"Roman Fever" by Edith Wharton
"Roman Fever"
Read and comment by mid-week. Respond to a classmate's post before Friday morning.
(If you see any rhetorical strategies at work, point them out.)
Read and comment by mid-week. Respond to a classmate's post before Friday morning.
(If you see any rhetorical strategies at work, point them out.)
The story uses a lot of reflection throughout as these two older women think back on when they were younger. The fact that it does this provides characterization for the characters since they seem to live in the past, and they are often comparing the present to the past. For instance, each woman compares their friend to their daughter. There's also a paragraph that uses anaphora by repeating the words "to our" at the beginning of each phrase as it compares what each generation thought of Rome (Wharton 5). This story also uses quite a bit of foreshadowing to hint at the fact that Mrs. Ansley had a child with Mr. Slade. The story sets this up through the characters' reflections and thoughts of each other. While Mrs. Slade is envious of Mrs. Ansley, Mrs. Ansley has "been rather sorry for [Mrs. Slade]" because her life has been "[f]ull of failures and mistakes" (4). This sets up the idea that Mrs. Slade would sometimes act on her jealousy but would ultimately fail causing Mrs. Ansley to feel sorry for her. The fact that Mrs. Ansley's daughter is Mrs. Slade is set up when Mrs. Slade comments that she doesn't know how Mrs. Ansley and her husband had "managed to produce anything quite so dynamic" (6). This idea is further foreshadowed when they discuss a story of Mrs. Ansley's great aunt which involves two women being "in love with the same man," foreshadowing that bothe Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley loved the same man. Eventually, Mrs. Slade, out of her jealousy, reveals that a letter Mrs. Ansley received from Mr. Slade when they were younger which resulted in Mrs. Ansley becoming sick was actually written by her; and for her whole life she thought that Mrs. Ansley got sick while waiting for him. This backfires, however, when Mrs. Ansley reveals that she answered the letter and Mr. Slade showed up which resulted in Barbara Ansley being born. This means that both Mrs. Slade's plan to get Mrs. Ansley sick when they were younger, as well as her attempt to ruin Mrs. Ansley's fond memories, both failed, causing Mrs. Ansley to feel sorry for her. Many hints throughout the story foreshadowed this ending.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the foreshadowing builds the reader's emotions towards the backstory of Mrs. Ansley and Mrs. Slade. Mrs. Ansley's child with Delphin, Barbara, is also compared to Jenny, but Jenny is depicted as perfect while Barbara is seen as more flawed. This shows the cracks in Mr. and Mrs. Slade's relationship. When Ansley said she wrote back, I saw it coming. However, the rising conflict made this story really interesting and enjoyable.
DeleteThroughout the beginning of the story, the terrace of the restaurant is described beautifully with “moonlight” and “diffused serenity.” As a growing conflict arises between Mrs. Ansley and Mrs. Slade, the area around them becomes more dull in appearance. The scenery, when the women part, is now “emptied of its gold.” This shows that the sun going down, through personification, leaves the women with a feeling of emptiness or worthlessness due to their friendship reaching a breaking point. The positive to negative shift in diction highlights their change in conversation and body language. Moreover, their names hint at their personalities. Ansley is close to antsy or anxious because she nervously “fidget[s] with her bag” and questions the direction in which the conversation is going. However, her name also suggests an amiable side when she feels “rather sorry for [Mrs. Slade].” Not wanting to admit what happened the night she became sick, her true character is revealed since she is trying to be a good friend without hurting Mrs. Slade’s feelings; but Mrs. Ansley is unaware of what her friend knows. Mrs. Slade’s name, on the other hand, suggests silence or skepticism due to her friend’s actions. During the initial conversation, she is laid back and sits “quite still.” As the conversation deepens, she becomes stunned due to her never considering a letter in reply to the fake one she sent. Lastly, like the “deserted terrace,” Ansley feels that a part of her is missing after the news of the fake letter. She is shown as “physically” affected by the “blow,” and how the “wind might scatter her like a puff of dust.” This simile depicts her sadness as this memory is ruined for her. Alliteration is also utilized to stress her attachment to the letter because she had been “living on that letter.” Overall, I really enjoyed this story and its usage of rhetorical strategies. There are so many implemented in the text to add a strong structure, which makes it more interesting.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your connection between the imagery and the tone of the story. I also noticed this while I was reading. I didn't think about the names the way you did but I do now. I definitely agree that after being told the letter was fake, Mrs. Ansley felt a sense of emptiness. She believed that to be the only thing she had of Mr. Slade and to find out he didn't actually write it must have been heartbreaking for her. I feel like this low point is what pushed her to tell Mrs. Slade the truth about Barbara.
