French Lieutenants Woman "French Lieutenants Woman" is a work of historical fiction which clearly represents the Victorian Age in England. Presented through an interesting technique, the plot within a plot structure coveys an interesting story of romance and conflicting morals. The story represents the history and culture of England in the 1860's and contrasts elements of the Victorian Age with the present, with the inner plot representing the past and the outer plot representing the present. The 1981 movie "French Lieutenants Woman" was based on the 1969 novel by John Fowles. The parts of its main characters were played by Meryl Streep and Jeremy Irons. Meryl Streep plays Anna in the outer plot who plays Sara Woodruff in the inner plot. Jeremy Irons plays Mike, who plays Charles in the inner plot. The romantic story begins in the 1860's with Charles working in the field as a paleontologist. Upon his return to his office, he drops his work and calls, "Grab the horses Sam, were going to Miss Ernetines!" Charles goes to Ernestines and asks her parents if she may speak with her privately. Ernestine is the daughter of Mr. Freeman, a wealthy businessman. She is a bright young girl however naïve about the world. In a private atrium Charles asks Ernestine "if she would have this crusty old scientist for her husband." Ernestine accepts and the engagement begins. One day while Charles and Ernestine are walking on the beach, it is storming. Charles sees a woman on the outcliff overlooking the sea. The waves are swelling and he fears for her safety. He approaches the woman and begs her to retreat to safety. Their eyes meet briefly, a flame is kindled. She is Sara Woodruff, the French Lieutenants Woman. Charles hears about her reputation from the local gossip, but refuses to believe anything bad about her. He asks his friend Dr. Grogan about her. Dr.Grogan ponders some of Freud's theories about psychology and tells Charles that he believes her to have a mental disease known as melancholy. Charles meets with Sara in the woods from time to time and Sara tells Charles he must never speak of their meetings. Sara returns to her boarding house. She lives with a prudish Victorian woman, Ms. Poultney, who scolds her for such unseemly behavior. Charles and Sara continue to meet and Sara confides in Charles about how she got her reputation. Apparently she gave herself to a man she was not wed to and he left her and went to France. For years she awaited his return, walking the outcliff overlooking the sea. She feared that he would not return for she discovered he was married. Charles encouraged her to get away from Lyme and move to London. She feared that if she moved to London she should become what many already call her in Lyme, a whore. Charles goes to London, sends Sara money to meet him there. They meet, they make love and Charles leaves to Lyme to break off his engagement to Ernestine. Upon breaking the engagement, Charles has to sign a legal document declining the right to be considered a gentleman. The document becomes the property of Ernestine, and she is free to publish it if she desires. Sara, presumptuously out of fear that the past will repeat itself, runs off and starts a new life under the identity of Mrs. Roughwood. When Charles returns, Sara is gone. A few years later Sara sends for Charles and they meet again. After many questions Charles forgives Sara and I assume they lived happily-ever-after. The outer plot somewhat mirrors the inner plot, however the cultural context is different and Mike and Anna do not end up happily ever after in the end. Mike is a married actor, and Anna, an actress who I believe to be single. They rehearse their plots in "French Lieutenants Woman" together and in this rehearsal they become intimately involved. In the present time they are not as discreet about being together as Sara and Charles had to be, as a matter of fact they laugh about the idea that they may get caught together. As part of their rehearsal they research the social ailments of the time. Anna reads somewhere that there were over 50,000 prostitutes in the streets of London in the 1860's, a harsh reality for Victorian women who had fallen from grace. Mike's response to this is far from gentlemanly; he does the math and determines how many times a week your Victorian gentleman could get laid. Unlike Charles in the 1860's, Mike in the 1960's has no desire to be a gentleman. The next scene in the outer plot also shows Mike's disregard for gentlemanly behavior. Mike's wife hosts a party at their house and invites the cast of "French Lieutenants Woman." Mike sneaks off in another room to be with Anna behind his wife's back. I assume that either Anna had no knowledge that Mike was married or she's had enough of the rendezvous as the movie concludes when Anna walks out of Mike's house. Although "French Lieutenants Woman" is a fictional story, it is convincing in it's historical correctness, not necessarily to the decade but atleast to Victorian times. In the inner plot we find many elements of the Victorian era, such as the way the gentleman Charles asks permission of Ernestine's parents to speak to her privately. Charles' occupation as a paleontologist who studied fossils and