Lecture 4: Chronological Reading of Ford Madox Ford - The Good Soldier

Lecture 4 Dr. Asmaa Ismail Chronological Reading of Ford Madox Ford The Good Soldier: A Tale of Passion The Good soldier narrates the history of the nine- year acquaintance between two couples. The first couple is John Dowell and his wife, F...

Lecture 4 Dr. Asmaa Ismail Chronological Reading of Ford Madox Ford The Good Soldier: A Tale of Passion The Good soldier narrates the history of the nine- year acquaintance between two couples. The first couple is John Dowell and his wife, Florence. They are leisured Americans. Dowell is a wealthy Philadelphian with no position. He appears as a man who lacks knowledge and experience. As a naïve man, Dowell believes in appearances presupposing that people practice the morals they preach and that their external aspects of being "good people" represent their true characters. His wife, Florence is from Connecticut though her ancestors are from Fordingbridge, England. She is a member of the Hurlbird family while the others are her two aunts, Misses Hurlbird, and her uncle, John. Uncle 1 Lecture 4 Dr. Asmaa Ismail John has been told by the doctors that he has a heart condition. Thus, after years working at his factory, John decides to take a rest and tour around the world. At that time, Florence has had an affair with the low unattractive Jimmy, the cabin boy. To gain more freedom, Florence has decided to marry Dowell, especially with his independent wealth that would allow him to give her any lifestyle she chose. Misses Hurlbird have warned Dowell not to marry their niece, but he disregards them as old and eccentric. Thus, on August four, 1901, Florence and Dowell have eloped and the next day both boarded a ship to Europe. Before they got on the ship, Florence have tricked Dowell into believing she has a heart condition like her uncle John. Ten minutes after they have boarded the ship, Florence's heart overtook her. They have consulted the doctor immediately who advises Dowell not to give any sexual affection to his wife. Remorseful, Dowell willingly has complied. From that time on, Dowell's sole function during their marriage is "to keep that bright thing [Florence] in existence" by keeping her from topics that might upset her. Once they have got to Paris, Florence resumes her affair with the ex-cabin boy, 2 Lecture 4 Dr. Asmaa Ismail Jimmy who has also advised Dowell to let his wife sleep in privacy warning him not to enter Florence's room without permission or he might harm her heart. Moreover, Jimmy has convinced Dowell that crossing the English Channel would be too great a trip for Florence's weak heart. Dowell and his wife spend summer in the health spa at Nauheim; the weather is better there for Florence and her heart condition. The leisured English couple, the Ashburnhams, is described as "good people". The couple consists of Captain Edward Ashnurnham who is a first rate soldier at the army in India and who owns the Branshaw Manor. He is a man of sentiments and charitable deeds towards his tenants. Edward's wife, Leonora, is one of seven daughters born to Colonel and Mrs. Powys, the owners of an Irish manor house. She has been extremely sheltered, going first to convent school, and then remaining cloistered in her parents' home. Her marriage to Edward was arranged by her parents who asked the Ashburnhams for a favor. They wanted to have their son marry one of the Powys daughters. From the start, Edward has 3 Lecture 4 Dr. Asmaa Ismail admired Leonora, but she has never held any true spark for him. Leonora's admiration for Edward, however, soon has grown into love. She has loved him intensely and desired love in return. Problems arose in their marriage when Leonora's desire for economic efficiency clashed with Edward's tendencies toward generosity and extravagance. For example, Edward, the sentimentalist, has desired to build an expensive and elaborate Catholic church on the property as a homage to his wife. But Leonora has argued that such a suggestion was ostentatious and unnecessary. Edward has been hurt by his wife's lack of sentiment. He begins to fear that while his traditions are entirely collective, his wife is a "sheer individualist." Edward and Leonora have drifted further and further apart. Edward, an Anglican, refuses to allow any future sons to be raised Catholic. On the other hand, Leonora believes that any child of hers raised Anglican would have mortal sin on his soul. As they have quarreled about religion, Edward and Leonora have argued about money; they grew increasingly estranged. 