Wilkie Collins’ Victorian sensation novel opens with several, for lack of a better word, strange events: the near-drowning of a small Italian man, an eerie encounter with an escapee from an asylum, and (in my opinion, most shockingly) a woman with a mustache. The protagonist, Walter is immediately taken aback by this mustache woman, Marian Halcombe, internally exclaiming “the lady is ugly!”(Collins 34). Walter also notes that, while she does possess a beautiful figure, she also “ha[s] a large, firm, masculine mouth and jaw; prominent, piercing, resolute brown eyes; and thick, coal-black hair, growing unusually low down on her forehead”(Collins 35). She, juxtaposed with the beautiful and demure Laura Fairlie, is a complete contradiction to the typical Victorian standards of beauty. Laura is the embodiment of beauty in the eyes of Walter (and a presumably Victorian audience): she is demure, submissive, and fair.
Marian and Laura are polar opposites not only in appearance, but in personality as well. While Laura is submissive and reserved, Marian is outspoken and dominant. Mr. Fairlie, the supposed master of the house, much prefers polishing his coin collection to taking care of his family, thus the responsibility falls to Marian. Throughout the novel, she is constantly critiquing and refusing to conform to gender norms, at one point even claiming that she “[doesn’t] think much of [her] own sex”(Collins 36). Despite being presented as such a stark contrast to the ideal Victorian woman she is still, I think, one of the most likable characters in the novel. Unlike the lovesick Walter; the daft Laura, the weak Mr.Fairlie; and the incredibly passive Mrs. Vesey; Marian is smart, capable, determined, and takes care of everyone else in the house. She has informed, intelligent opinions on various matters, such as Laura’s upcoming marriage to Sir Percvial Glyde, and is not afraid to share them.
Perhaps this is just my modern perspective on the novel and could completely contradict the author’s message, however, I believe that the character of Marian Halcombe serves as a critique of Victorian ideals. She is a complete contrast to Victorian ideals, however, is still the character that (at least so far in the novel) is in the most control of her own destiny and seems to be much better off than everyone else. Because she is not afraid to speak her mind and pursue her goals, something that Victorian women were not necessarily encouraged to do, she is one of the most well-liked characters in the novel (at least to me). Her refusal to conform to the pressures of her surrounding society, and her ability to thrive doing so, could suggest that a deviance from Victorian social norms is not necessarily detrimental.
This blog was very similar to millerlp’s article “Walter’s First Encounter With Laura and Marian- Gender, Whiteness, and Class”. Both blogs talk about the contrasts we see in the appearances of Marian and Laura, and how Laura is a representation of the standard Victorian beauty. Both of the blogs also suggest the idea that by making Marian ugly (or more masculine looking) and yet intelligent, Collins was critiquing how much beauty mattered in the Victorian Period. This idea had never crossed my mind, and now I am very intrigued by it. It is interesting that Collins made Marian a likable character, even though she strays so far from the Victorian idea of what a woman should be. Also, if Laura’s femininity is what attracts Walter, how come he isn’t attracted to Anne, who looks almost identical?
This post was intriguing because it evaluates Marian’s masculinity as Collins’s way of combatting Victorian customs and values. However, I wonder if Marian’s ugliness is what nourishes her power. If this is the case, then any feminine creature in the Victorian Era automatically forfeits her strength and her rights because of her beauty and desirability. Since Marian is as desirable as an uncooked summer squash, she has the agency to make smart decisions and to speak freely. In this instance, I believe that Collins is not resisting Victorian conventions, but rather he is conforming to them. Marian can only have free reign if she possesses masculine traits. Therefore, Collins is establishing the guise that only women who are manly can acquire the power within the patriarchy.
I found your argument quite interesting since it was similar to my points in my blog post, “Wilkie Collins: Sexist or Feminist?” I also believe that Marian Halcombe is a well liked character due to her bold and outgoing actions. I therefore argued that Wilkie Collins advocated for women’s rights through the use of the character Marian Halcombe. By having her being the opposite of the stereotypical Victorian woman such as Laura Fairlie, readers are able to grow fond of Marian and thus take note of her capability as a strong independent woman.