Darwin's theory of evolution also dates back to 1860's, however the comments made by Ernestine's family about the subject of Darwin's theory that man came form apes is ahead of it's time by a few years. "Darwin was not eager to offend people, nor did he enjoy controversy. Thus in 'The Origin of Species' (1859) he tactfully avoided any discussion of human origins... In the 'Descent of Man' (1871) he made his opinion clear: man is animal." (Longman, p.1945) Dr. Grogan's ivestigation of Freud's theories of psychology were also key to the stories historical context. It places the story in the Victorian era, however since Sigmond Freud was not born until 1856, I doubt he developed the theories mentioned by Dr. Grogan in the 1860's, the decade the story takes place. Mrs. Poultney is the stereotypic Victorian woman and her references to what is godly and seemly are clearly Victorian as well. "The terms 'lady' and 'gentleman' had enormous significance, particularly to those aspiring to those ranks and to those in danger of slipping out of them." ("Victorian Ladies and Gentleman," Longman, p.1886) The outer plot, involving Mike and Anna is critical not only to contrast the present time with the 1860's but also to substantiate that some of the Victorian elements were researched and that the story was historically correct. We discovered through the second plot that the values of the present-day men and women were distinctly changed from those of Victorian ladies and gentlemen. Anna's reading about the social conditions and the prostitutes in London leads us to believe that what is portrayed in the inner plot is historically correct. The most amazing thing however, is that as well as presenting us with two time frames to contrast, this technique in itself confirms the historical correctness and the research that went into the story as the plot within a plot structure was a popular writing concept in the Victorian literature. Overall, "French Lieutenants Woman" convinces me that it adequately represents Victorian times. Although the references made regarding Darwin and Freud were ahead of their time, they are still representative of the Victorian age, historically. Anna's research of prostitution in 1860's London helped confirm the historical accuracy as well. The references made to the cultural significance of being a lady or a gentleman are key cultural elements indicative of the time and the plot within a plot structure is a key literary element that correlates with the Victorian era.
There are two prominent female roles in this story, Sian and Charles's wife, Harriet. Sian's eyes "are nearly navy, with flecks of gold" (89) her skin is pale, and "there are wrinkles in the corners of her eyes and below them, her forehead unlined-high and white." "She dresses in black, all the time, simple and straight, because then everything goes with everything. Her voice is deeper than she expected and she speaks slowly. She removes them from their case, clear glasses with thin wire frames, and puts them on. He did not know she wore glasses."(90) "Her neck is long and white, there are small discoloration's, like freckles but not, on the backs of her hands and inside the neckline of her blouse. Her nails are cut short, unpainted."(92) "Her hair is loose and wavy; he remembers it as kind of pale bronze"(23) Sian is a professor and a poet, she has a few books out, this last one consisting of some thirty poems in a slim volume with a paper cover in a matte finish. She is married to a man named Stephen, and has only one child, a daughter Lilly, who is three years old. She, at one time had a son, "His name was Brian and was killed in a car accident six years ago when he was nine."(97)
(…) I pity any poor woman whose husband is not called Ernest” (p. 912). This ridiculous requirement causes the reader to realize that the characters’ strange concept of a functional relationship and the simplified view of love is somehow a social norm in that period. Another evidence of a foolish behavior is when Gwendolen and Cecily first meet. Wilde problematizes a social norm that corresponds to women’s behavior which is that women are known to change their minds. Once Gwendolen meets Cecily she immediately says “Something tells me that we are going to be great friends. I like you already more than I can say” (p. 913). After a short conversation and realizing that they are both engaged to Ernest Worthing, instead of being furious at the man who, as they thought, had proposed to both of them, they argue about whose right it is to marry the liar. Then, ironically, Gwendolen says “From the moment I saw you I distrusted you. I felt that you were false and deceitful” (p. 916). The reader recognizes both humor and hopelessness in the situation. This
To her distress, while on an extended trip to London with friend and neighbor, Mrs. Jennings, Marianne suffered a broken heart upon hearing that Willoughby was concerned for his financial well-being and therefore had bestowed his affections elsewhere. A few months prior to the trip, Elinor learned that Edward was privately engaged to another woman, Lucy, but was bound to secrecy by this woman herself, who was not aware of Elinor's attachment to him. So while tr...
