Lettres de Mistriss Henley publiées par son amie

by Isabelle de Charrière, Belle van Zuylen, Joan Hinde Stewart

Charrière presents six letters penned by a Mistress Henley, who has chosen a decent and affectionate man as her life's companion only to discover that she cannot bear sharing his life.Considered by many scholars to be among the most brilliant novels written in French during the eighteenth century, Letters of Mistress Henley Published by Her Friend was composed as a response to Samuel de Constant's misogynist novel, The Sentimental Husband (1783).

Genres: France, Classics, School, 18th Century, Literature, Fiction

45 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1784

About the author

Also under: Belle van Zuylen

Born near Utrecht, The Netherlands as Isabella Agneta Elisabeth van Tuyll van Serooskerken. In the Netherlands she is also known as Belle van Zuylen or Belle de Zuylen.
Her parents gave her a much better education than was usual for a girl in that time.
She married Charles-Emmanuel de Charrière de Penthaz in 1771 and lived the latter half of her life in Switzerland. She is now best known for her letters although she also wrote novels, pamphlets, music and plays.

Reviews

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the second (of many) books that I ordered from the MLA series, which seems to be centered around women writers. This story was originally published in 1784 in French, and follows a popular literary trend at the time in its letter format - I also saw this "epistolary format" in Jane Austen's 1794 novel "Lady Susan" last year.

Like Lady Susan, this book is quite short. In different ways, both ladies can be - and likely were - seen as selfish troublemakers. But whereas Lady Susan seems to have little moral compass, the narrator and protagonist of this story - one Mistress S. Henley - does want to adhere to social conventions (at least, at first). Mistress Henley is a very sensitive person who has married a very "logical" man, and grapples with how to integrate their two lives together. Even so, it seems her husband already has a child, faithful servants, pets, etc. etc. and his life is so established that she continually feels as if she is a stranger in her new home, regardless of her husband's decree that she is now in charge. When trying to live up to her self-inflicted promise to be a great mother and responsible, upstanding wife, Mistress Henley runs into all manners of drama, and, since she is very emotional herself, tends to make the situations worse, even while she vainly struggles not to.

If I could say there was something missing here, I'd want to see what Mistress Henley's replies were to her letters. Maybe it could make a difference? Or perhaps neglecting to include the replies was intentional on the author's part, so that we may remain wholly immersed in the narrator's anguished and lonely mind?

Although most times I really do hate introductions to books (they often seem precocious or arrogant to me), I'll say that the introduction of this novel was (like the Emilia Pardo Bazán story collection) very well done. It explained only the things that would add to a reader's understanding of the text, without frivolous language or references only so-and-so would understand. The introduction helpfully informs the reader of the parallels between the author of this story, Isabelle de Charrière, and Mistress Henley; it also put in perspective how this story was received during its day, more than two hundred years ago. Most important to me was the section on how this novel was actually a "feminist response" to a novel published earlier that year, "The Sentimental Husband," and tries to portray honestly the tumultuous feelings of this woman who feels she can never do right or be accepted for who she is (because, in the end, that really drills the nail into the coffin on her marriage - she feels her husband doesn't see her, understand her, or collaborate with her in any meaningful way).

The ending letter felt so modern to me that it could have been written in the 20th century and not the 18th. As was printed on the back of the book, this novel could well accompany Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper" as a piece of early feminist literature. You can feel a similar struggle within both short pieces.

[Mariah Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deux personnes qui veulent se rendre heureux sans savoir comment. Un triste sort.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE THIS! Mistress Henley is the revolting lesbian of the late 18th century. She hates her husband (he sucks), she's obsessed with Lady B (gay), she doesn't want to be a mother (wants to be her own person, doesn't know how, no one gets it). Isabelle de Charrière was thinking in such abstract ways for the time. I love her.

"The best I can find to do, in this verdant season, is to watch the leaves appear and unfold, the flowers blossom, a cloud of insects fly, creep, run every which way. I don't understand any of it, I apprehend it but superficially; but I contemplate and admire this world that is so full, so alive. I lose myself in this vast whole that is so wonderful, I do not say so wise, for I am too ignorant: I know not its ends, I know neither its means nor its purpose, I do not know why the voracious spider is entitled to so many gnats; but I watch, and hours pass during which I have not thought even once about myself or my childish sufferings."

