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Pembroke
. . . . and to prove, especially in the most marked case, the truth of a theory that its cure depended entirely upon the capacity of the individual for a love which could rise above all considerations of self, as Barnabas Thayer's love for Charlotte Barnard finally did. When I make use of the term abnormal, I do not mean unusual in any sense. I am far from any intention to speak disrespectfully or disloyally of those stanch old soldiers of the faith who landed upon our inhospitable shores and laid the foundation as on a very rock of spirit, for the New England of today; but I am not sure, in spite of their godliness, and their noble adherence, in the face of obstacles, to the dictates of their consciences, that their wills were not developed past the reasonable limit of nature. What wonder is it that their descendants inherit this peculiarity, though they may develop it for much less worthy and more trivial causes than the exiling themselves for a question of faith, even the carrying-out of personal and petty aims and quarrels?
185 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1894
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About the author
Mary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman
705 books84 followersMary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman was born in Randolph, Massachusetts, and attended Mount Holyoke College (then, Mount Holyoke Female Seminary) in South Hadley, Massachusetts, for one year, from 1870–71. Freeman's parents were orthodox Congregationalists, causing her to have a very strict childhood.
Religious constraints play a key role in some of her works. She later finished her education at West Brattleboro Seminary. She passed the greater part of her life in Massachusetts and Vermont.
Freeman began writing stories and verse for children while still a teenager to help support her family and was quickly successful. Her best known work was written in the 1880s and 1890s while she lived in Randolph. She produced more than two dozen volumes of published short stories and novels. She is best known for two collections of stories, A Humble Romance and Other Stories (1887) and A New England Nun and Other Stories (1891). Her stories deal mostly with New England life and are among the best of their kind. Freeman is also remembered for her novel Pembroke (1894), and she contributed a notable chapter to the collaborative novel The Whole Family (1908). In 1902 she married Doctor Charles M. Freeman of Metuchen, New Jersey.
In April 1926, Freeman became the first recipient of the William Dean Howells Medal for Distinction in Fiction from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. She died in Metuchen and was interred in Hillside Cemetery in Scotch Plains, New Jersey.
Religious constraints play a key role in some of her works. She later finished her education at West Brattleboro Seminary. She passed the greater part of her life in Massachusetts and Vermont.
Freeman began writing stories and verse for children while still a teenager to help support her family and was quickly successful. Her best known work was written in the 1880s and 1890s while she lived in Randolph. She produced more than two dozen volumes of published short stories and novels. She is best known for two collections of stories, A Humble Romance and Other Stories (1887) and A New England Nun and Other Stories (1891). Her stories deal mostly with New England life and are among the best of their kind. Freeman is also remembered for her novel Pembroke (1894), and she contributed a notable chapter to the collaborative novel The Whole Family (1908). In 1902 she married Doctor Charles M. Freeman of Metuchen, New Jersey.
In April 1926, Freeman became the first recipient of the William Dean Howells Medal for Distinction in Fiction from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. She died in Metuchen and was interred in Hillside Cemetery in Scotch Plains, New Jersey.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 13, 2020
Book Review
4 of 5 stars to Pembroke by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman, a classic of American literature. I read this in college a few yeas ago and wrote a paper on the influence of religion on books. A snippet is pasted below.
Mary E. Wilkins Freeman’s Pembroke was written near the turn of the century and towards the end of the realistic period when naturalism came to light. The realistic qualities of the novel really worked together to show what life was like for the Puritans of the late nineteenth century. Pembroke revolved around the small town gossip of a few core families, particularly highlighting the strict religious aspects of life for most people. In fact, Freeman based the novel on her own home-life situation in many ways. Freeman took the Puritan’s tragic flaw of exerting a force beyond recognizable limits and used it to show the results of Puritanism gone wrong. However, the ending of the novel showed a sign that things were changing. Puritanism in society was coming to an end. One of the leading philosophies of Puritans at the time was that they believed that if one committed a sin, (s)he would face the wrath of God and be paid back (like an eye for an eye) with equal measure. In Pembroke, Barney was considered to have done wrong by Charlotte and her family, so he deserved to suffer. Towards the end of the book, Cephas, Charlotte’s father, learned that Barney had the “rheumatiz.” Cephas told his family that, “There ain’t no need of havin’ the rheumatiz, accordin’ to my way of thinking. . . If folks lived right they wouldn’t have it” (V, 245) Cephas was a strong Puritan believer who took his beliefs to such a high level that his actions made Charlotte’s fiancee, Barney, leave her never to return (until the very last minute). This was similar to the life of a Puritan in society during this time, which is why the novel was considered realistic. Through this, Freeman was saying that “there is some freeing up and changing. The wasted times are over.” Every character was explored deeply in the novel and it was almost as if someone was watching people play out there lives - “like looking at ants in an ant farm.” Pembroke showed what life was like in small town America including all the quirks of the people and all the details of a highly religious Puritan family. Freeman accurately showed America what America was doing, and how it was looked upon by the people. Her realistic views opened the eyes of the people and began a transition into the new century.
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by.
4 of 5 stars to Pembroke by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman, a classic of American literature. I read this in college a few yeas ago and wrote a paper on the influence of religion on books. A snippet is pasted below.