4 Lecture 4 Dr. Asmaa Ismail As a consequence of his excessive sentiments and Leonora's behavior, Edward has had several affairs with various women. Once, he has been caught attempting to kiss a young servant girl in the back of a carriage car. Though he has claimed his actions were innocent, Edward's political enemies have brought it into the public eye calling it the Kilyste case. Leaving servants alone, Edward turns to women of his class. The next year, in Monte Carlo, Edward has had an affair with a courtesan named La Dolciquita, the Russian Grand Duke's mistress. He has run away with her for a week, brought her an extremely expensive tiara and lost an enormous fortune for her at the gambling tables. Though he has tried to hide these events from Leonora, she finds out about it and takes control of Edward's money to pay off his debts. Now in control of the Ashburnhams' finances, Leonora has insisted that they should go to India in order to save money. While in India, Edward has started another affair with the wife of one of his fellow officers, Mrs. Basil. When Major Basil has found out about the affair, he starts to blackmail Edward. Edawrd's romantic attentions then moves to a young girl, Mrs. Maisie Maidan, a submissive woman whose young husband is 5 Lecture 4 Dr. Asmaa Ismail away serving in the army and who has a heart problem. To escape his army position and follow Mrs. Maisie Maidan, Edward has pretended that he is a heart patient that resulted from playing polo or too much sportsmanship in his youth. Therefore. He has decided to travel to Nauheim to recuperate. Leonora, who by now has become embittered about her husband's liaisons, decides that the best thing to do is to provide him a safe mistress with whom he is not likely to get into trouble. She agrees to humor Edward and they bring Mrs. Maidan with them to Nauheim. On the afternoon of August four, 1904, Leonora has been opening Edward's mail to find a blackmail letter from Major Basil. Leonora is horrified. She thinks that finally she has got all of their financial affairs in order, but this letter has led her to suspect that Edward is hiding an even greater number of debts. She and Edward have had a terrible argument, and Edward is mortified that his wife should know so much of his indiscretions. Two hours later, Leonora has seen Mrs. Maidan emerging from Edward's bedroom and it is too much for her; she has suspected the worst. Leonora 6 Lecture 4 Dr. Asmaa Ismail thus loses control and violently boxes Mrs. Maidan's ears, what Dowell describes as 'striking the face of an intolerable universe." Unfortunately for Leonora, Florence witnesses this scene. This gave Florence power over Leonora, because she now realizes that the Ashburnhams are not merely "good people." Leonora attempts to befriend Florence in order to cover up the situation. Together, they meet Dowell and Captain Ashburnham for their first dinner together. Indeed, Florence is a great guide to "archaeological expeditions". One day, very early in the acquaintance of the two couples, Florence takes them all on an expedition to the city of M— in Prussia. This is the site that holds Martin Luther's original Protest, declaring his followers to be separate from the Catholic Church. Once they get to M—, they visit Martin Luther's bedroom and examine his Protest. With animation, Florence explains that this piece of paper is the reason that they are Protestants, hardworking, sober, industrious, and very different from the Irish and the 7 Lecture 4 Dr. Asmaa Ismail Italians. As she says this, she touches Edward's wrist. Dowell is aware of something treacherous and evil in the day. Leonora rushes out of the room, pulling Dowell with her. She is enormously upset, claiming that "that" is the cause of sorrow in the world. Dowell does not understand what she means. After the journey, Leonora returns to Nauheim to find a letter from Mrs. Maidan who has overheard a conversation between Florence and Edward and has surmised that Leonora brought her to Nauheim intending her to be Edward's mistress. Mrs. Maidan is horrified at the thought of this and has intended to leave at once, but while packing her large trunk, she suffers from a heart attack and fell into it. When Leonora has returned from their excursion, she finds Maisie's letter and her poor dead body enveloped by the huge trunk. Although Edward feels little remorse, Leonora feels intensely guilty over Maisie's death. Florence has tried to convince Leonora to reconcile with Edward. Leonora will not hear of it; she knows that Florence and Edward will just continue their affair in private. When Florence brings up Maisie Maidan, Leonora gets very angry and coolly retorts that Florence is never to bring up Mrs. Maidan's name again, because 8 Lecture 4 Dr. Asmaa Ismail the two of them are responsible for her death. Florence denies