The Old Curiosity Club discussion
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
>
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall--Chapters 8-12
date
newest »
newest »
Chapter 10: “A Contract and a Quarrel”: It’s interesting to me that Rose and Mrs. Markham are holdouts in condemning Helen by rumor, though Mrs. Markham is finding it a challenge. Good for them. Gilbert can’t handle all the speculation and heads off to make an outright romantic overture to Helen, and the “contract” in the chapter title is that she rebuffs him and allows him to continue as her friend only on condition that he never woo her again: if he does, “our intimacy is over.” I feel for Helen, who clearly has feelings for Gilbert, and clearly also has some Deep Dark Secret she can’t share with him. Although I also find it annoying. Just tell him, Helen. How hard can it be?Now for the “quarrel”: as he leaves Wildfell Hall, Gilbert gets into a dispute with Lawrence, who is arriving—and who won’t explain the “mystery” of his visits to Helen. So much evasiveness! So much prolonging of the plot! Anyway, Gilbert and Lawrence are on the edge of fisticuffs when they are interrupted by the vicar, who tells Gilbert that Helen is “not worth it.”
Ouch! Fair enough, if your lady-love seems to be carrying on with other men and won’t tell you why—I don’t know, I’m inclined to agree that it’s not worth it: she’s not prioritizing you. But it’s easier to feel sympathy for Gilbert, who is sure there is some “mystery” here, than for a town that does seem full of unpleasantly judgmental people, including the vicar. I excuse Poor Eliza a bit for this (Helen took the man she’d hoped was hers), but some of these people are far too old for this nonsense, and I think more highly of the Markhams that they don’t fall for it, especially Rose.
Chapter 11: “The Vicar Again”: Rose may be standing up for Helen, but that doesn’t mean she’s happy to see her brother taking up with her because let’s face it, Helen's situation is suspicious and Rose has sense. I like the Markham women more and more as this book continues. But Gilbert says there need be no fears for Helen’s virtue, even though Helen has told him nothing, because “There is such a thing as looking through a person’s eyes into the heart, and learning more of the height, and breadth, and depth of another’s soul in one hour, than it might take you a life time to discover, if he or she were not disposed to reveal it,--or if you had not the sense to understand it.”What an extraordinary claim! What do you think of it?
One thing this does bring to my mind is the pretext for this book, which is that Gilbert’s friend Halford has made a gesture of intimacy by telling him a confidential story from his past, and now wants Gilbert to return the favor. That’s a very cumbersome kind of exchange compared to looking straight through a person’s eyes into the heart, and I find it interesting that this book is playing around with such different modes of connection and interpersonal revelation.
Anyway, the vicar has been off scolding Helen, and when he tells Gilbert this, Gilbert does what he has done previously when people talk down Helen, which is to go visit Helen again. The man’s a goner.
Chapter 11: “A Tete-a-tete and a Discovery”: Gilbert indirectly proposes to Helen (“give me the right to identify your honour with my own”), and she agrees not to marry him but to tell him her deep dark secret the next day on the moor. She begs him to leave and sobs as he goes out the door. Instead of properly leaving, he returns and finds her walking around in the garden and talking with Lawrence about leaving town. Lawrence says “I cannot consent to lose you: I must go with you, or come to you.”Uh oh.
But really, what is happening??? Gilbert thinks he knows what is happening: maybe looking deeply into somebody’s eyes is not the character reference he thought it was, and instead he finds “my angel not my angel, and my friend a fiend incarnate.” I don’t think Rose would talk about Helen that way, Gilbert!
I can’t believe Gilbert is right, because that would be a highly unconventional twist to the plotting of this brewing romance. Is Lawrence Helen’s brother? Or some other helpful male relative or guardian? Then why wouldn’t he tell an obviously-suffering Gilbert that his connection to Helen is platonic? Not to mention keeping the entire town from making Lawrence's visits to Helen further cause for speculation.
I’m so confused.
Mod
Unlike Dickens’s novels, Tenant of Wildfell Hall wasn’t published serially, so I chose these chapter divisions randomly, aiming for approximately the same number of pages per week. So..."