DeleteThe story had a strong sense of imagery to describe the scenery around the two women. Along with the restaurant, the imagery also connected to the tone. In the beginning, Wharton used words like "glories" and "beautiful." Towards the end, when the truth was being uncovered, the diction shifted to words like "darkening" and "deserted." Along with the diction, many flashbacks were used to explain the background of the women's connection with each other and their husbands. This also advances the characters and helps explain why they reacted the way they did in the end. Explaining that "Mrs. Ansley had always been rather sorry for her [Mrs. Slade]" implies that Mrs. Ansley holds power over Mrs. Slade. This foreshadows the last line of the story when Mrs. Ansley reveals that her daughter is also the daughter of Mrs. Slade's husband. Lead to believe that she had the better life, Mrs. Slade was not prepared to hear that her husband attended the gathering that she set up with Mrs. Ansley. This is what lead to the birth of Barbara, Mrs. Ansley's daughter. Mrs. Slade thought she won in the end because the only thing Mrs. Ansley had from Mr. Slade was a letter he didn't even write; however, this proved to be untrue in the end. Another example of foreshadowing was Mrs. Slade's great aunt. She and another woman were in love with the same man much like Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley were. I really enjoyed this story because I feel like it was an easy read with a shocking ending that made it worthwhile.
ReplyDeleteI agree. The story does have strong imagery, and though I didn't notice it as I read it, I agree that it does a good job at establishing the tone with this. I also noticed the foreshadowing throughout the story, and I mainly focused on all of the hints spread throughout the story. I also really enjoyed this story.
DeleteWithin the story, I noticed a lot of imagery and reflection. The two women are seen reminiscing on their youth and appear to live vicariously through their young daughters. Furthermore, they seem to constantly compare themselves to one another, perhaps to see who is the better woman of the two. This is seen throughout the story, as both address a common love interest they shared in their youth. Shockingly enough, the letter Mrs. Ansley was fawning over from Mrs. Slade's husband was actually written by Mrs. Slade herself. The letter was then responded to by Mrs. Ansley. As a result, she met up with Mrs. Slade's husband.....and had her daughter Barbara. In terms of imagery, Wharton vividly describes the setting and scenery, as well as the characters in ways like "well-cared -for" and characteristics like "vigorous black eyebrows". This goes hand in hand with the usage of color diction. Black and crimson are mentioned throughout the text, making me associate the characters with colors that represent darkness / revenge, if that makes sense.
ReplyDeleteI missed those characteristics of the ladies and I really think that the way you've talked about them is pretty insightful, especially the black and crimson connection you made.
DeleteRoman Fever is the classic tale of bored old women. They sit in each others company but would rather be doing almost anything else. They subtly dig at each other which never goes unnoticed by the other party. Snide remarks are masked with pleasantness to keep the unmentioned rule of never letting the verbal move to the physical or the emotional. Pettiness is ultimately what drives both women. They are perfectly happy sitting beside only if they are getting the best of the other and to assure that their own image, and their daughters by extension, are superior to the other. Wharton excels at building a clear mental image of the setting using many examples of color diction such as “The long golden light was beginning to pale” to illustrate how the time is dynamic and the conversation exists over a day rather than happening in one instance.
ReplyDeleteWe have read many stories written in this time which reflect the experiences of people who were not very public due to their wealth. This story really shows how because the women have no real issues to contend with, they are trivial in their conflict and the decades old grudge between Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley. Mrs. Slade brings up the small act of pain she attempted to inflict upon her counterpart but is surprised to learn her plan had failed her completely and actually resulted in a bastard child and the subsequent shotgun wedding immediately following her realization of being pregnant with Mr. Slade’s child. They share a common goal: inflict as much emotional damage while being as calm and casual as possible. This deeply poisonous relationship is the focus of Roman Fever.
I agree with the pettiness and constant comparison between the two. It seems as if their relationship is based around the fact that they are trying to be better than one another. You're spot on when you describe it as poisonous. I also enjoyed Wharton's use of color diction throughout the story. It helped me really grasp and visualize what was happening around the characters and their relationship.
Delete“Roman Fever” was very interesting in the sense that the imagery painted a tranquil scene; whereas the conflict between the two older ladies showed that the calm scene was much more tense than originally depicted. As night progressed, as well as the deepening conflict between Mrs. Ansley and Slade, colors shifted from gold to deep purple and then to a dusk “ emptied of all its gold” to represent how the relationship soured between the two. Not only does vivid imagery help paint the relationship between the two, but the reminiscing of their past helps deepen our knowledge of their lives and consequential conflict. An important flashback is when Mrs. Slade mentions that Mrs. Ansley’s great aunt was supposed to send her sister to search for a flower, but it was really “because they were in love with the same man”. It was a ploy to steal a man, which we later find out is the focal point of the conflict between the ladies. AKA, heavy foreshadowing. We see this conflict of man stealing in full swing as the day has shifted to night and shadows have crept over the terrace the two occupy. Mrs. Slade talks about writing a fake letter to Mrs. Ansley in a fit of jealousy to try and get her to stop having feelings for her man. It ended up not working, and Mrs. Ansley’s daughter was the result which is scandalous. However, an interesting thing about this is that the night time on the ground led to people getting sick and dying and I think that is what Mrs. Slade’s ulterior motive might’ve been because she even said that she “never thought [she’d] die” but the story of Mrs. Ansley’s aunt “made such an impression” on Mrs. Slade. I’m thinking it might be a kind of verbal irony where Mrs. Slade claims she wasn’t trying to kill Mrs. Ansley.
