10/21 | page 210 | "On vacation to Montana so slowed down. If there was a male equivalent for the word misogynist, Pym would get the label. All the men are obtuse, dense, and not up to the quality of the excellent women." Our heroine, for example, sits down with Everard Bone. He tells her that she is a sensible woman. She asks him: What kind of woman would you want to marry? He replies: "Oh, a sensible woman." But Mildred is not on his radar. How boorish! How insensitive! How unlikely! What intelligent young man, sitting with a single woman, would make such a comment? |
"To all humankind, Tess was only a passing thought. Even to friends, she was only a frequently passing thought." Angel Clare is a good character. He's "enlightened," in so many ways, but when Tess's confesses her "crime," he reverts to ancestral form . . . Tess's "confession" comes earlier than I expected, right after Angel reveals that he has had a bad moment with a woman. Tess points out the similarity in their transgressions, though his is the only true transgression, expecting forgiveness. She doesn't get it. She returns to her mother . . . realizes she can't stay with her. Thoughts to suicide. Unhappiness that divorce is not possible. Departs. Tragic in that the two, if Angel could just see clearly, would indeed be a great couple, each adding to the other. Nature as a definite force involved in the tragedy. It's not neutral--when things go bad, the very skies mock Tess. Tess as unaware of the power of her bea...
Comments
Post a Comment