Chapters 8 & 9
Gilbert is certainly falling hard for Helen. His hustling over to Wildfell Hall with the book is rather school-boyish, and yet the action fits comfortably into the rhythm of the novel. There are two events that I find of special interest in chapter 8. There must be more to Helen’s love and talent as a painter still to come. She does both landscapes and portraits and excels at both. What are we to read into and discover, if anything? I keep waiting for more “hints.” The second event is Vilbert’s constantly increasing friendship with Helen’s son. A book for Helen a puppy for her son.
Chapter 9 gives us yet another dinner party. For a lonely space the neighbours do seem to keep busy eating. Not only eating, but in this chapter it seems that gossip about Helen is also on the menu. Bronte keeps the reader from learning too many specifics, and that just increases our interest.
Is Gilbert rude to abandon his guests for a solitary stroll in the garden? Predictably, along comes Helen and her son. Her son sits between Helen and Gilbert. Is this meant to suggest the separation between them or meant to suggest that it will be her son who brings them closer together?
Well, along comes Lawrence into the garden. Now, let me pause and speculate. Is Lawrence meant to be the snake in the garden? I think we would agree he is. Does this mean he is, could, will, or be able to bring ruin to Gilbert and Helen? I doubt it, but - to me anyway - I see as Julie suggests - the battle lines being clearly drawn between these two men. A potential major conflict is brewing.
Peter wrote: "Julie wrote: "Chapters 8-12Unlike Dickens’s novels, Tenant of Wildfell Hall wasn’t published serially, so I chose these chapter divisions randomly, aiming for approximately the same number of page..."
I wasn't seeing Lawrence as the snake, but now that you mention it, it does fit well--garden and all!
Forgive my late, and probably short, response this week. We had our annual family weekend in conjunction with our town's annual fall festival, and I'm still recovering from having five extra people in the house to feed and entertain. We had a great time, but even the dogs are exhausted. Well, we've finally learned that Mrs. G's Christian name is Helen. I was beginning to wonder if we were going to have another Mrs. De Winter situation. Helen seems much too strong a woman to not have an identity of her own.
I was infuriated by the way the gossips dance around the rumors they were spreading. It was Rose, I believe, who FINALLY intimated that Mr. Lawrence may be Arthur's father, but it was like pulling teeth to get that much out of her. Was that all there was, or are there other rumors swirling around? What indiscretions, specifically, did the vicar charge her with?
Like Julie, I've speculated that Mr. Lawrence might be Helen's brother. It seems safe to assume that she has been in a relationship with a man, probably Arthur's father, whose excesses have been a trial for her. I've decided it might be more likely for Mr. Lawrence to be her solicitor, representing her in a divorce, or perhaps an ashamed brother-in-law, doing his best to make up for her husband's ill treatment by providing her with a safe house where she won't be found by her ne'er-do-well husband. He's warning Gilbert of, knowing she's still married. Time will tell.
It's obvious to me (until I'm proven wrong) that Arthur is the bridge bringing his mother and Gilbert together. And it's surely working! In Helen's place, if I were to find a man who brings me a book I've wanted, can sit in companionable silence, connects with my children, and gives me a puppy, I'd be putty in his hands!
By the way, I have developed a fondness for Eliza, who is, so far, handling Gilbert's change of heart and rejection with grace and dignity. She reminds me a bit of Flora Finching, without the nervous fluster and crazy aunt-in-law.
Mary Lou wrote: "By the way, I have developed a fondness for Eliza, who is, so far, handling Gilbert's change of heart and rejection with grace and dignity."If only Eliza's father would handle it so well.
Mary Lou wrote: "In Helen's place, if I were to find a man who brings me a book I've wanted, can sit in companionable silence, connects with my children, and gives me a puppy, I'd be putty in his hands!"Really what more could anyone want?
Forgot to mention my admiration for Mary, Eliza's sister, who is also quick to dismiss the scandalous gossip. Obviously, Helen's been kind to her, but I also think she's a quiet observer, who probably sees a lot more than those around her. I'll bet if she wanted to gossip about the townspeople, she'd have plenty to say about them all!