ReplyDeleteI had not considered that Mrs. Slade might have possibly been aiming to kill her friend. I suppose if the story regarding Mrs. Ansley's aunt had haunted her so much, she would have been aware of the consequences of sending someone down to the Forum at night. The way in which you describe the shift in colors and how they link to the mood is an aspect of the story that I hadn't taken full notice of.
DeleteIn its opening, the two central ladies are established as old friends that happen to have met once again. Right away foreshadowing appears through descriptions of each woman. Mrs. Slade is characterised by a “determined nose” and “vigorous black eyebrows,” while Mrs. Ansley is depicted as being much smaller and paler. Instantly this develops the idea that Mrs. Slade is the stronger of the two; this comes into play as she consistently takes subtle, and then not so subtle, stabs towards her “friend.” As the story progresses Mrs. Slade turns more and more bitter with growing envy. This bitterness brings her to reveal that she wrote a false love letter so many years ago with the intention of emotionally damaging Mrs. Ansley. As expected based on her descriptors, Mrs. Ansley breaks down, becoming smaller and meeker than already before. A major shift occurs when it is admitted that the whole idea of writing a faux love letter was no more than a joke. Mrs. Ansley, slowly and deliberately, mentions that the man they both pined after met her in the night. When reminded that the man ultimately did not choose her, Mrs. Ansley notes that at least she has her daughter, Barbara. Leaving both the reader and Mrs. Slade wondering of the truth, she elegantly walks away. After reading this story and looking back at certain aspects, I wondered if the “crimson silk” handled by Mrs. Ansley at the beginning could contribute to foreshadowing. I related it to the scarlet letter adorned by Hester Prynne, and how Hester cared for a child only she knew the true father of.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your description of the battle between the two women. Mrs. Slade is definitely taking stabs at Mrs. Ansley, with varying degrees of success. As Ansley received a child, Barbara, through Slade's trickery, she seems to be able to brush off Slade's bullying. The connection to the Scarlet letter is unique, I had not noticed that. I believe that it would definitely fit.
Delete“Roman Fever” has skillfully placed imagery that creates foreshadowing. The jealous and unforgiving Mrs. Slade is described as “slighter and drawn with fainter touches.” Her lack of stature prepares the reader for acknowledging her “sad life.” Mrs. Ansley, however, is described as “good-looking, irreproachable, and exemplary.” When Mrs. Slade describes Mrs. Ansley, her contempt for Ansley is made clear to the reader. Eventually the reason for this contempt is revealed; Ansley had a crush on Mr. Slade when he was engaged to Mrs. Slade. As the story continues, Ansley becomes “pale.” The imagery reveals her unsteady emotions, while Slade grows smug. At the end, Ansley turns the tables on Slade by revealing that she had met Mr. Slade and conceived a child with him on the night that Slade had attempted to trick her. The imagery provides minute details for the reader that affect the foreshadowing of the short story. I thought it was an entertaining read.
ReplyDeleteYeah I agree. The details about the color fullness of Ansley and the darkness of Slade show their personalities I feel as well.
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DeleteThe story uses imagery to propel the story in multiple ways. The darkness of Mrs Slade shows in her description, going as far as describing her eyebrows as dark and woven. Ansley, on the other hand, is colorful and pleasant. This goes in their interaction with each other and the vengeance of Slade. Her trick on Ansley concerning her husband shows how jealous of a person she was and how it in fact backfired on her. The darkness of her personality pushed her husband toward Ansley, when the situation may not have happened otherwise. The imagery surrounded around the plot in an effective manner to make the meaning well known.
ReplyDeleteThe imagery definitely does change and punctuate the changes in the two ladies conversation. I'm not sure I agree that Mrs. Slade's personality is what pushed her husband towards Mrs. Ansley, but it was her actions that caused their affair.
DeleteIn "Roman Fever," the two ladies definitely have a complicated relationship. As children before the incident, they had a very close relationship, as shown by the long beautiful scenery that they watched quietly at the restaurant. The conflict in their relationship all stemmed from them both loving Mrs. Slade's husband, and the aftermath of which ruined their adult relationship. During this period, Mrs. Slade is filled with envy and resentment towards Mrs. Ansley for fear that she is better than her and will try and steal her husband away. All the while Mrs. Ansley is just quietly minding her own busines and keeping the secret of her daughter, much the same as when she just quietly sits and gets absorbed in knitting while Mrs. Slade is nonchalantly making digs at her. This period of their relationship is characterized by the fading light and darkening landscape because Mrs. Slade hated being neighbors with her and then moved away effectively ending their relationship until they meet again by chance. The final stage of their relationship is this meeting and would be when night completely falls because their secrets are aired out and their relationship reaches a resolution where neither probably wish to talk or be near each other again.
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