responsibility. Because it has been assumed that they are all "good people" and that they could afford anything they want, their time has been spent drinking wine, throwing yearly parties, and going on small excursions as a group. Their friendship has been a close one. When they have returned to Branshaw Manor, Leonora once again clamps down on Edward's expenditures. She is enraged that he has endeavored to spend money helping others through public service. Indeed, Edward is admired by everyone for his noble deeds. Dowell admits that Ewdard's greatest admirer is Nancy Rufford, the young girl the Ashburnhams have taken under their wing years ago. Nancy's father, Major Rufford, is a violent man who has used to beat his wife after she would provoke him with her outbursts or her drunkenness. Nancy has been sent to a convent school at a young age, and her father has gone off to serve in India. Leonora, who has been Mrs. Rufford's best friend, 9 Lecture 4 Dr. Asmaa Ismail agrees to care for Nancy, and she and Edward have been Nancy's guardians ever since. In her affair with Edward, Florence has been insanely jealous. If she even suspects that another woman is coming to visit Branshaw Manor, she would send a wire to England immediately and insists that Edward comes to her in Paris. However, she realizes that, even if she ends her marriage with Dowell, a divorced woman can never be the lady of Branshaw Manor. Nevertheless, Florence tells Edward that she wants to divorce her husband and moves with him to California. But Edward refuses; he knows that Leonora can and will make his life hellish if he allows Dowell to find out about the affair. At the night of August four, 1913, Nancy and Edward have gone off to a concert at the Casino. 11 Lecture 4 Dr. Asmaa Ismail Leonora asks Florence to run along with them and. Later, Leonora retires to bed and Dowell is sitting downstairs in the hotel with a man named Bagshawe. Instead of going to the casino, Nancy and Edward have gone to a dimly-lit park. Florence has followed them into the park and quietly watches the events that unfolded. Edward swears he has never thought of Nancy in a romantic way until he has seen her that evening sitting in the moonlight. Overwhelmed with love, he tells her that she is the woman he cares for more than anyone else in the world. Nancy, who thought Edward is entirely faithful to Leonora, merely thinks this is a type of praise aimed at a good child. Hidden in the bushes Florence has been deeply hurt and runs back into the hotel. Suddenly Florence comes running through the door "with a face whiter than paper and her hand on the black stuff over her heart." When she sees that Dowell is talking to Bagshawe, she covers her face and runs to her room. But Bagshawe has recognized her as Florence Hurlbird, whom he has last seen coming out of Jimmy's room at five a.m. in the morning many years ago. Bagshawe shares this information with Dowell. Later, Dowell goes up to his wife's room to find her lying 11 Lecture 4 Dr. Asmaa Ismail dead, an empty vial in her hand. Dowell is not even aware that she has committed suicide. Dowell surmises that the sight of Bagshawe and the fact that the date was August 4 overwhelmed her superstitious mind. If Florence was fueled by vanity, as Dowell believes, then she has been dealt two hard blows in one evening; she could not bear that Edward has stopped to love her and that her husband should know about her degrading relationship with Jimmy. After Florence's death, Dowell, motivated by Leonora, considers marrying Nancy, "the Girl." Though Uncle John, Florence's uncle, turns out not to have a heart condition, he dies five days before Florence. Dowell thus has travelled to Connecticut to appoint trustees and take care of the will, since he is now the sole inheritor of the Hurlbird estate. Uncle John has asked that his money be used to found a center for the treatment of heart patients. After his death the doctors have discovered that Uncle John has never had a real heart problem; he has had a lung problem. Dowell splits the money to build a much larger center for the treatment of both the heart and the lungs' patients. 