More confession scene talk
Posted by Cassandra on August 04, 1998 at 21:27:01:
In response to Maddening enigma, written by Arnessa on August 02, 1998 at 18:58:47
NO!!!
We cannot decide whether he is redeemable just because WE want him to be so or because he has some redeemable qualities.
Lol Arnessa! And I want to believe!! He has too much life, passion. The confession scene is one of a handful of scenes in literature where I can hear, see, everything, as if I were there. It's so real, pure raw emotion. Will comes to life on those pages-you can't ignore him-like him or hate him. And at least for me, he has redeeming qualities: vitality, passion, a certain laissez-faire resilience(all those references to Sophia, Madam);and yes, I believe he loved MArianne, as much as he could love anyone.
] My question is WHY did JA write this confession scene. What purpose does it serve other than to undercut the point she's trying to make about sense and sensibility? Unless the point is not as strongly felt as we might think. Willoughby must be heard, and Marianne too because something tells me their overblown romantic characteristics were probably a part of JA that would not be quieted.
A very interesting question. On it's own the confession scene reveals a lot about Willoughby and Elinor and maybe JA too! We know that JA laboured over her works, but the ending of S&S has always seemed to be the most ambiguous for me. Whether this was intentional, or her subconscious , her inner Marianne and Will-who knows?! The confession scene is just so powerful for me that it thrawrts the fruition of theme in the last pages. The confession scene lingers so in my head so that by the time I get to the last pages and MArianne's "extraordinary fate" and the "never love by halves speech, I cannot accept it. Will's voice, magnetism, influence are too strong.
I think Elinor's silent dissent to her mother's newfound belief that Marianne would be happier with Brandon is telling. Maybe this is JA giving voice to all of us diehard WWW. INtellectually, the better, sensible man is Brandon. And MArianne will be content, safe, protected. But, will her heart soar as it did with Will?
- Poor, poor, pitiful Willoughby! Kathleen Ann 11:02:56 8/05/98
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- I totally agree!! (nfm) Linda 17:55:22 8/05/98
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- I totally agree!! (nfm) Linda 17:55:22 8/05/98
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