Brussels Park Royal, the inspiration for the Park Lucy crossed with Dr. John on arriving at Villette
O Lucy Snow, we were getting along so well… these new six chapters made me wish you had continued behind your mystery veil.
I really like the “London” chapter because the exhilaration of being a stranger in a strange town, with an uncertain future in front of you, is one I can recognize. I admired her strength in keeping her “consciousness of anxiety” at bay and allow herself to enjoy the step she’s taken:
I went up Cornhill; I mixed with the life passing along; I dared the perils of crossings. To do this, and do it utterly alone, gave me, perhaps an irrational, but a real pleasure.
I was much less sympathetic once she arrived in Labassecour and Villette or even as soon as she was abroad the vessel out of England – I believe she has yet to say something completely nice about someone she meets, although she seems kinder to English gentlemen… As an expat, this is a type of attitude that makes me cringe: that of other expats or tourist who constantly compare their host country to their home country, which usually comes up as a better place, full of better people. Lucy is like that. She’s been a little bundle of negativity ever since leaving London, which in my view makes her look ungenerous and slightly ungrateful.
A bluff little personage this maitresse was – Labassecourienne from top to toe; and how she did slaughter the speech of Albion (Really Lucy! You’re in a French-speaking country, have you noticed? Let’s see you speak it a bit, shall we?)
Madame’s visitations for shortcoming might be slow, but they were sure. All this very un-English: truly I was in a foreign land. (It this a compliment veiled as a criticisms or a criticism veiled as a compliment?)
(…) she would talk to me (…) about England and Englishwomen, and the reasons for what she was pleased to term their superior intelligence, and more real and reliable probity. Very good sense she often showed; very sound opinions she often broached (…)
Where an English girl of not more than average capacity and docility would quietly take a theme and bind herself to the task of comprehension and mastery, a Labassecourienne would laugh in your face, and throw it back to you with the phrase, – “Dieu, que c’est difficile! Je n’en veux pas. Cella m’ennule trop.”
I’m sure I’m more affected by this attitude because I know Charlotte based it on her own experiences in Brussels. After more than five years living here, the city has become more home than anywhere else, and I feel very protective of it.
Lucy’s attitude towards Mrs Beck, made me “enjoy” the Madame more. Her character and the eccentric way in which she rules her business were superbly written (as really all the book so far). I especially liked the scene where she wants Lucy to go from nanny to a teacher and Lucy is crying with fear:
“Will you,” she said, “go backward or forward?” indicating with her hand, first, the small door of communication with the dwelling-house, and then the great double portals of the classes or schoolrooms.
“En avant.” I said.
Brava, Madame!
Maybe my sight is now clouded by prejudice, but didn’t you feel that Lucy’s observations of Dr John were bordering on the “stalkerish”? She was rude when she was caught staring at him and then ignored his question, and she also does her bit of spying, when she realises the maid has upset him…
Still think the writing is beautiful and gripping, but for now, the heroine has fallen in my humble consideration.
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February 17, 2011 at 8:52 pm
Wallace
I wonder if Lucy (and Charlotte) react that way because a single woman living out of her homeland was so much less common back then? She was probably considered quite adventurous and cultured for even going, right?
I get the feeling that Lucy is incredibly insecure and that is why she is so strange with Dr. John. Though it seems that Madame (as well as the students themselves) are starting to break her out of her shell and show her what she is capable of.
I LOVE that you posted that picture. It is not at all what I had pictured in my mind, so I am glad to have the real thing. I am so happy that you have all the insight to the actual place.
February 17, 2011 at 9:03 pm
Erin
I didn’t take Lucy’s ignoring his question as rude…more of embarrassed and awkward. As someone that has also been reduce to idiocy in front of someone they liked, I could relate 🙂
Plus, after meeting Madame Beck I feel like my whole definition of “stalker” has been altered. She might not stalk people but she’s got eyes everywhere. She’s intense.
February 17, 2011 at 10:41 pm
Serena
I’m having fun deciphering the enigma that is Lucy. She doesn’t have anything nice to say about anyone, but Madame Beck…she almost idolizes her. I find it interesting that she idolizes some who is overtly deceitful and stalkerish, but never once turns that mirror on herself to analyze how she interacts with others.
here’s my post: http://savvyverseandwit.com/2011/02/villette-by-charlotte-bronte-read-a-long-week-2.html
February 17, 2011 at 11:31 pm
Mady
I also liked the London chapter – that’s a place I can relate to at the moment 😀
After we had a most observant Lucy in Englang, we now have her being the subject of someone else’s espionage in Villette 🙂
And Lucy is very intrigued by Dr John. She ended up being rude to him, but I do not think it was her intention. I suspect of someone falling in love later on! 😛
February 18, 2011 at 12:00 am
Tahleen
I am not sure if I like Lucy yet either, though it’s not because of her comparisons between France and England. Though now that you mention it, I’m sure I’ll be seeing it more and more, and getting annoyed. She is pretty negative, though I’m hoping that will die down as the story continues.
February 18, 2011 at 1:06 am
Bellezza
I like this line from your post: “being a stranger in a strange town, with an uncertain future in front of you, is one I can recognize” because I recognize that feeling, too. I taught with the Department of Defense in Germany when I was first out of college, and as much as I loved that experience it was a bit daunting at first. There is so much of Lucy I can recognize within myself, namely her shyness and not being willing to divulge too much of her personal nature to others. I don’t see her as stalking Dr. John so much as just being reserved, guarded, seeing where she stands.
February 18, 2011 at 1:07 am
Bellezza
Meant to say how much I enjoyed the picture at the top of your post, too.
February 20, 2011 at 12:57 am
Mindy
I wonder how much of Lucy’s stalkerish behavior is based on the fact that she can’t even conceive of him noticing. She really seems genuinely shocked when he does. Do you sometimes get the impression that she sees the other characters as being a part of some drama she’s not taking part in, but just observing?
February 26, 2011 at 2:16 pm
Alex
@Wallace: I keep trying to look at it from the POV of a poor but honorable teacher in the XIX century, but I have the feeling that’s not what divides Lucy and me. It’s more likely a matter of personality 🙂 I’ll try to post one photo of Brussels/Villette in each post until the end of the Read-Along.
@Erin: I went back to that scene and I’m still not sure she wasn’t a bit rude. What she is ” I was confounded (…) being conscious that it was from no emotion f incautious admiration, nor yet in a spirit on unjustifiable inquisitiveness (…). I might have cleared myself on the spot, but would not. I did not speak, I was not in the habit of speaking to him.
You see, I do think that is was not only shyness. Maybe shame that she as caught staring?
@Serena: True, how strange her relationship with Mrs. Back. I do think she admires her, but a bit grudgingly. It might have something to do with Charlotte’s own relationship with Mrs Herge…
@Mady: Yep, clearly there’s going to be something there 😉
@Tahleen: I have a hard time with negative characters, but I was enjoying Lucy until she reached Villette. Was she as negative before, but I noticed it more because she’s talking about a city that’s now home?
@Bellezza: But she keeps observing him, even outright staring! She even spies on the maid when she finds out she somehow upset Dr John. I can just picture her looking at him from dark corners… or maybe it’s just my dramatic imagination 😛
@Mindy: Completely agree! I think she does it so freely because she keeps thinking she’s a fly on the wall. It’s likely that what we’ll see in the future of the story is circumstances forcing her to coming into the stage.