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Isabelle de Charierre is a new favourite: she knows more and dares more about the human condition. She is a mistress of the cliffhanger and the dramatic. And I love her letters as novels.

I like the comment in the introduction regarding her being seen as the French, Swiss and Dutch Jane Austen, all rolled into one: “Charriere party or knew more, and partly dared more”

As she says herself in her letters: : “I would like to put things back in their place, and for everyone to do justice to themselves”.

She is bold and bright and I like how she picks a fight. A “penetrating mind and a good heart”indeed. She bites but gently

The Nobleman has a great dramatic quality
“Not much is needed to polish someone with a penetrating mind and a good heart”

“She grew vexed at his silence. In his place, she said to herself, I do believe that I would speak”

“Ah, Valaincourt! Said Julie, with a look and a sigh that promises everything, That replied yes to everything he would have liked to say”

The cliffhanger and the dramatic

I’m really enjoying the epistolary novel form. Letter from Neufchâtel is just fabulous - it dies that rare thing of being a satire which is joyous, without losing its bite - with such a play on love and morality; the ease which the two fall in love despite the pregnancy of the poor working girl. I like the way she seems to insert herself as the “caustic commentator” Z*** in one of the letters.

Letters from Miss Henley and the note regarding the novel on page 1 is just far too relatable :))) “my husband doesn’t worry at all… I saw him smile and turn… they will all be believing themselves, amazed that they’ve been able to bear life so patiently”” :)))

“I would like at least to warn the husbands even if I can’t change them: I would like to put things back in their place, and for everyone to do justice to themselves”

“Returned with a fortune from the West Indies…there was nothing particularly unsavoury attached to the way in which he had acquired it. But neither did his reputation glow with the pure light of delicacy and disinterest”

Her choice of husband and the contrasts; and the insights of her mind; to her having to be stepmother to the child; are all exquisitely portrayed in biting gentle satire

“The poor child is certainly more unhappy and less wel brought up than before I came here”

P83 the way that they fight about the cat and then the furnishings “my first wife liked these””oh if only she were still alive!”… and then the cat runs off

… and as the dog disappears, we start to see the story repeating itself in fact

“Mr Henley was very attentive to Miss C, a young lady from the country who is very fresh faced and cheerful as well as modest and not pretty in the slightest…all things considered, I was very pleased with myself and everyone else”

And when he declines honours and favours and she has to hold it together - just brilliant

[Abbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though this book is very short, I found it a very effective and emotive study into the harsh nature of society and elite domestic life in the Enlightenment period. I found Mme Henley extremely sympathetic, especially towards the end of the novel. This thought-provoking work was a rewarding read, although it also makes me sad and angry at both Mr Henley and the state of the world.

[Freddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Ah, Madam!” she said after a long silence, “wounds do not heal as quickly as they are inflicted, and your Fanny, with her lace and ribbons and city airs, has brought my Peggy and her poor mother sufferings that will end only with our lives.”

[Vincenzo Harty · Rating 3 out of 5]

for FREN 2600.
This is literally just Rebecca.

[claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

(gay)

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The great great grandmother of Jane Eyre, Rebecca, The Bell Jar and My Year of Rest and Relaxation

[Emily Shadron · Rating 5 out of 5]

gas feminism #allaiter

[lillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

elle a vraiment cuisiné avec ça j'adore les feminists anciennes

[William S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mistress Henley is Mme de Charriere's brilliant response to "The Sentimental Husband" by Samuel de Constant. Constant's novel is about a husband married to to what, from the 18th century point of view, constituted the wife from hell, and who is eventually driven to suicide. Isabelle de Charriere's Mistress Henley tells the story of a woman married to a man who, considered by 18th century standards, was the perfect husband -- rational, prudent, sensible, experienced -- and she is driven into misery and deep depression. The problem? It is partly that they belong to two totally different personality types. He is detached and rationalistic, she is ardent, emotionally engaged, imaginative, and spontaneous. He is a fully mature adult, while she is young and somewhat immature in judgement. Nothing that she does is morally wrong, but everything that she does is reprehensible from the point of view of her husband's phlegmatic, rationalistic and unsympathetic point of view. She feels acutely to blame for every youthful, inexperienced mistake she makes. Weirdly, her husband takes all his young wife's errors personally, and reacts like a victim. Then he completely forgets (or pretends to forget) the altercation and all his (supposedly) hurt feelings, as if the whole incident had not been of the least importance. This (understandably) drives his wife crazy. Mistress Henley fails to understand that she is not really the problem, and that the real problem is that she is married to a Sadist.

