an appealing light because Trollope also reveals the limits of these "so many points." Still, all four women in these various courtship plots--Lily, Bell, Amelia, Alexandrina--do seem to have more backbone or stamina than the men, even when jilted.
I must say I'm relieved to get beyond Crosbie's jilting letter, although I myself would love to see Mrs Dale thrash Crosbie on her daughter's behalf, even if this thrashing is verbal. But I'm finding Trollope's suspense rather common--"suspense is ordinary," I'd say. Maybe this is the reason I have no difficulty sticking to the weekly installments and not reading ahead. Since Kari and Maura have both mentioned reading beyond, I thought I'd qualify my faithful adherence to the originally apportioned segments!
Next time, chapters 31-33.
Steadily serial,
Susan
2 comments:
Yes, suspense is normal, but I feel so conditioned to read speedily for plot unless I'm reading for some other reason, such as to teach a book.
And at last I have the satisfaction of Lily knowing that she is no longer tied to Crosbie. She seems to still believe that she will never love again. I don't know whether I want her to be angry or not--I would at least like her to recognize he acted badly.
It is a bit shocking, to respond to comments from last week, that the DeCourcys have no criticism of Crosbie--it's just normal that he would want Alexandrina and leave some other woman hurt. As long as he doesn't do it to Alexandrina it's fine. This suggests to me that they don't see marriage as having an emotional bond.
I have been struck, too, by how similar Eames's case is to Crosbie's, and how it's still easier to see Eames as a victim and Crosbie as a cad. It is the case that Crosbie set out to keep a certain social status and that's why he turned to Alexandrina, but wouldn't Eames also be gaining social status by rejecting Amelia for Lily? And wasn't he close to Lily before he was seduced by Amelia? Amelia, it seems to me, is a class casualty in this novel. There's a certain class beneath which one can't really feel sympathy, and Amelia crosses that line. Perhaps I'm being too rigid in my reading here; for example, Mrs. Roper doesn't seem quite as critiqued as her daughter.
Oh, I'm sticking to our reading contract, aside from those two paragraphs that one week! No breach of contract lawsuits for me. --Kari
I'm also sticking to the contract, much as I'm tempted to read ahead.
I might write again, but I just wanted to respond quickly to Kari's comments about Amelia. Kari suggests why I've been so eager to get back to the Amelia plot. I assumed from the early chapters that Amelia would develop as an unsympathetic vulture given her low class and great age (over 30). She was a milliner, for goodness' sake, which, for reasons unknown to me, seems to signal prostitution or at least fallenness for the Victorians. I've been ready to critique Trollope and his values for presenting the lowly Amelia as too low for Eames. However, I'm starting to think we won't get that much development on this topic.
Eames is put out as a victim to Crosbie's cad, but in all fairness all he ever did was say he loved her. Level-jumping to be sure, but at least he never agreed to marriage and he never "dishonored" Amelia.
I also found a good contrast between Eames and Crosbie with courage. Sure, like Crosbie, Eames was afraid to return to Burton Crescent and see AR, but in fact he returned despite his fears. At every moment that he could have run away he went forward. If we think back to his letter to AR, he was also afraid to write that, but he did it. Doing what you're afraid to do is real courage, not being fearless about dangers others dread.
Of course, all that said, the ninny ends the section kissing AR! The defense rests, somewhat shakily.
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