The Readers Review: Literature from 1714 to 1910 discussion

Two major events happen in this section of chapters:

We finally meet Mavis Clare!

And

The preparations for the wedding!

The wedding is sort of an afterthought.

Mavis Clare:
Tempest finds that Miss Clare is not at all as he expected her to be and is pleasantly surprised. Why do you think this is so?

Mavis deals with critics who give her bad reviews by naming pigeons after them. Apparently Corelli received a number of these for her books.

As an aside regarding her style: I am getting weary of all these hints of an impending catastrophe and the lacking in depth characters. Any thoughts?

The Preparations for the Wedding:
Wedding presents- Tempest gives Sybil sapphires. What does Tempest think of Lucio's present to Sybil- an emerald serpent?
The engagement party is an over-the-top celebration staged by Lucio. Who are the mysterious dancers, musicians, waiters and so on?
And those Tableaux Vivants! Sybil seemed to recognize herself in one of them-which one?

Lastly, Sybil told Tempest that she has finally discovered what love is, but Tempest isn't the one, even though he thinks he is.

General comments-please share your thoughts on any occurences in the book or about the characters.

Is anyone impatient for the final reveal?
I've not read ahead in this book, which is a rare occurrence for me. I hope the build-up is worth it!

This section felt like Dante meets Danielle Steel to me. I can see why Corelli’s books were popular with the masses—you get to revel in all the glitz while simultaneously looking down on it. That said, I enjoyed the engagement party as much as the next reader, with all the fairy lights and dancing sprites (presumably, like Amiel, they are imps of Satan). I kept wondering: when will the bill come due? Expecting Tempest to run out of money any day now.

Tempest is of course being willfully blind about Sibyl and Lucio. The emerald serpent belt binds Sibyl to Lucio, which Tempest perhaps senses because it makes him uncomfortable.

Clearly Mavis’s cottage is an outpost of heaven, complete with dogs guarding it against “Lucio.” After the visit there he is sad and tired, having had a glimpse of what he is exiled from.

I've not completed reading this section, but I do agree with you, Rosemarie, the constant warning of an impending catastrophe is growing a bit stale. It was exciting at first, and was intrumental in keeping the suspense for what to come. But not anymore. I'm becoming impatient for the actual catastrophe. And I hope it's worth the wait.

It's still early to form an opinion on Mavis, but I think she'll be an interesting character. Her method of handling her critics highly amused me.

I like the reaction of the dogs to Lucio-they know who they're dealing with.

Rosemarie wrote: "I like the reaction of the dogs to Lucio-they know who they're dealing with."

I also thought that dogs' reactions to Lucio spoke volumes of who he is.

Mavis Clare is so good that she feels sorry for the devil and his fall from grace. As a counterpoint to Sybil ( I am no longer going to call her ‘Lady’), Mavis was distracted by Lucio rather than attracted. I was surprised that Lucio was able to touch the ‘untouchable’ Mavis without some red hot pain shooting through his arm. (His description at the wedding of how he was able to get into a church because he was following a clergyman did amuse me.)

Again Tempest’s reaction to Mavis shows that he is not yet totally rotten to the core. But his grip on reality is loosening the longer he maintains that perception of how good a friend Lucio is. This was Lucio’s tormenting, tantalising glimpse for Tempest of what might have been if he had not fallen ‘like most men’ into friendship with the Prince. I liked Mavis turning all her critics into doves although the idea that crowned princes of Europe etc. all beat a path to Mavis’ little country cottage in Warwickshire was a bit far fetched.

As for Sybil, it seems that Lucio hasn’t waited until after the marriage to teach her how to love. The ‘serpent’ jewel present, as Abigail said, was such an obvious device, no doubt ensuring that Sybil’s dreams have already become a reality. Again I was reminded of Lucio’s beetle and no doubt the serpent girdle was able to perform similar transformations. Lucio’s parting remark to Sybil before they left for their honeymoon trip would have been provocative but Tempest understands nothing about Sybil’s love.

’ “Good-bye Lady Sibyl!” he added gently—“All joy be with you! To us who are left behind, your absence will seem long,—but to you,—ah!—Love gives wings to time, and what would be to ordinary folks a month of mere dull living, will be for you nothing but a moment’s rapture! Love is better than wealth,—you have found that out already I know!—but I think—and hope—that you are destined to make the knowledge more certain and complete! Think of me sometimes! Au revoir!”’

We know the only way is down for Tempest, but what about the others? How many of them will join him and who, besides Mavis, will escape the horrors of evil Lucio? Lucio himself may give us a clue.

’ Like consorts with like,—a fallen angel seeks the equally fallen,—and the devil,—if there be one,—becomes the companion of those only who take pleasure in his teaching and society.’

I remember the sun creating a kind of halo around Mavis's blonde hair-so obvious.
Lucio does give Tempest a chance to step back, but Tempest doesn't use that opportunity. I don't think Tempest is all that bright!