[Nina JG · Rating 3 out of 5]

Je l’ai mins apprécié que le précédent de Madame de Genlis.
Mistress Henley m’a fait de la peine à vrai dire.
Elle n’a pas d’amis, pas de famille proche, son mari n’en a pas grand chose à faire d’elle, ils sont très mal assortis, dans un mariage sans amour, mais surtout, sans amitié.
Il est trop bon pour qu’elle le déteste, mais trop passif pour qu’elle s’y attache.
Elle vit une vie médiocre, sans passion, sans activité, sans amour. Bloquée dans une maison qui n’est pas la sienne, dans une ville qu’elle ne connaît pas, dans un mode de vie qui n’est pas le sien (campagne versus ville), avec une petite fille qui n’est pas la sienne, mais dont elle doit être la mère, et un mari dont elle n’est pas la première femme.
Il laisse le portrait de sa 1ere femme décédée en face de son lit à elle…
Et elle arrive à s’en vouloir de le faire déplacer ailleurs….
Quand bien même il ne lui dit rien pour avoir bouger le tableau, il n’a quand même pas jugé bon de le faire lui même en premier lieu…
Et c’était ca tout le soucis de cet homme. Rien de mauvais, mais rien de particulièrement bon.
Lettres de Mistress Henley est sensé être une réécriture De Mari Sentimental de Samuel Constant, qu’elle mentionne maintes et maintes fois. Se comparant à ce couple et leur destin tragique.
Elle m’a fait peine. Mais je m’attendais à un peu plus de réflexion.

« De moi, de ma santé pas un mot : il était question que de cet enfant qui n’existait pas encore »

Le mec l’a même pas prévenu quand il refuse un travail pour lui et ELLE et ne lui dit qu’après coup. Lorsqu’elle lui parle de ce qu’elle imagine pour l’enfant qu’elle porte, il la rappelle à l’ordre en lui disant comment il veut que SON enfant soit.
Elle n’a même pas le droit à çà.
Elle ne contrôle rien, pas même l’enfant QU’ELLE porte.
Et elle le sait. C’est presque ça le pire.
Elle le sait, elle sait que ça l’a rend malheureuse, mais elle n’en veut pas vraiment à son mari. Elle s’en veut à elle, et parle sans cesse de ces héros qui se sont suicidé. Chose qu’elle rêve de faire :

... « Dans un an, dans deux ans, vous apprendrez, je l’espère, que je suis raisonnable et heureuse, ou que je ne suis plus. »

13/20

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another find from my French lit closet book pile. Even though this book is short, it leaves quite an impression. Written as a response to "The Sentimental Husband," that sexist work where a country bachelor falls into a ludicrously bad marriage with a terrible harpy, "Letters" presents marriage from the female perspective. What makes this book so important and powerful is that De Charriere's couple are good, normal, well-mannered people. But their marriage is still a bad one. De Charriere asks why and offers a few reasons, but her ambigious ending suggests that the answers are not cut and dry. De Charriere knows that there are no guarantees for a happy marriage, but she certainly highlights things that will make a bad one.

[Jacqueline Quackenbush · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave this book three stars simply because, although I understand majority of it, my French is nowhere near advanced enough to make a thorough assessment of this book. I appreciate the feminist slant of the book, very advanced for its time I think, but I don't feel I can properly judge it one way or the other as the antiquity of the language made real comprehension difficult throughout. So, I gave it a rating right in the middle; neither spectacular nor awful.

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully written introduction, though oddly in English, but it accompanies a fascinating work of literature.

[Mckinley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Response in letters to another novel popular at the time slamming the wife. These letters are given from a wife's perspective.

[Lulu]

1784
French https://archive.org/details/lettresde...

Trans; Four Tales Zelide https://archive.org/details/FourTales

[Isabelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

read this for my french lit class and i really liked the open ending