Category: 2023 Blog Post

“I’ve heard tell of a murder that was done here in old times.” “There are murders enough in these times, as to that, Luke,”

 

This is one of my favorite lines in the whole book so far. I loved it the first time I encountered it, and I love it even more now. I’ve always loved how creepy and atmospheric it is, but now I realize it sets up foreshadowing, to the murders going on in the countryside, which were alluded to(which I believe Lady Audley has something to do with). The double use of the word “times” shows repetition, as well as the double use of murder. The use of repetition shows how one character is correcting the other, by having her repeat his same words back to him. It also adds to the character of the house itself, by providing some potential backstory or foreshadowing for something to come, like a new murder that will happen in these times. It also makes you curious what Phoebe knows about the house to make her say this. She could also just be going off urban legends, which is another interesting question about the lore of the house before the novel began. I also love how easily I can see this playing out. Them being in some creepy old dark passage only lit by candles whispering ghost stories to each other. To me this line is just peak gothic literature, and I love it so much. 

 

What I’m trying to say here is that these lines are creepy and vibey which is everything an amazing piece of gothic fiction should be. 

 

 

Rocco DiRico

ENGL 101

Blog #1

“Why do I go on with this,” he said, “when I know that it is leading me, step by step, day by day, hour by hour, nearer to that conclusion which, of all others, I should avoid? … Should I be justified in letting the chain which I have slowly put together, link by link, drop at this point, or must I go on adding fresh links to that fatal chain until the last rivet drops into its place and the circle is complete? I think, and I believe, that I shall never see my friend’s face again; and that no exertion of mine can ever be of any benefit to him. In plainer, crueler words I believe him to be dead. Am I bound to discover how and where he died? or being, as I think, on the road to that discovery, shall I do a wrong to the memory of George Talboys by turning back or stopping still? What am I to do?—what am I to do” (Braddon Chapter 19).

I decided to closely read an excerpt from Chapter 19 of this novel. The first thing that stood out to me was the periodic repetition in Robert’s words. He uses phrases such as “day by day” and “hour by hour”. This amplifies how tired and disheartened he feels throughout the tedious journey of searching for George. Yet, throughout the novel as a whole, Robert continues to look for George Talboys! I feel like at this moment, Mary Braddon’s dramatic use of repetition complemented by Robert’s commitment to find his friend displays how genuine of a character he is. 

Also, I noticed Mary Braddon’s phrasing technique in this passage was quite interesting. Technically, Robert is talking to Mrs. Maloney, but is he really? He asks contradictory questions like, “Am I bound to discover how and where he died? or being, as I think, on the road to that discovery, shall I do a wrong to the memory of George Talboys by turning back or stopping still” (Braddon Chapter 19). He uses the word “bound” which has a connotation of being placed under legal or moral restraint or obligation. This phrasing makes it evident Robert is unsure of what he should do. Should he stop searching or keep going?

Looking at other specific words, Robert uses the words fatal, crueler, and never. All of these words depict his dark and pessimistic tone. On a broader note, this behavior/tone somewhat foreshadows, or simply portrays, his inability to trust people for the remainder of the novel (e.g. he becomes sketchy about Lady Audley after seeing her handwriting on one of the three inscriptions from George’s trunk of belongings).

“A sudden change came over Lady Audley’s face; the pretty roseate flush faded out from her cheeks, and left them waxen white, and angry flashes lightened in her blue eyes” (Braddon 123).

Here, there is slight repetition that draws attention to the drastic change that causes Lady Audley to go from lovely to shocked and angry. Our attention is meant to be drawn to this change because it demonstrates that Lady Audley has become the opposite of her usual self. She goes from having a “pretty roseate flush” to being “waxen white” with “angry flashes” in her eyes. This can signal that Lady Audley is either behaving unlike herself, or that she has indeed revealed her true colors that she has been hiding all along behind a demure countenance. 

Lady Audley’s sudden change from beautiful to somewhat insidious inverts our traditional or stereotypical understanding of what it means to be “monstrous.” Essentially, Lady Audley is becoming (or, more likely, has been all along) something of a monster because her wickedness resides within her core as opposed to being right on the surface. This inversion of our typical ideas surrounding “monstrosity” adds to the sensational aspects of this novel because it shows that evil can live in even the most beautiful and charming aspects of our daily or domestic lives. The fact that this evil is not revealed all at once, but rather by slowly peeling away layers of Lady Audley’s lovely facade creates added suspense and serves to make the novel all the more titillating. 

