Gertrude
Henry James, the author of The Europeans, portrays Gertrude Wentworth as an innocent woman who yearns to lash out and be rambunctious. When Gertrude is first introduced, most of the characteristics are physical. Gertrude is about twenty-two in age, bareheaded, tall, pale, thin, and awkward. It is clear that Gertrude is not the prettiest person to look at, and that her eyes were dark, dull, and restless. Gertrude is also placed in a garden, which represents innocence and fertileness. The dark and dull eyes of Gertrude, express that her personality is similar.
Gertrude becomes restless because of the environment in which she lives. " Felix enlivens Gertrude and she is able to become a more confident woman. on and strives to have the life that only fairy-tale characters can live. Gertrude is reliable and trustworthy to everyone; however, she is not true to herself or her family until Felix arrives. Gertrude puzzles her family simply because they do not share the same interests. Gertrude wants to escape from a life that is controlled by others and tells Mr. Instead of boundaries around Gertrude's curiosities, she can now be independent due to her new found friend and companion. When talking to her father about marrying Felix, Gertrude wants to be able to make her own decisions and to be independent. Brand, "I am trying for once to be natural! I have been pretending all my life; I have been dishonest; it is you that have made me so!" Gertrude is like Pandora's Box waiting to be opened. " In the end Gertrude's character was able to transform into a self-reliant person and she got what she wanted, to marry Felix. Gertrude is the "damsel in distress" and Felix is the "prince charming. Brand is one person in particular that forces Gertrude to be a dull, emotionless woman. Gertrude skips church to read a rather risque book, but yet, she comes off as a woman who is quite innocent.
Common topics in this essay:
Gertrude Wentworth,
Pandora's Box,
Felix Gertrude,
Leave Gertrude's,
Henry James,
dark dull,
marry felix,
gertrude able,
|
Acceptance Essays
