Book 1
Let me begin by introducing myself as someone who is not only not an English major, but as someone who does not generally enjoy reading for fun (this book was more than a little daunting for me!). I know this is something of a sin at Hollins with our noted English and Creative Writing programs, but I hope that I can use my own major – Gender and Women’s Studies – to bring something to the discussion. My hope is that I can use analysis of people and actions that I’ve learned from being a Gender and Women’s Studies major (similar to the skills learned by English majors, no?) to be able to make comparisons between events and characters in the story and modern people and present day happenings that I am learning about.
From the beginning of Chapter One, I am interested in the more minor character Mrs. Elinor Cadwallader. She is a woman who was born into a good family, but married someone of a lower class than herself. To me, this indicates that she is a woman who follows the beat of her own drum. Mrs. Cadwallader married her husband even though it upset her family; she is clearly a tough woman. It is her affinity for playing match maker that I find most entertaining about her. I see her as somewhat of a dignified woman, yet she spends her time trying to set up young people – interesting since she didn’t marry who others believed to be good for her. I suppose there is a parallel there to the main character, Dorothea Brooke, who also marries the less obvious man. You could argue that Mrs. Cadwallader is kind of a busy body as she is so invested in the personal lives of the people around her and I find it funny.
I love the contrast of her character: a formerly high class girl who married down and now spends her time attempting to set people up. I think this makes her very human and relatable. The other noticeable contrast is between Mrs. Cadwallader and her husband, Mr. Humphrey Cadwallader, who is not interested in being in anybody else’s business.
There is also a sense of relentlessness I get from Elinor. After Dorothea chooses not to marry Sir James, Mrs. Cadwallader’s choice, but instead accept the proposal of Mr. Brooke, Elinor decides that she will now try to get Sir James to marry Celia instead. Though some might read this trait as stubborn or nosy, I find her headstrong-ness almost admirable.
Kailey Murphy, Hollins ‘16