Victorians! discussion

Lots of complications and misunderstandings in this part, f.e. Mrs. Yeobright thinking that Damon gave Eustacia the money that belonged to Clym. Though this is soon resolved, there remain gaps between Clym and Eustacia on the one side and his mother on the other side.

When Clym looses most of his eyesight because of studying at dim light, he starts working as a furze cutter (a bush of the heath), which Eustacia sees as a degradation, but Clym loves. When she visits a country dance to distract her, she meets Damon, who gets intimidated by Diggory when he wants to meet Eustacia at her cottage.

Another misunderstanding when Mrs. Yeobright wants to visit Clym and Eustacia to make peace, but sees Damon, and is also not let into the house. She returns heartbroken, and soon afterwards dies of exhaustion and the bite of an adder.

In the meantime Eustacia hears from her father that Damon inherited 11,000 pounds, and when she meets him per accident, hopes to move to Paris (which Clym hadn´t approved of).


Please post your thoughts freely!

I always wondered about Damon´s name, which reminded me of demon, so he´s perhaps the baddy here? Diggory on the other hand seems to be a schemer to me.

I like that Clym is happy even when he cannot read and has to work bodily from sunrise till sunset, as he loves the heather.

Damon comes from the Greek meaning "to tame". I had to look that up. So yes there it seems Hardy dust choose it on purpose. Damon is a perfectly name in the English speaking world. It is used both as a christian name and a surname.

I read chapters 1 and 2 and what an utter disaster already. This is Murphy's Law in action: Anything that can go wrong will go wrong".

Those two are so stubborn they do not bother to discuss a compromise
How about moving to London. I am sure given Clym's experience he could find a good position. Really London was the center of the world economy so he could find some position that is not so "effemiate" as diamonds. To be totally honest he needed to man up and assume his responsibility as a husband. How many men and women have given up their dreams when the reality of what is means to start a family hits.

I imagine a Middle Class Victorian couple reading this together at their home. Both of them rolling their eyes at Clym and Eustacia. The husband wanting to knock some sense in Clym. The wife wanting to lecture Eustacia as to her utter failure to be a Victorian wife. The Victorian ideal of a Middkw Class marriage was the husband played complimentary roles. Of course the husband was the bread winner. The wife was the mistress of the house running it in an efficient manner with the help of Mrs. Beeton's book. Ideally the home was a sanctuary for the husband who could leave all his worries at the door and enjoy domestic bliss.

I loved this passage:


“The boy waited, played near her, caught several of the little brown butterflies which abounded, and then said as he waited again, “I like going on better than biding still. Will you soon start again?”
“I don't know.”
“I wish I might go on by myself,” he resumed, fearing, apparently, that he was to be pressed into some unpleasant service. “Do you want me any more, please?”
Mrs. Yeobright made no reply.
“What shall I tell Mother?” the boy continued.
“Tell her you have seen a broken-hearted woman cast off by her son.”

(and before that:)
“Mrs. Yeobright spoke to him as one in a mesmeric sleep. “'Tis a long way home, my child, and we shall not get there till evening.”
“I shall,” said her small companion. “I am going to play marnels afore supper, and we go to supper at six o'clock, because Father comes home. Does your father come home at six too?”
“No, he never comes; nor my son either, nor anybody.”
“What have made you so down? Have you seen a ooser?”
“I have seen what's worse—a woman's face looking at me through a windowpane.”
“Is that a bad sight?”
“Yes. It is always a bad sight to see a woman looking out at a weary wayfarer and not letting her in“

Yes, that was quite unusual Charlotte, and what a disaster in the relationships Michael!

Chapter 4: "From the impeachment of Strafford to Farmer Lynch's short way with the scamps of Virginia there have been many triumphs of justice which are mockeries of law" Would William Boldwood by an example to?

The worst side of Eustacia is brought out when Mrs. Yeobright questions her about any money delivered by Wildeve. In her anger Eustacia says, "It was a condescension in me to be Clyms wife". Ouch. In reality it's more a dig at Mrs Yeobright than at Clym, but it's hardly a good look.
I love, perhaps more than anything else about Hardy, the construction of his novels. I find the machinations in his plots, both those leading to tragedy and joy, more interesting and compelling than almost any other writer.
I don't remember all the details of where this is leading, but isn't Diggory Venn a fascinating Hardy construct? He seems to be a moral center, played in a minor character. I'm sure there are more examples of these in other Hardy tales.
Even though Wildeve is portrayed as behaving indifferently toward his wife Thomasin, and maneuvering for chances to see Eustacia, Hardy balances that with the constancy of his true love for Eustacia, his preference for her over his inheritance, and his sensitivity.

I agree that Diggory is fascinating. He influences the events and the relationships, but not only in a positive way.

The character of Diggory reminds me of Gabriel in Far from the Madding Crowd.

You're right Michaela. I believe one of Hardy's themes here is understanding that each of our actions, no matter the intention, is part of a web of causation that extends beyond our control.

Well said Brian, as I never quite understood what Hardy really wanted to say.

Charlotte wrote: "The character of Diggory reminds me of Gabriel in Far from the Madding Crowd."

Aw no, he´s much nicer! :)