Then, she moves into the history of dating starting in about the 1900s with the calling era. During the calling era, the woman was in charge. The girl and her mother would talk about a boy and if the mother saw him as fit, she would call him to come over and he would meet the family. If he was approved by the woman’s family, then the end result was marriage. This would only happen in wealthier households at this time because t...
An Acquaintance with Darkness by Ann Rinaldi is about Emily Bransby, a 14-year old girl living in Washington DC at the time that President Lincoln was assassinated, when slaves we're being freed and people were all going crazy from all of the new changes going on. Her mother has just died and her best friend's mother is jailed for taking a part in Lincoln's murder. Because her father is also dead, Emily is forced to live with her mother's hated brother, Uncle Valentine, who is a doctor with a secret. Emily has to decide how much she's willing to risk for her uncle. An Acquaintance with Darkness was a good (yet sometimes boring) book, well written with a good twist in the end.
During the Victorian Era, society had idealized expectations that all members of their culture were supposedly striving to accomplish. These conditions were partially a result of the development of middle class practices during the “industrial revolution… [which moved] men outside the home… [into] the harsh business and industrial world, [while] women were left in the relatively unvarying and sheltered environments of their homes” (Brannon 161). This division of genders created the ‘Doctrine of Two Spheres’ where men were active in the public Sphere of Influence, and women were limited to the domestic private Sphere of Influence. Both genders endured considerable pressure to conform to the idealized status of becoming either a masculine ‘English Gentleman’ or a feminine ‘True Woman’. The characteristics required women to be “passive, dependent, pure, refined, and delicate; [while] men were active, independent, coarse …strong [and intelligent]” (Brannon 162). Many children's novels utilized these gendere...
Emma is first introduced in the story when her ailing father needs tending from a local physician. The doctor is Charles Bovary, whom Emma will later marry. Charles is married at the time he first visits Emma's father. However, Charles wife is old and frail and passes away shortly after he meets Emma. Charles then marries Emma and they move to a small town in France named Yohnville, where Charles sets up his practice. Early in their marriage, Charles takes Emma to a party held by the Secretary of State of France in a large château. After a small taste of royalty, Emma is enamored with the romantic feel of living a royal life. She begins feeling unhappy with her marriage, complaining her husband is boring and dull compared to some of the men she had met at the party. She soon seeks out companionship with other men and eventually becomes two different men's mistress. They, however, tire of her romantic ideas and leave her. Throughout her marriage to Charles, and the different relationships she has, all Emma can see is hopelessness and despair, so she eventually eats poison and dies, leaving her husband and her young daughter, Berthe.
At once he had a wonderful, regular childhood life. He was loved by all of his family. At an early age in his life, he mother became an alcoholic. She started beating her son. He was a young boy when this happened. He thought it was normal. Dave thought his mommy was showing him love. Shortly after, his mom and dad starting arguing a lot, Dave wasn’t sure what was going on. Later, his family was torn apart. His dad moved out, and became an alcoholic also. The abuse started getting really bad. His mom only beat him, not the other children. For about 8 years of his life, he was beaten by his mother. At twelve years old, his teacher called the police, the came and took him away. They left his other brothers in the home.
Also, the paper will discuss how ignoring oneself and one’s desires is self-destructive, as seen throughout the story as the woman’s condition worsens while she is in isolation, in the room with the yellow wallpaper, and at the same time as her thoughts are being oppressed by her husband and brother. In the story, the narrator is forced to tell her story through a secret correspondence with the reader since her husband forbids her to write and would “meet [her] with heavy opposition” should he find her doing so (390). The woman’s secret correspondence with the reader is yet another example of the limited viewpoint, for no one else is ever around to comment or give their thoughts on what is occurring. The limited perspective the reader sees through her narration plays an essential role in helping the reader understand the theme by showing the woman’s place in the world. At the time the story was written, women were looked down upon as being subservient beings compared to men....
Most women in Mrs Mallard’s situation were expected to be upset at the news of her husbands death, and they would worry more about her heart trouble, since the news could worsen her condition. However, her reaction is very different. At first she gets emotional and cries in front of her sister and her husbands friend, Richard. A little after, Mrs. Mallard finally sees an opportunity of freedom from her husbands death. She is crying in her bedroom, but then she starts to think of the freedom that she now has in her hands. “When she abandoned herse...
