The Classics discussion

Are they two sides of the same coin?

Intersting question, duckthief (love that nick!). they were definitely quite similar to me - they both seem to be rather weak and psychologically instable (i think it's not a big surprise that Laura was kept in the asylum instead of Ann - not only did they look really alike, but they came across as being rather dependant personalities). The biggest difference was the way they grew up: Laura had her strong and intelligend, down-to-earth sister to rely on, she lived the life of a protected rich lady, while poor Ann was abandoned by her hateful mother and grew up without knowing much love or care (except for the admired mother of Laura). Maybe Collins wanted to show how different upbringing can shape people with similar dispositions and bring out either the best or worst?

SPOILERS!!!

Makes you think the Fairlies' were just a weak strain weren't they? Hopefully young Walter will be better! I spent a lot of time early on wondering if Ann was really that mad or had just been incarcerated as a means of control. Later, I became convinced for the most part she was but I'm still not sure she really needed asylum. They were both weak and Ann would certainly have been better off if she had been cosseted the same way Laura was. And, in the same way, would Laura's weakness have shown itself had the conspiracy not happened? The reveal on their blood relations really surprised me while reading, but, in retrospect, I thought I could have seen that coming.

Peaktopeak wrote: "SPOILERS!!!

Makes you think the Fairlies' were just a weak strain weren't they? Hopefully young Walter will be better! I spent a lot of time early on wondering if Ann was really that mad or had ju..."

good thougths! also Laura's uncle is quite a weak and hypochondric character, even though i think he's more cultivating his nervous temper as an excuse for not participating in life and living in his own reclused artsy world with his poor servants catering to his every wish and enduring his tempers. he drove me quite mad for not caring at all about the young women he had taken under his care.....

I think that Collins - who, just like Dickens, was quite critical of social drawbacks - wanted to show how fast one was kept locked away in an asylum. Ann was slightly confused, but mad? As you pointed out, also Laura showed signs of depression and confusion AFTER her stay in the asylum and probably most of us would.

But even before and afterwards, she showed little common sense and - a little bit like her uncle - depends on her sister and the love she's inspired in Walter Hartright. In the last part of the book, i wondered if she really believed she was helping with sustaining the three of them when living in London by her poor little drawings or if she preferred not to know anything about the real state of things and leaving the real work, scheming and managing to Marian and her husband.

Yes, the uncle does contribute to the theme doesn't he? I was very frustrated with him too. [Everybody so gullible when it comes to the Count!!:] At the last, for the most part, I thought she really believed and I was a little mad at Walter and Marian for manipulating her in that way. I would think there were some things she could have done without their completely lying to her. But then I agreed that he probably shouldn't tell her everything about what he was doing and why. Oh, the complicated web we weave!

In some way it was a perfect polygamous relationship the three of them - Walter, Marian and Laura - had established in London, wasn't it? It seems to be an idea Collins really appreciated as he himself lived with to women in a kind of ménage-à-trois for a long time........The ugly sister caters to Walter's intelligence, she runs the household and is a reasonable and witty conversationalist, while Laura appeals to his "manly" instincts - she needs protection, is sweet and lovely......every man's dream, isn't it?

Right, I caught that from my skim of the Introduction - although they were separate households, I think? It is back at the library so I can't look. Definitely the dream for some - cause, you know, a woman can't be reasonable, witty, sweet, and lovely all at the same time ;-)

No, of course not.....;- why do men think they deserve all this?!? well, sometimes i'd probably appreciate more than one man to cater to my each and every whim as well, but in the end monogamous relationships are just more practicable for me.

seems as if Collins was living with this lady here: http://www.wilkie-collins.info/images...
when he met Martha Rudd: http://www.wilkie-collins.info/family...

at the beginning, the first one (Caroline Graves) got fed up with him and his having a mistress and she decided to get married to someone else, but later left her husband and got back to Collins who kept sharing his life between two households until he died. He even left his goods to both women in equal terms in his testament.........