Elizabeth Gaskellの'Crowley Castle'に隠されたテーマ : 没落する地主の残虐さ

概要

論文の詳細を見る
'Crowley Castle' by Elizabeth Gaskell has been classified among short stories of terror. A critic, for instance, defines it as one of the author's "weird" stories. It is true that Victorine, a faithful nurse of the heroine Theresa, once commits an attempted murder and then succeeds in another, which takes place in an old Norman castle, Crowley Castle; as a result the Crowley family cease to exist, though they are of an old knightly family, the ancestor of which goes back to the time of Norman Conquest. From these situations of this work, many critics conclude that Gaskell took the trend of Sensationalism which was in vogue in the 1860s. Gaskell, however, never uses the seeming sensational and mysterious elements to inspire terror in the readers, but she tries to point out through the gruesome story how the falling landed gentry could become cruel. They contrive a way, however inhuman, of restoring their properties and power once lost owing to their follies. Therefore Bessy, a playmate in the heroine's childhood, is to be killed with poison, because she is considered as a violator of their rights. What Gaskell describes is how dreadful their intention is, when it lies latent at the bottom of the landed gentry's hearts. The story develops like this. Sir Mark Crowley, the last baronet taking the name of Crowley, has just one daughter Theresa Crowley. Because of the entail, all that belongs to Sir Mark is to go to his nephew Duke, after his death. But Sir Mark is not afraid of it, since he plans to marry Theresa to Duke. Theresa, however, breaks her practical engagement with Duke, taking offense at trifles, and gets married to a poor French count who is to use up all her dowry and even use violence on her. The year after Duke gets married to Bessy who is an only daughter of a poor neighbouring parson, and then the couple begin to live in Crowley Castle. As time goes on, they have two children, and enjoy happy family life. Then penniless Theresa returns home to her father, after her husband was wounded to death owing to a dishonorable duel at the very day when Victorine herself was to kill him with poison. It is intolerable to Theresa that Bessy takes the headship of the castle which is, as she imagines, her own place. As the nurse Victorine thinks that she reads a secret wish of her mistress, she kills Bessy with poison when the latter wails for her lost baby child. It is surprising that Theresa does not realize what has happened. But as it is she and Duke who never suspects the murder get married after one year. Thus Theresa reigns at last in the place she has considered as her own property. After marriage, Theresa learns from Victorine, who thinks that her mistress does not enough appreciate her criminal act, how she could get the place in the castle. Theresa trembles with fear for the first time, but it is too late. When Victorine is apart from her mistress, she confesses to Duke at the death bed and dies rebuking her mistress for being ungrateful. Duke sends a letter of divorce to Theresa and immediately leaves England with Mary, an only child left between him and Bessy, and Widow Hawtrey, Bessy's mother. Theresa dies of heartbreak, when she realizes that there is no means to prove her innocence. Judging from the story it is clear that Gaskell declares Theresa guilty of the Bessy's murder, though Theresa does not actually perpetrate the murder and has never even expressed the hope of it. The author delivers judgment more severely on Theresa rather than on Victorine. The latter is portrayed just as a wretched person rather deserving the reader's sympathy and dying of horror of Bessy's apparition. But as for Theresa, the author describes how she is found herself not guilty and tries to maintain her innocence in vain.
桃山学院大学の論文
2000-12-20

Elizabeth Gaskellの'Crowley Castle'に隠されたテーマ : 没落する地主の残虐さ

スポンサーリンク

概要

著者

関連論文

スポンサーリンク