The Readers Review: Literature from 1714 to 1910 discussion

This section shows how committed Colonel Osborne is to making mischief, how overpowering Louis Trevelyan's jealousy has become, and how misguided and foolish Emily Trevelyan is in her insistence on getting her own way and in refusing to admit any problem with her own behaviour in light of her husband's feelings.

I agree with Margaret, I am more interested at this point in the Stanbury family storyline-Miss Stanbury the Aunt is quite a character, and her correspondence with Priscilla was quite entertaining. Poor Priscilla, sending her letter of reprimand a day too early and having to recant and apologize! It also appears that there may be a brighter future for Dorothy-I was quite taken by the quotation:


Chapter XXII. Shewing How Miss Stanbury Behaved to Her Two Nieces.
She had known very well that her mother and sister and herself were people apart,—ladies, and yet so extremely poor, that they could only maintain their rank by the most rigid seclusion. To live, and work unseen, was what the world had ordained for her.

What a dreary life for no doubt plenty of impoverished gentlewomen.

Do you think there can be any saving of the Trevelyan marriage, given the tow people involved?

Do you see a brighter future for any of the other young women in our story? What about poor Mr Glascock? (I do find Trollope's habit of presenting decent and good and kind young men as unfortunate suitors somewhat sad at times-such as in Orley Farm (view spoiler)[ poor Percival Jr (hide spoiler)].

Please share your thoughts on this latest instalment.

Mr. Glascock is hardly poor, and Trollope is not portraying an "unfortunate suitor" only; he is presenting a strong woman who is in love with someone else. But totally agree that the Trevelyan story is only redeemed because Hugh Stanbury is friends with Louis, leading to almost all the other happenings involving the Stanburys.

Dan wrote: "Mr. Glascock is hardly poor, and Trollope is not portraying an "unfortunate suitor" only; he is presenting a strong woman who is in love with someone else. But totally agree that the Trevelyan stor..."

I absolutely agree, however I just wish the young men involved weren't such decent and good hearted ones so that I could stop feeling sorry for them!

Parts of this section read to me very like farce, what with the to-ing and fro-ing of frosty letters between Priscilla and her aunt, and the attempts of Bozzle the detective to remain unseen which result in the ostlers, the postman and the driver all watching him suspiciously.

But the overlying cause of all this is very far from farce. Louis is now obsessed about his wife's relationship with Col. Osborne and is suffering (in ch. 19) from "horrific suspense and insane rage." It's difficult to see how he could now return to any sort of normal marriage with Emily even if she decided to back down.

And Col Osborne himself turns out to be a very unimpressive man, not worth all this trouble (especially when compared to the previous visitor, the gentlemanly Mr Glascock.) When Osborne assumes that "a great many young women looked at him with admiring eyes" he's surely deluding himself. Emily seems to have no particular attachment to him, as shown by the fact they have nothing really to say to each other on this visit. Her friendship with him is only maintained as a symbol of stubborn independence.

This week's chapters have revealed that Louis and Emily have now lost two of the most important cornerstones of an enduring marriage - trust and loyalty. By engaging a private detective, Louis has continued to needlessly escalate the situation. He certainly no longer trusts his wife or Colonel Osborne. He is also beginning to lose all sense of proportion.

Emily's decision to allow Colonel Osborne to visit her was described by Trollope as 'an excitement' to her. She is now using the attentions of Osborne to rub the dirt of her obstinacy in Louis' face. Her loyalty to Louis has completely disappeared although not without severe provocation. I can't believe that Emily would not realise how Louis would react to Osborne's visit, and yet, despite all the friendly advice to the contrary, she allows it to go ahead. After the ignominy of being spied on by a detective and blatant disregard for each other's feelings I can't see how a reconciliation can succeed.

Nora's decision re her own future brings to mind two other women in Trollope novels - (view spoiler)[Madeline Stavely and Julia Brabazon, (although I doubt that Mr Glascock had any of the vices of Lord Ongar.) I think that Trollope is pursuing a similar theme with Nora. (hide spoiler)] Is Emily's encouragement of Nora to wed Mr Glascock a hint of her own reasons for marrying Louis?

What a sad predicament for Mrs Stanbury and Priscilla to be tainted by the maelstrom of pernicious gossip generated by the separation. Both Louis and Hugh must take the blame for involving the Stanburys and damaging their reputations in Devon.

"Needlessly escalate" should have been the title of the book.

Dan wrote: ""Needlessly escalate" should have been the title of the book."

This site needs a like button!