“We hear everyday of murders committed in the country. Brutal and treacherous murders; slow, protracted agonies from poisons administered by some kindred hand; sudden and violent deaths by cruel blows, inflicted with a stake cut from spreading oak whos every shadow promised peace” (51). 

In class, we talked about the narrator possibly being Robert, and if that’s true, he seems like he put a lot of thought into this. He seems like he is going to or has committed a murder in the country in the past; if he has, he is describing what exactly he did word for word, therefore exposing himself. He comes off as a kind-ish person until he gets angry, which is where the “cruel blows” line could come from. Yet the first line suggests that even in anger, there is some enjoyment in the very act of murdering someone, almost like the art of it via describing the process. Furthermore, the repeated references to the kind of “sudden and violent deaths” and the different ways that they can be committed showing that he has put thought into the effectiveness of these methods. One section of the quote that attracted my attention was “Protracted agonies from poisons administered by some kindred hand.” If we are going with the idea that Robert is the narrator, he is saying that he has the intention or thought to poison someone, and that person would not expect it because it would be from a “Kindred hand.” Contrasting this, someone dying from a “Stake cut from spreading oak.” indicates his descent into more madness than a cold, calculated, murderous plan. Lastly, I honestly think that the last line shows his regret, that he reflected on either his past brutal endeavors or his dark,  murderous thoughts and how either one frightens him. 

“‘I hate women,’ he thought, savagely. ‘They’re bold, brazen, abominable creatures, invented for the annoyance and destruction of their superiors. Look at this business of poor George’s! It’s all woman’s work from one end to the other. He marries a woman, and his father casts him off penniless and professionless. He hears of the woman’s death and he breaks his heart—his good honest, manly heart, worth a million of the treacherous lumps of self-interest and mercenary calculation which beats in women’s breasts. He goes to a woman’s house and he is never seen alive again. And now I find myself driven into a corner by another woman, of whose existence I had never thought until this day’”(Braddon Chapter 24).

Chapter 24 features a description of Robert Audley’s thought process towards the character of women. The text reads, “‘They’re bold, brazen…”(Braddon Chapter 24), these words portray women at first as being leaders who have no shame in what they do, but shortly following, Robert Audley’s thought process wanders off into adjectives like “abominable creatures”(Braddon Chapter 24) and “annoyance”(Braddon Chapter 24). This shift in diction indicates a conflicting description of the positive and negative attributes that women, according to Robert Audley, possess. Further into the passage is a description of the struggle that women inflict upon men. The text reads, “He hears of the woman’s death and he breaks his heart…”(Braddon Chapter 24). Not only does this describe a struggle between men and women but it targets women as the figures in a man’s life who inflict the most pain. Robert goes on to describe his own conflict with George’s sister. He portrays her as not a human, but instead a trap or obstacle to his everyday life. He feels as though this woman has appeared in his life and he has been stopped in his pursuit of his investigation.
This thought process not only can be used as a comment on Robert Audley’s character, but it is also a potential comment on the time period in which this book was written. The repetitive examples of women impeding on the endeavors of a man illustrates the inevitable gaze of a male. It supposes that the male gaze is the fault of a woman, and when this gaze is caught a man cannot help being caught up in the women which in turn distracts him from his very own life. This has a direct connection to the lustful tendency of men at the time period when it came to women. Helen Talboys’ death affecting George Talboys the way it did is made to seem as if it is her fault for having a grip on him with her love. This example alone sums up the view on women in this book, specifically from Robert Audley’s point-of-view, that women are viewed as mysterious and bold obstacles to the endeavors of men.

Sources Cited:

Quote: “My poor little Alicia,” said Robert, as tenderly as if he had been addressing some spoiled child, “do you suppose that because people don’t wear vinegar tops, or part their hair on the wrong side, or conduct themselves altogether after the manner of well-meaning maniacs, by way of proving the vehemence of their passion—do you suppose because of this, Alicia Audley, that they may not be just as sensible of the merits of a dear little warm-hearted and affectionate girl as ever their neighbors can be? Life is such a very troublesome matter, when all is said and done, that it’s as well even to take its blessings quietly. I don’t make a great howling because I can get good cigars one door from the corner of Chancery Lane, and have a dear, good girl for my cousin; but I am not the less grateful to Providence that it is so” (Braddon Ch. 16).  