Abigail wrote: "This section felt like Dante meets Danielle Steel to me. I can see why Corelli’s books were popular with the masses—you get to revel in all the glitz while simultaneously looking down on it. That s..."

Brilliant! Good point about the dogs-I thought that perhaps animals in general disliked Lucio but I like the idea of Lily Cottage being an outpost of heaven with its own guard dogs.

I’m not au courant on lore about the Evil One, but I get the sense that many of the oddities around Lucio—the dogs, questions about being able to enter a church, etc.—are traditional signs of the devil in folk belief. I should see if I can track down a site discussing such things.

Interesting that Lucio explains the dogs' dislike of him as recognizing that he is "personified lies" as opposed to Mavis Clare who is "personified truth".

Mavis Clare also comments on not having enough money to make her not need to work: If I had more, I might get lazy and neglect my work,-then you know Satan might step into my life, and it would be a question of idle hands and mischief to follow, according to the adage. Rather laying it on think, is Corelli! Later, Lucio replies-and I assure you that the Satan of whom you are able to speak with compassion, can never trouble the peace of a pure and contented soul.

Later, why does Sybil say that she has no soul of her own, when Diana gives her the statue of Psyche? Is it because she has traded it to the devil, or another way of saying she feels empty inside?

In chapter 23 we get the first intimation of the true horrors to come:

I did not know it then, but I know it now, that metaphorically speaking, he had his foot on the neck of that "society" mob, as though it were one prostrate man...God! If the grinning guzzling sensual fools had only known what horrors were about them at the feast!-what ghastly ministers to pleasurable appetites waited obediently upon them!...But the veil was mercifully down,-and only to me has it since been lifted!

I was a bit behind schedule, but now I am up to date. The story has similarities to Oscar Wilde, the Faust legend, some tales of E.T.A. Hoffmann Which I recently started reading - quite fascinating). Tempest marries Sybil fully aware that this will never be a happy marriage. He does it despite warnings from Sybil herself. Quite stupid on his part. We know now that this will end in disaster (how long will it take?), the devil is making sure of it. But Tempest apparently remains unaware of it. Mavis is going to be the savior of some sorts? There are hints about that. At this point it is predictable that the marriage is not going to end well, and Tempest might lose his fortune. We will see.

I just hope we will see soon. The hints of impending doom are getting tiresome.

Rosemarie, I agree. It’s getting a bit tiresome.

When I reflect that we’re only halfway through, I do wonder how this will hold my interest.

Abigail wrote: "When I reflect that we’re only halfway through, I do wonder how this will hold my interest."

If it makes you feel a wee bit better, my Kindle indicates the book as 61% finished at this point which is consistent with finishing 4 out of 7 weeks.
As you only have 39% rather than 50% left to read - maybe, just maybe, you can hold on until then. If you can't and have to let go, we'll understand - "the Devil made you do it."

😁 I’ll try not to succumb to temptation!

Brian wrote: "Abigail wrote: "When I reflect that we’re only halfway through, I do wonder how this will hold my interest."

If it makes you feel a wee bit better, my Kindle indicates the book as 61% finished at ..."

Maybe it was the author’s intention to deliberately introduce annoying repetition leading to interminable boredom as one of the ‘The Sorrows of Satan.’😀

I was also thinking about the emerald serpent. Could it be unleashed as the green-eyed monster that consumes Tempest with jealousy?
(From - Othello)
‘ O, beware, my lord, of jealousy;
It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock
The meat it feeds on; that cuckold lives in bliss
Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger;
But, O, what damned minutes tells he o'er
Who dotes, yet doubts, suspects, yet strongly loves!

Tempest is so smitten with Sybil and Lucio that I think he would be jealous of Sybil, not the the reverse.

I thought mainly of the serpent in the Garden of Eden, a symbol of temptation and of physical lust.

I felt that Lucio was taking possession of Sybil by giving her the serpent belt-which is an unusual wedding present from another man to a bride.

Certainly a phallic image to encircle her with! Of course she loves it, while she has no attraction to Tempest.

Detlef wrote: "The story has similarities to Oscar Wilde, the Faust legend, some tales of E.T.A. Hoffmann Which I recently started reading - quite fascinating)."

During the party, I was also reminded of Masque of the Red Death by Poe, though maybe more of the film with Vincent Price (imagine him playing Lucio!) than of the original story.

I'm still enjoying the imagery and agree with everyone above. It disturbs me a bit that all of the "imps" are described as "dark" or foreign-looking while Mavis Clare, the angelic figure, is blonde with blue eyes, but I suppose that's to be expected from a story from this era, though I'd expect a storyteller of today to do better.

The serpent belt took me back to the garden of Eden, too. Sybil as Eve with downfall for her and Tempest. Her abrupt learning to love and Lucio’s previous promise to Tempest that Tempest would have her, make me wonder if Sybil’s new ability came from a pact she’s made.

Lucio is quite a character - an evil person with regret. Yet all those tableaus were him showing society, or man, in general the corruption that exists.

Oh yes, the tableaus are an interesting facet.