12 Lecture 4 Dr. Asmaa Ismail Leonora guesses what has taken place that night in the park, and she endeavors to separate Edward from Nancy as much as possible. But Nancy is entirely innocent. Edward, who has determined never to act on his passion for the girl, grows weaker and weaker with each day. His health fails and he drinks increasingly more. Leonora recognizes that Edward can be trusted. She allows them to go out together one night, like they have always done in the past. Later that night, she finds Edward on his knees at the foot of the bed sobbing uncontrollably, an image of the Blessed Virgin in his hands. Leonora feels she can finally relax. In an effort to relieve his strain, Edward announces that he is sending Nancy to India to spend some time with her father. Leonora is livid that Edward could do something so selfish in sending a girl back to a man whom she fears. Leonora slips into Nancy's room later that night to talk to her. She tells her that Edward is dying for her love. Nancy responds that she too is suffering because she is in love with Edward. Leonora is taken aback. Nancy says that she intends to go to Glasgow to care for her mother who has fallen on hard times. Leonora implores Nancy to stay, to belong to 13 Lecture 4 Dr. Asmaa Ismail Edward so that he may be saved. Nancy smiles but answers that she and Edward are not worth that. Leonora would not hear of it; she wants Nancy to go to Edward. When Edward has heard that Nancy desires to go to Glasgow, he forbades her from considering it. He has said that she is to be sent to India to be with her father as soon as possible. Nancy consents to Edward's wishes. Leonora, vengeful, decides that this should never be so. She has spoken to Nancy continually, telling her what a horrible husband Edward is, and yet imploring the girl to "belong to him" to save his life. Leonora's method has drained all love for Edward out of Nancy. One night, Nancy has given in to Leonora's demands. She goes to Edward's room and offers herself to him. Nancy tells him that, knowing the kind of man he is, she could belong to him to save his life, but she could never love him. This has been torture for Edward, but he refuses to touch her, and decides to send her back to her room. It also has sent him into a deeper depression because he knows that Leonora has coerced Nancy to despise him forever. 14 Lecture 4 Dr. Asmaa Ismail At the same time, while he is in Connecticut, Dowell receives a letter from the Ashburnhams asking him to visit their home in England. Dowell hurries over to England to meet their request and is greeted warmly by Leonora, but senses that Edward is in agony. Once at Branshaw Manor, Dowell learns that Nancy is leaving for India tomorrow in order to spend time with her father. He intends to propose to her before she leaves. But before he proposes, he has a long talk with Edward. One day, before Nancy is to be put on the train, Dowell wanders into Edward's gun room. Edward confesses to Dowell that he is dying of love for Nancy Rufford. A few days later, Edward and Dowell take Nancy to the station to leave for India. Edward is distraught, but Leonora walks around with a triumphant smile on her face. She has long ago lost all thought of winning her husband back to herself. Under his breath, Edward admits, "Thou hast conquered..." Days later, while Edward and Dowell are in the stable, Edward receives a telegram from Nancy reading: "Having a rattling good time." Thus, he pulls out a small pen-knife, asks Dowell to take the telegram to Leonora, and says 15 Lecture 4 Dr. Asmaa Ismail good-bye, that it is time for him to have some rest. He cuts his throat with the knife. After Edward's suicide, Nancy has gone mad. Her father has picked her up from the ship in Ceylon, and found her unable to speak. The only thing she would say is that she believes in an "Omnipotent Deity." Leonora would not go to Ceylon to retrieve her, so she has sent Dowell to do it. Nancy now sits in the hall, forty steps from Dowell as he writes. She is beautiful, well looked after, but utterly without reason. Dowell finds himself once again the attendant, the nurse-maid of a beautiful girl who pays no attention to him. Dowell writes this section eighteen months after he has returned to Branshaw to care for Nancy. Dowell reflects that this is such a sad story because no one has got what he wanted. Leonora has wanted Edward but ends up with Rodney Bayham. Edward and Florence are dead, the girl is mad, and Dowell remains right where he has started: a pathetic caretaker. Dowell now cares for Nancy, who repeats the word "shuttlecocks" every so often. He thinks it must refer to the way she has been tossed back and forth between Edward and Leonora for those few months. Dowell 16 Lecture 4 Dr. Asmaa Ismail concludes that he sympathizes with Edward the most, that he loves him "because he was just myself." He reasons that if he had the courage and virility of Edward Ashburnham, he would have done much the same thing. He believes that he, like Edward, is a sentimentalist. Dowell compares the relationship of the two couples to a minuet and to a prison of screaming hysterics. He claims that at least two pillars of their four- square house were rotten, and says that he was blind to the damage until it was too late. 17