The passage is Roberts’s response to Alicia after Alicia mentions her intentions of potentially marrying Sir Harry Towers. The demeaning manner in which Robert addresses Alicia sticks out the most in the passage. The passage explicitly states, “as if he had been addressing some spoiled child” (Braddon Ch. 16). Robert’s attitude is shown by how he addresses Alicia. For example, when he says, “My poor little Alicica”, or “Do you suppose because of this, Alicia Audley,” he treats her the same way a parent would address their child. Roberts’s mannerisms not only show he responded most rudely but also relate to how bad of a detective he is. Throughout the novel, Alicia makes numerous attempts to show Robert her true feelings. Alicia has the chance to marry a wealthy man, but she still wants to be with Robert, and she is giving Robert one more shot. Robert, like many other times throughout the book, has no idea what is really going on. His below-average detective skills do not pick up Alicia’s intentions, so he treats Alicia as no more than his little cousin. It might be crazy, but this passage might show a growing frustration from Robert. Robert has a lot going on in his life, and since his feelings for Alicia are not mutual, he probably feels like Alicia is distracting him in a way. He cares about his cousin but does not want to deal with her drama. Therefore, he grows frustrated with her and does not treat her respectfully. 

Quote: “For the first time in her life, a vague feeling of terror took possession of her. She stood for a few moments, motionless and pale, looking down at the letter in her hand.

 She tried to think, but her mind was a blank. She tried to remember what she had done with the other letters, but she could not. She felt herself losing her self-possession, and with it her courage.” (Braddon Ch. 14)

This passage depicts the fear and anxiety of Lady Audley as she realizes her secret is at risk of being exposed. The repetition of the word “She” is emphasizing the isolation and vulnerability of Lady Audley. Notice that when Lady Audley first finds the letter from her past, she is alone, adding more emphasis on the feeling of isolation. She is not with her husband or any of her friends to turn to for support. The letter from her past has left her completely immobilized with fear and I would argue that this passage is about Lady Audley realizing she is losing control of her life.  The clustering of words such as “fear,” “terror,” and “blank” creates a sense of unease and the fact that Lady Audley cannot remember what she has done with the other letters suggests that she is overwhelmed and not capable of making rational decisions. These patterns and repetitions are common throughout the novel. Lady Audley is a character who is constantly struggling to keep her secrets hidden. The repetition of these words and phrases reflects her inner turmoil and her fear of being exposed.

 

“But by-and-by she started from that rigid attitude almost as abruptly as she had fallen into it. She roused herself from that semi-lethargy. She walked rapidly to her dressing-table, and, seating herself before it, pushed away the litter of golden-stoppered bottles and delicate china essence-boxes, and looked at her reflection in the large, oval glass. She was very pale; but there was no other trace of agitation visible in her girlish face. The lines of her exquisitely molded lips were so beautiful, that it was only a very close observer who could have perceived a certain rigidity that was unusual to them. She saw this herself, and tried to smile away that statue-like immobility: but tonight the rosy lips refused to obey her; they were firmly locked, and were no longer the slaves of her will and pleasure. All the latent forces of her character concentrated themselves in this one feature. She might command her eyes, but she could not control the muscles of her mouth. She rose from before her dressing-table, and took a dark velvet cloak and bonnet from the recesses of her wardrobe, and dressed herself for walking. The little ormolu clock on the chimneypiece struck the quarter after eleven while Lady Audley was employed in this manner; five minutes afterward she re-entered the room in which she had left Phoebe Marks. “(Braddon, ch.32)

 