Mary E. Wilkins Freeman’s Pembroke was written near the turn of the century and towards the end of the realistic period when naturalism came to light. The realistic qualities of the novel really worked together to show what life was like for the Puritans of the late nineteenth century. Pembroke revolved around the small town gossip of a few core families, particularly highlighting the strict religious aspects of life for most people. In fact, Freeman based the novel on her own home-life situation in many ways. Freeman took the Puritan’s tragic flaw of exerting a force beyond recognizable limits and used it to show the results of Puritanism gone wrong. However, the ending of the novel showed a sign that things were changing. Puritanism in society was coming to an end. One of the leading philosophies of Puritans at the time was that they believed that if one committed a sin, (s)he would face the wrath of God and be paid back (like an eye for an eye) with equal measure. In Pembroke, Barney was considered to have done wrong by Charlotte and her family, so he deserved to suffer. Towards the end of the book, Cephas, Charlotte’s father, learned that Barney had the “rheumatiz.” Cephas told his family that, “There ain’t no need of havin’ the rheumatiz, accordin’ to my way of thinking. . . If folks lived right they wouldn’t have it” (V, 245) Cephas was a strong Puritan believer who took his beliefs to such a high level that his actions made Charlotte’s fiancee, Barney, leave her never to return (until the very last minute). This was similar to the life of a Puritan in society during this time, which is why the novel was considered realistic. Through this, Freeman was saying that “there is some freeing up and changing. The wasted times are over.” Every character was explored deeply in the novel and it was almost as if someone was watching people play out there lives - “like looking at ants in an ant farm.” Pembroke showed what life was like in small town America including all the quirks of the people and all the details of a highly religious Puritan family. Freeman accurately showed America what America was doing, and how it was looked upon by the people. Her realistic views opened the eyes of the people and began a transition into the new century.
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by.
August 31, 2013
Free download available at Project Gutenberg.
Opening lines:
Pembroke was originally intended as a study of the human will in several New England characters, in different phases of disease and abnormal development, and to prove, especially in the most marked case, the truth of a theory that its cure depended entirely upon the capacity of the individual for a love which could rise above all considerations of self, as Barnabas Thayer's love for Charlotte Barnard finally did.
While Barnabas Thayer is the most pronounced exemplification of this theory, and while he, being drawn from life, originally suggested the scheme of the study, a number of the other characters, notably Deborah Thayer, Richard Alger, and Cephas Barnard, are instances of the same spiritual disease. Barnabas to me was as much the victim of disease as a man with curvature of the spine; he was incapable of straightening himself to his former stature until he had laid hands upon a more purely unselfish love than he had ever known, through his anxiety for Charlotte, and so raised himself to his own level.
Opening lines:
Pembroke was originally intended as a study of the human will in several New England characters, in different phases of disease and abnormal development, and to prove, especially in the most marked case, the truth of a theory that its cure depended entirely upon the capacity of the individual for a love which could rise above all considerations of self, as Barnabas Thayer's love for Charlotte Barnard finally did.
While Barnabas Thayer is the most pronounced exemplification of this theory, and while he, being drawn from life, originally suggested the scheme of the study, a number of the other characters, notably Deborah Thayer, Richard Alger, and Cephas Barnard, are instances of the same spiritual disease. Barnabas to me was as much the victim of disease as a man with curvature of the spine; he was incapable of straightening himself to his former stature until he had laid hands upon a more purely unselfish love than he had ever known, through his anxiety for Charlotte, and so raised himself to his own level.
March 19, 2019
The novel takes place in a small village in New England about 200 years ago. It seems one of the main themes of the book is how people can stand in the way of their own happiness. Many times while reading one just wants to grab them and talk some sense into them. Even though most of the times it feels like a tragedy due to human stubbornness and how it negatively affects them and the ones around it made me laugh a couple of times. I don't know if this was intended or it just me. Mainly when it comes to Cephas Barnard, a sort of 19th century vegan who hates the Democratic party. His view to how what one eats affects you was pretty interesting and made him a very colorful character.
Besides Cephas other characters were also well developed and very interesting. Concentrating mainly on three families in the village the author could devote time to each individual and let us get to know them. I could feel for most of them especially Sylvia and little Ephraim.
It was a good read. Reading it and rooting for the characters to finally find their happiness really made me go through this book in pretty much one sitting.
Besides Cephas other characters were also well developed and very interesting. Concentrating mainly on three families in the village the author could devote time to each individual and let us get to know them. I could feel for most of them especially Sylvia and little Ephraim.
It was a good read. Reading it and rooting for the characters to finally find their happiness really made me go through this book in pretty much one sitting.
April 22, 2011
I live in New England, so the fact that this book is set there is what first drew me to it. Many of the characters are incredibly stubborn or downright dim-witted. Despite this fact they are likable, for the most part. Much like when you're watching a murder mystery movie and you want to yell "Don't go in there" at the character on the screen, you'll want to yell "Just knock on their door and apologize" at these characters. A fairly quick read, so it doesn't take long to find out if these people come to their senses.
August 7, 2018
After reading her short story A New England Nun, I decided to read Mary E. Wilkins Freeman's novel that was very popular when it was published in 1894. I really enjoyed the everyday lives of its characters, their romances, their sufferings. It held my attention for the whole time I read it....in one sitting of about seven hours!
August 27, 2011
Well-written, does what it is trying to do well, but oh dear lord how depressing.
July 25, 2021
Heartbreaking and insightful. The proud New England men in this quaint story are battling their own demons, their own dreams of self righteousness and their stubborn will. Barnabas allows a political debate with his fiancé’s father to upend the lives of several Pembroke citizens and end his engagement. Years of mental and physical toil later he must determine if his own stubbornness will let his old sweetheart be met with public shame from the church. This book reminds me of a parable that the most important battle throughout your life is not in the external world but deep within much closer to “home”.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews