A short little book, compelling and fast moving, it starts with the narrator introducing us to the one event that shakes the peaceful conversations of a small group of people staying at a hotel on the Rivera.
Just in a few pages, plenty of feelings, characters, situations and values are presented for reflection.
How did you first feel about the narrator? What would you answer to Mrs C's question considering what it implies about prejudice, acceptance and respect? If you were married, would you introduce such a woman to your wife as if nothing had happened?
Do you think times have changed with regard to the perception, consideration and value given to virtue, love and passions?
What about the gentleman of Mrs C' story? What are your thoughts and feelings about this character?
At one point, Mrs C expresses that she would find it difficult to give a clear name to the feeling that drew her so compulsively after the unfortunate man. Could you give a name to that feeling?
As always, looking forward to reading your long, short, deep, or first-impression thoughts on the book.
I find the story very intense so far (and I only read half!).
ReplyDeleteI wonder how much our society has evolved in regards to passion, love and fidelity. I can clearly see people stop talking to an unfaithful woman (in case it is contagious). Still, nowadays, a woman who leaves her husband and kids for a younger man pulled by passion will be hardly (and meanly) criticized. The most extreme reactions might come from the more conservative groups, but more and more, I am under the impression that they are the majority in our society.
The feeling is unhappiness, frustration. Sometimes, the price women pay for the sake of a "secure and stable life". One day, the mind rebels against that and in a state of transitional craziness, they might get involved in such situations.
I agree with Arantxa about the names she gives to that feeling. I would add emptiness and lack of purpose in her life.
ReplyDeleteRegarding Ms. Henriette, I would say feelings of self-repression and the discovery of passion for the first time could made her run away the way she did.
I can understand her reaction towards a life and a man who, though maybe loving her, did never make her feel “like a woman”, as the song says. However, I admit I find it difficult to empathize with all of it, particularly considering she was a mother too. Nevertheless, I see how this might be easy to say on my part being a contemporary European. Contrary to what Arantxa shares, I would say nowadays a woman in similar economic and social status would be allow to combine passion, motherhood and self-realization with a fair level of acceptance… Maybe just more wishful-thinking than Arantxa’s perception.
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ReplyDeleteOoooppsss! I read the whole book! It's so short that I didn't feel like stoping halfway. I like the introduction, so few pages and you understand the setting perfectly! Well done Mr.Zweig! The debate, passion vs. established married life, I think it is the eternal one. But, it is true that although things have changed (in many countries, not all) to give women more choice regarding marriage, career, etc... I can understand that at a certain point people get this crisis and feel like running away, but, what then? Leave all your responsibilities behind? Expect that everybody understands? I think there is no certain answer to this question, because after all, how many chances do you have in life? But how far can you go without hurting others? As the saying goes "don't do to others, what you wouldn't want for yourself"...
ReplyDeleteThe other subject that the book presents is compulsive gambling, a problem then, a problem now. It is so sad to see people gambling everything to a roulette, but I see no better future for that. Being Las Vegas or Macau temples in the year 2011 with millions flocking there just to take a little part, well, to try their luck and throw away their money, their life, as it happens in the book; no I see no change in this for humanity, we always believe, the next round is going to be ours!
As for Mrs.C, well, I can understand also that someone that followed a passion like that in a social setting like hers, would be divided. Somethings you cannot erase.
It astonishes me that this book, written in 1927, is so contemporary... we have way more technologies, but we cannot change a bit in passion management :-)
In short, I have enjoyed the book, I believe it is very well written and I can say that it has surprised me, because, although I have read Zweig before, it was a completely different book that I recommend for those that like history: Stellar moments of Humanity.
I have enjoyed this book quite a lot. It is good, short but intense and, something that I really like, it is timeless, very actual, it could have been written today... But it is not. That, in my opinion gives the book even more value.
ReplyDeleteS. Zweig is talking about love and passion, but also about social customs, morality, and even compulsive gambling. All this in only a few pages, it seems that a good writer does not need hundreds of pages to send a message...
Something I have specially enjoyed is the first chapter, how the author introduces the situation, the conservative atmosphere, the characters... We do not know anything else about Mdme. Henriette but it leads us to Mrs. C (is the author telling us that both are having a parallel life/situation/end? That their fate is the same?)
This is the second book I read from Zweig, and I am looking forward to read the next one!
I finished the book. I have to say I was surprised by how the story develops, I imagined a different end and I liked this one better!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Rocio about the gambling. It happened then, it happens now, and it is so sad to realize what a big problem it is still to society. I can´t help associating gambling with destruction (of lives, of families), I can never think of it as a fun activity.
Is is absolutely right that Mr. Zweig was describing a situatiom of his time that is still true today. I find amazing how much we have changed in some aspects and how little we changed in some others.