It is interesting to me how the author use repeating of actions involving the mirror serves as a significant pattern in this passage. Lady Audley’s movement from the rigid attitude to the dressing-table mirror signifies a pivotal moment of self-reflection. This reflection is even more highlighted by her movement “ pushed away the litter of golden-stoppered bottles and delicate china essence-boxes, and looked at her reflection in the large, oval glass”(Braddon.ch.32). The actions can be interpreted as a sense of urgency within Lady Audley to readjust her visage and control her emotions. Also, The mirror becomes a symbol of self-examination and a tool for Lady Audley to confront her true emotions. By pushing away the bottles and boxes, she clears the clutter, both literally and metaphorically, to focus solely on her reflection. Word choices such as “rigidity,” “immobility,” and “firmly locked” highlight the tension within Lady Audley. These words emphasize her struggle to maintain control over her emotions, particularly through her lips, which refuse to obey her will. “obey” ,”slaves”, “commands” are words related to control and constraint underscores her internal conflict, suggesting that her carefully constructed facade is starting to crack. The imagery of the dark velvet cloak and bonnet, coupled with the mention of the time on the clock, creates a sense of secrecy and urgency. Lady Audley’s decision to dress herself for walking at such a late hour hints at hidden motives and a desire to conceal her actions from prying eyes. And what I am trying to convey within this passage is how the reader can sense the urgency and turmoil within Lady Audley which may signifies a heightened action or ending within the next chapters. It could also be said that Lady Audley’s sense of controls over her body parts and may be her own morals are at stake here.

“I’m not a romantic man, Bob,” he would say sometimes, “and I never read a line of poetry in my life that was any more to me than so many words and so much jingle; but a feeling has come over me, since my wife’s death, that I am like a man standing upon a long, low shore, with hideous cliffs frowning down upon him from behind, and the rising tide crawling slowly but surely about his feet. It seems to grow nearer and nearer every day, that black, pitiless tide; not rushing upon me with a great noise and a mighty impetus, but crawling, creeping, stealing, gliding toward me, ready to close in above my head when I am least prepared for the end.” (Braddon Ch. 8)

Something that really stood out to me in this passage was the imagery. The line “a feeling has come over me, since my wife’s death, that I am like a man standing upon a long, low shore, with hideous cliffs frowning down upon him from behind, and the rising tide crawling slowly but surely about his feet” specifically stood out to me in Braddon’s word choice. Instead of just saying that George is upset and sad, she uses this very strong and descriptive language. In a sense, it makes the reader have a deeper sorrow for him in dealing with a loss, while also continuing to set a dark and grim tone for the story. While there is no clear repetition in this line, I find this to be a common theme in Braddon’s writing. Instead of just saying that George is upset, or Robert loves someone or something, Braddon often goes into length using descriptive language either tell the reader something, or more importantly allude to something. In this specific passage, initially I didn’t think much of the lengthened description of George’s feelings, however as I read on, I now see that this could have foreshadowed George’s disappearance, specifically what is mentioned in the last line of this passage referencing “prepared for the end”. In this way, the passage is related to the novel by serving as a narrative device, or motif, that suggests that there may be impending doom or tragedy lurking beneath the surface. This vivid descriptive language prompted me to continue to ask the question “So What?”. This constantly has me trying to uncover the hidden motives and dark truths behind Lady Audley’s façade and question the significance of these descriptions and their role in unraveling the central mystery.

Within chapter 13 Robert describes his first depressive episode regarding the disappearance of George when he says, “He sat for hours smoking and thinking – troubled and gloomy thoughts, leaving a dark shadow upon his moody face, which neither the brilliant light of the gas nor the red blaze of the fire could dispel” (Braddon, 99).  This quote first serves to intricately describe the grief Robert is feeling after George’s disappearance. The sentence begins with different sentiments which describe what Robert is feeling in a vague manner and evolves into a spiral of how his mind is devolving into chaos with the concerns of not having his closest companion. The binaries which compare light and dark, contrast the stark difference between hope and despair. Robert is perched with a “dark shadow upon his moody face” which reveals the anguish and depth of the emotions he is feeling (Braddon, 99). The same can be said for the binary between troubled and brilliant. This passage holds a melancholy tone based off the related words like; ‘troubled’, ‘gloomy’, and ‘moody’. It also the reader to gain empathy for Robert earlier and as the novel moves through Robert’s character becomes more disliked. It is possible the reader is meant to feel bad for hating Robert at the end of the novel and the author wants the reader to think back to moments like this where Robert is just a person who is grieving a loss of a friend. The close reading passage chosen exemplifies the madness that is in the novel, specifically Roberts.