Sexual Tension
To fully understand how DARING this novel is from the outset, you need to remember two things:
- It was written in 1848, 11 years into the reign of Queen Victoria. The Victorian era is famous for its prudishness , and society regarded anything sexual as completely TABOO. This would have included any outward displays of sexual attraction.
- It was written by a WOMAN, who was completely aware of the anger she would incur from society for daring to do what should only be done by a man (i.e. write novels) - so much so that, like her sisters, she wrote under a pseudonym, Acton Bell.
And then there is his fascination with the widow, Mrs Graham. From the very first moment he hears about her, he is captivated. He goes, effectively, to spy on her in her new home as he rides on the moor. He stares at her quite blatantly, trying to flirt with her in church - in church, of all places! It seems to me that, on the one hand, Gilbert is trying his hardest to 'behave himself' with two, separate, young women; but, on the other hand, he can only just about control himself with either of them.
12 comments:
I think that the main character did actually truly like Eliza at first but as soon as Helen moved into wildfell hall he was captivated by her mysterious personality and striking looks.I think the more he and Helen flirt suttley the more helen will find him attractive as much as her finds her attractive. I also think that later on in the story he might forget about Eliza.
Also, Elizas father disagrees with any form of contact with the opposite sex, when Eliza and the main character are dancing, he twirls her around and her father objected to it very much.
I hope Helen and the main character(i forgot his name) have a secret affair because i think that will make the story a whole lot more interesting.
I just wanted to say this is EXACTLY the type of comment I hoped to see on this blog. It's thoughtful, considered, intelligent, and showing a genuine engagement with the text. And you refer to examples from the text too. Fantastic! :)
yay!
I think Helen is really weird, she likes to keep her self to her self and she has weird views on parenting. Shes an over protective women and it seems like she doesnt like Gilbert very much... or is that just me? I think shes insecure =/ and lonely and yeah it would be kool if her and gilbert had an affair xD
OOOH! Its like in all the movies! You know when the woman and the man dont like each other very much at first but then they fall madly in love and live together hapily ever after. But I dont think this book will have a happy ending
I think she's overprotective because she wants the best for her child and doesn't want him to grow up like his father.I also think it would be really cool if Helen and Gilbert had an affair
Well, Mrs Graham is obviously doubting something...She doesn't want her child to do badly in life, maybe because something happend to her and she's become over protective because of that? But do we know who the father is yet? So then how will we know what she is hiding, until we know about her past???
I think that all of this will be revieled in the rest of the chapters...
Mrs graham is really mysterious and keeps everything too secret. Maybe she is already having an affair? With a mystery character? Who was that guy in the picture she drawed that she didnt like gilbert seeing? Was that her husband or was that maybe a mystery guy who she likes? lol everyone wants an affair to happen.
Also they talk to each other SOOO openly like, na i am not going marry her. Or yh i like her and i might get married to her lol nowadays we keep our thoughts to outselves. It must have been a lot different then. (or is it just me?)
No i didnt say it was a BAD thing. I was just saying. hehe
i also think that mrs graham is a very secretive person . it kind o leaves her in suspition who is the real mrs graham? what is she hiding?
i also think that mrs graham is a very secretive person . it kind of leaves us in suspition who is the real mrs graham? what is she hiding?
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