English 015 - Americans Abroad
Sentiment of Rome
Sentiment of Rome
Category: 1E: Twain, James, Wharton | Karen Tang
In Henry James’s Daisy Miller and Edith Wharton’s Roman Fever, we see American women struggling to find a mentally secure place in Rome. Rome, an unfamiliar land, has stimulated fear and uncertainty in the American women. The familiar people, food, language, and values have all vanished. They feel disconnected to the environment, and thus, have a stronger need to acquire security. The disconnection magnifies their urge to seek comfort. This urge is so strong that instead of staying in the moral boundaries, they lose their sense of rationality and cross their moral limits. In order to gain security, they step out of morality. Is there something about Rome that contributes to this fact? What irrational or immoral acts do Daisy, Mrs. Slade, and Mrs. Ansley commit to gain security in Rome?
In Daisy Miller, Daisy acquires comfort and security by being the center of attention, often in the focus of men. “I’m very fond of society and I’ve always had plenty of it…I’ve always had…a great deal of gentlemen’s society” (p.14). By being valued by other men, Daisy feels her importance, and thus, gains security, however, this security is gained by crossing the moral limits according to Roman standards, and even American standards. “...Winterbourne remembered to have heard is pretty cousins in New York, the daughters of this lady’s two daughters, called ‘tremendous flirts.’ If therefore Miss Daisy Miller exceeded the liberal license allowed to these young women it was probable she did go even by the American allowance rather far” (p.23). Why is Daisy willing to sacrifice her reputation and, in the foreigners’ eyes, her morality to gain mental security? It is because she doesn’t believe that the Italians care what she does. Daisy says, “Of course I care to know!...But I don’t’ believe a word of it. They’re only pretending to be shocked. They don’t really care a straw what I do…” (p. 72). The disconnection she feels with the Italians makes her insensitive towards the surroundings; further more, she does not care about their opinions as much as she might have cared about Americans’ opinions if she were in America.
“Flirting with any man she can pick up; sitting in corners with mysterious Italians; dancing all the evening with the same partners; receiving visits at eleven o’clock at night…” (p. 55) Even with American standards, Daisy is considered too wild. Not only is the fact that being at a foreign country contributes to the wild behavior, but also because of the Italian men’s behaviors, and in particular, Mr. Giovanelli’s. “…She goes around everywhere; she has made a great number of acquaintances…I must say they’ve all been very sweet—they’ve taken her right in. And then she knows a great many gentlemen. Oh she thinks there’s nothing like Rome. Of course it’s a great deal pleasanter for a young lady if she knows plenty of gentlemen” (p.44). The Italian men treasure Daisy and follow her wills not only because of her beauty, but also of her bold behavior. She is “extraordinarily communicative,” (p.15) and “the most amiable,” (p.80), qualities a more conservative Italian woman would not have. Being with her, the Italians need not worry too much about protecting her reputation, because they assume that, as an American flirtatious lady, Daisy herself wouldn’t care too much. Mr. Giovanelli, especially, is partly guilty for accompanying Daisy all around and not seemingly to care too much about Daisy’s reputation. For example, when Mrs. Walker pleads Daisy to come in the carriage and indicates Daisy’s improper behavior, Mr. Giovanelli’s reaction was “bowing to and fro, rubbing down his gloves and laughing irresponsibly…” (p.53). The also flirtatious act of the Italian men enhances Daisy’s bold behavior and thus, makes her even more improper.
In Roman Fever, the romance, beauty, and adventure in Rome blind the girls. “Moonlight—moonlight! What a part it still plays. Do you suppose they’re as sentimental as we were?” (p.751). The “outspread glories of the Palatine and the Forum,” the Palatine—the “most beautiful view in the world,” the romantic side of the ruins, and the enchanting moonlight all enhance the sentiment of Rome. This sentiment catalyzes the girls’ senses to gain support and comfort.
Mrs. Slade, for example, takes an immoral approach to gain security. As the loneliness increases in a foreign land, Rome, she desperately holds on to her fiancé, causing her to secretly come up with an ill-willed strategy. “I knew you were in love with Delphin—and I was afraid; afraid of you, of your quiet ways, your sweetness…I wanted you out of the way, that’s all. Just for a few weeks; just till I was sure of him. So in a blind fury I wrote that letter…” (p.759). The special Colosseum, the cold weather, and the story about Mrs. Ansley’s great-aunt sending her younger sister out to the Forum contribute to Mrs. Slade’s strategy. “There’s no more Roman fever but the Forum is deathly cold after sunset—especially after a hot day. And the Colosseum’s even colder and damper” (p.757). The unique factors of Rome enable Mrs. Slade to carry out a plan that would not have worked if they were in another country.
On the other hand, Mrs. Ansley crosses the moral limits by sneaking out at night to meet with her best friend’s fiancé.
“…But I was the girl he was engaged to. Did you happen to remember that?”
“I’m not trying to excuse myself…I remembered.”
“And still you went?”
“Still I went.” (p.759)
Why does Mrs. Ansley, knowing that it is wrong, still go to the date? The romantic side of Rome emphasizes the importance and illusion of romance; the pursuit of love then becomes on top of everything, including morality. The place where the meeting was, the Colosseum, also had a special meaning: “Lovers met there who couldn’t meet elsewhere…” (p.757) Mrs. Ansley, in love with Mrs. Slade’s fiancé, takes this bet to see if she could win the man. If she does, she would gain love—mental security. That is her motivation of committing the act.
The revealing of the truths by Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley in the end of the story is irrational. Both of them have concealed the secrets for more than ten years; why have they chosen to reveal them? Further more, why have they revealed them in Rome instead of in New York? The old memories and the ancient beauty in Rome make the American women sentimental and once again lose their sense of rationality. “…It’s so lovely here; and so full of old memories” (p.754). “Her gaze turned toward the Colosseum. Already its golden flank was drowned in purple shadow, and above it the sky curved crystal clear, without light or colour. It was the moment when afternoon and evening hang balanced in mid-heaven” (p.756). The sunset and the Colosseum, both in front of Mrs. Slade, remind her of Mrs. Ansley’s illness and the letter Mrs. Slade forged more than ten years ago. It makes sense now that after all those years living across from each other in New York, Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley didn’t reveal the truths to each other at all. Rome is the place of where things began, and will be the place of where things end. This time, the American women’s irrational acts were an effort to gain another kind of mental security—the peace of one’s mind.
“…I don’t know why I’m telling you now.”
“I suppose …it’s because you’ve always gone on hating me.”
“Perhaps. Or because I wanted to get the whole thing off my mind” (p.759).
Mrs. Slade, knowing that Mrs. Ansley had gone to the date, has always hated her for that; finally, at Rome, she breaks out: “… I simply can’t bear it any longer—! ” (p.758) She wants peace in her mind. She wants to reveal her guilt of forging the letter; she wants to accuse Mrs. Ansley loudly. After all those years, the American women still couldn’t escape the sentimental net Rome spread on their minds.
Daisy, Mrs. Slade, and Mrs. Ansley use different approaches to acquire security. What kinds of actions they choose depend a lot not only on their nature, but also on the unique qualities of Rome. Certain facts about Rome let the American women lose rationality and step out of the moral boundaries to gain security and comfort; however, does Rome also contribute a lot to the fact that Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley end up living ruined lives, and Daisy ends up miserably in the grave?
Posted by ktang on October 07, 2003 at 12:21 PM