Victorians! discussion

Please discuss Volume II, chapters I "Mother and Son" through X "Explanation" here.

Thornton is such a well- written hero. Full of dignity and feeling and quite a contrast to Margaret.i was impressed at Mrs Thornton's acceptance over the proposal.
Margaret suffers so many losses in this section. The loss of Bessie and her mother. Both times, she comforts everyone else as usual. There's no- one to listen about Thornton or about her fears over Freddie. I'm surprised at how well she holds together, but think maybe she uses her disregard for Thornton as a way of projecting those repressed feelings onto him.

Oh the drama in this section! Multiple deaths, a narrow escape, violence, mistaken identity, deception -- the plot is certainly thickening.

Lisa, I agree about how well Margaret holds together. I'm still not sure if I "like" her, but I do find the character interesting. I've been highlighting quotes on my Kindle, and I really liked "The 'bearing up better than likely' was a terrible strain upon Margaret." So true! If you don't bend some, you will eventually break.

Margaret is struggling mightily on many fronts, not the least of which is trying to sort out her growing attraction and admiration for a man who she believes cannot admire her any longer for her lie. She is falling for him, and fast! - but she must continue on as best she can without hope of regaining his affections. She feels completely helpless in this situation. I really feel for her. And the restrictions of society do not allow her to just go talk to him or declare her feelings. It isn't even entirely proper for a girl to admit strong feelings for a man who is not her betrothed or her husband. She has no one to turn to, talk to or anything. How can you not sympathize with her? Imagine being the glue that holds your family together all while you feel your own personal life to be coming apart at the seams. It's a wonder she doesn't collapse in nervous prostration for all she has to deal with alone. And this is a girl in the Victorian era! She sure demonstrates great strength. Can't imagine Edith or Fanny surviving any similar ordeal.

My favorite quote (so far) is at the end of Vol II Ch II -- "Margaret the Churchwoman, her father the Dissenter, Higgins the Infidel, knelt down together. It did them no harm." To me, that kind of togetherness is more beautiful and interesting than the love story plot, at least at this point.

I looked up translations of the foreign phrases in Vol II Ch X.

The Italian lines are from a Dante poem:

From her lips, a gentle and loving spirit
seems to float out
and keeps saying to the soul: Sigh!


And the French phrase (Margaret's proud motto) means "Do what must (be done), come what may."