Mod
I wonder if Gilbert cooks? ;-)
Mod
Something is indeed brewing between Helen and Lawrence. Why is everyone seemingly in the dark, including the reader? That’s the joy of reading this novel. I like the suggestions of how Lawrence and Helen could be connected.
Gilbert is certainly besotted with Helen. His slamming the door is a bit dramatic, especially when we see how accommodating he is to Helen to be less emotional and involved. But enough is enough. What will Gilbert be capable of in terms of his emotions towards Helen and against his family and the vicar and his former romantic attachments. And what will happen next time Gilbert and Lawrence meet? Will Gilbert do more than hold the reins of Lawrence’s horse?
It's true for all of Gilbert's admirable qualities--book and puppy acquisition, securing nice views to paint--I don't think he's handling this well at all. And I guess I should be more accommodating about the soul-gazing connection he believes he has to Helen (especially when there are signs that she returns his interest), but I can't help feeling he is being extremely self-indulgent. Sure it's hard when it turns out your angel is not your angel--but maybe don't make people into angels, then. I am curious about whether this book can shift Helen out of angel-fiend and into being a person. I expect we will eventually learn she's a victim of Arthur's father, and whatever happened to her is not primarily her fault. But most of us get into the trouble we get into for a reason. I don't know, maybe that doesn't hold for Victorian women when there was so much pressure to think being handed passively from father to husband was the proper course of events. I guess we'll find out.
Mod
Yes, I share your confusion over Gilbert and his over wrought emotions. His antics (what else can they be called) after he returns to Wildfell, spies on Helen, sees her with Lawrence and then goes into his dramatics is a bit too much. This chapter suggests to me that Lawrence is not a love interest to Helen but how he does fit into narrative I have no idea.
When Gilbert returns home we have his mother confirm to the reader how upset he is. I hope we get a revelation soon. Gilbert’s activities puts him into the category of a lurker and a peeper as much as a distraught lover.
Perhaps I am too harsh but the relationship between Cathy and Heathcliff worked much better for me.
Gilbert has gone from smitten to obsessed. Going back to peek at Helen through the windows crossed a line. He got what he deserved, in a way. It's like reading something bad about yourself in someone's diary. Being nosy never pays. Why couldn't Helen just tell him her deep dark secrets then and there? Does she have to get Lawrence's input first? Why? As you said, we need a revelation soon.
Mary Lou wrote: "Why couldn't Helen just tell him her deep dark secrets then and there?"Because that would be too short a story.
I really can't think of another reason, especially because I don't think it's the first time he's asked. She's had time to prepare, if she wanted to.
Unlike Dickens’s novels, Tenant of Wildfell Hall wasn’t published serially, so I chose these chapter divisions randomly, aiming for approximately the same number of pages per week. So it’s kind of a surprise to me that this week’s set of chapters seems to fall neatly into a theme: Gilbert is in love, and the object of his affection—Mrs. Graham (now Helen to our narrator)—is taking a hit to her reputation. Some chapter summaries and speculations:
Chapter 8: “The Present”: Gilbert brings Helen a book and manages to persuade her that it’s ok to take it as a gift, even though Helen would rather pay for it so she won’t “put myself under obligations that I can never repay.” Gilbert is not so great at taking hints, but don’t worry—he’ll get another warning in the next chapter.
Chapter 9: “A Snake in the Grass”: what an exciting chapter title! But it doesn’t seem like there’s any particular person designated as a snake: only pretty much everyone in town talking suspicion of Helen’s virtue. Is the snake maybe Mr. Lawrence, who warns Gilbert about Helen: “if you have any designs in that quarter they will certainly fail.” Gilbert then calls him a hypocrite (suspecting, not for the first time) that Lawrence himself has designs, and on seeing Lawrence’s reaction, Gilbert notes, “I had wounded him to the quick; and I was glad of it.” This is spiteful of Gilbert, yes? He is in love, sure, and jealous, sure—but he isn’t just wanting to drive his rival off: he wants to hurt him. My take is that Gilbert is insecure because Helen is keeping him at a distance. But I also wonder: how reliable is Gilbert as a narrator here? Has he really wounded Lawrence, or is Lawrence just angry because he knows something he can’t tell Gilbert except through hints, and Gilbert responds to his help by insulting him?