Sarah Wilson is no exception to a failed life having many vices. Yet she is different from Emily in many ways. Sarah was loved more by her father and this creates a need to latch onto a male figure. Sarah marries Anthony Wilson at a young age to fulfill her desire to latch onto a male. She also does not want to end up like her mother who is alone, miserable and drinks alcohol in utter excess.
The literature of the period is similar to the lifestyle of Victorian’s of the time. The literature is a combination of “pure romance and to gross realism” (“Characteristics of Victorian”, 1). The Victorians have different kinds of literature: novels, poetry, children’s literature and comic verses. The writer usually contains moral messages to their readers such as “hard work, perseverance, love, and luck will win out in the end” ending novels with a happy ending and those who are immoral will receive karma (“Victorian Era Literature”, 1). Their poetry contains imagery and senses to show struggles between Religion and Science, and ideas about Nature and Romance (“Victorian Era Poetry”, 1 ). When reading Victorian literature, it is very practical and materialistic. Another characteristic of the Victorian Period of literature that is seen in the writing and impacts the characters in the writings behavior is societal perception. Societal perception seen in Victorian literature includes “stereotypes about class, race, and gender” is seen in Victorian period of literary. It is common to see in Victorian Literature that the “lower class and other race are inherently inferior in their physical makeup and are irrational, childlike, superstitious, criminal, and extremely sexual and dirty” (Smith, 1). On the other hand, those of the upper class were ideal humans such as being rational, respectable, Christians and middle class. A literature that represents the Victorian Period well is Wuthering
Mrs. Mallard’s repressed married life is a secret that she keeps to herself. She is not open and honest with her sister Josephine who has shown nothing but concern. This is clearly evident in the great care that her sister and husband’s friend Richard show to break the news of her husband’s tragic death as gently as they can. They think that she is so much in love with him that hearing the news of his death would aggravate her poor heart condition and lead to death. Little do they know that she did not love him dearly at all and in fact took the news in a very positive way, opening her arms to welcome a new life without her husband. This can be seen in the fact that when she storms into her room and her focus shifts drastically from that of her husband’s death to nature that is symbolic of new life and possibilities awaiting her. Her senses came to life; they come alive to the beauty in the nature. Her eyes could reach the vastness of the sky; she could smell the delicious breath of rain in the air; and ears became attentive to a song f...
Feeling anxious and not understanding why her love will not look at her, Marianne approaches Willoughby who thus immediately dismisses her, when she asks him if he has received her letters he callously states that he did but he never found her at home when he had attempted to reply. Shocked and shot with grief, Marianne can do nothing but go home and thrall in her depression. She receives a letter from Willoughby that is along the lines of you come from a great family and I’m sorry that you thought something was between us, here’s the letters you’ve sent me, and the lock of hair you gave to me. This crushes Marianne and is ultimately the turning point of the novel, here is where Marianne begins her spiral into a deep depression that causes her to nearly die of grief, all the while Elinor (who also is heartbroken but doesn’t have the luxury of expressing her anguish, she’s too proper for that) supports her and takes care of her while she struggles to overcome the heartbreak that she has experienced. Marianne slowly gets better and after a while can collect upon Colonel Brandon (friend of the Middletons who had been in love with her even while she was in love with Willoughby) who is trying to slowly and steadily win her over. Edward Ferrars attempts to marry Lucy Steele who
Before the major upheaval occurs Jane Austin gives us a glimpse of what social life, the class distinction, was like through the perspective of Ann Elliot. Ann is the second out of three daughters to Sir Walter Elliot, the proud head of the family (Austen, 2). The Elliots are an old landowning family that seems well known in the upper echelons of British society. The most important piece of background we are presented with as central to the plot of the story is that eight years prior to the setting Ann was engaged to a man she loved, Frederick Wentworth. They were soon engaged, but her family along with mother-like figure, Lady Russell, soon persuaded Ann that the match was unsuitable because Frederick Wentworth was essentially unworthy without any money or prestige (Austen, 30). This piece of background echoes exclusivity among the upper classes of Britain. In that time it would seem unacceptable for a girl like Ann with a family like hers to marry or even associate with someone not of ...