2. Write a comment on this post on the subject of "Roman Fever." Address one of the following questions, or not. Backing up what you say with evidence--a quoted phrase--is always effective.
a. What do Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley think of each other before the revelation that Babs (Barbara) is the daughter of Mrs. Slade's husband? How will this change now that the truth has been revealed?
b. Why is the setting appropriate to what goes on in the story?
c. Are Mrs. Slade equally sympathetic (likable or dis-likable), or do you end up rooting for one more than the other? Explain.
d. Is the view of human beings here essentially more positive or more negative?
e. What about the language of this story makes the story more than just a soap opera story of intrigue and betrayal?
The setting of Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley's conversation is very important to the rest of the story. The two women are in a restaurant overlooking the Forum and the Colosseum when Mrs. Slade says, "The sun's set. You're not afraid, my dear?" Mrs. Ansley replies, "Oh, we're all right up here. Down below, in the Forum, it does get deathly cold, all of a sudden...but not here." Later in their conversation, Mrs. Slade says, "There's no more Roman fever, but the Forum is deathly cold after sunset-especially after a hot day. And the Colosseum's even colder and damper." This description of the ruins almost takes them back in time to when they were young, in love, and in Rome! It is also important that Mrs. Slade is the one that says most of these things, because she tricked Mrs. Ansley into going into the Colosseum at night. The fact that she shares this knowledge of how dangerous it is, and knowing that one could get Roman fever from being there at night is a vital part of the plot. If it were not for Mrs. Slade choosing a place where one could easily get sick, it would have been much more difficult for Mrs. Ansley to cover up the fact that she was impregnated by Mrs. Slade's fiance.
ReplyDeletec) Personally I feel one might be more inclined to root for Mrs.Ansley. Mrs.Ansley though she may seem mousy,boring, and reserved at first, is later revealed to seen just much more calm. Throughout the second half of the story Mrs.Slade continuously makes judgements about Mrs.Ansley such as her thought when Mrs.Ansley begins to knit "She can knit -in the face of this!" I also feel that Mrs.Slade is ungreatful, she has little appreciation for her daughter Jenny which shows in her thoughts, one example being: "She wished that Jenny would fall in love -with the wrong man." Instead of wishing for Jenny's safety, it seems she would rather selfishly prefer excitement in her life. All these reasons would make me more inclined to prefer Mrs.Ansley...although both are really just as bad as one another.
ReplyDeleteI feel as if the view of human beings is taken to be negative. This is because we are shown two women who are supposed to be very close friends. Instead of actually staying friends they bothe end up hurting each other in the end all because of a man. Even though what Mrs. Slade does with the love letter to Mrs. Ansley is totally wrong she is not the only guilty party. The fact that Mrs. Ansley does end up responding to the letter and then ends up meeting Mrs. Slades fiance makes her just as guilty. And also that fact that the minor character of Mrs. Slades fiance did end up going to see Mrs. Ansley. This shows that no person is completly faithful to the other if it be friendship or love. Which in that case then makes it have a negative view on human beings.
ReplyDeleteTo me Mrs.Slade is more of a dislikable character than Mrs.Ansley. Mrs.Slade acts as if she wants something thrilling to happen in her life. Mrs.Slade had held herself back for many years and did not think of moving forward with herself. "Her own beautifully cared-for hands remained montionless on her knee." This shows how self centered Mrs.Slade is. I believe when the quote said that "she had beautifully cared-for hands" it shows that she believes she is better than Mrs.Ansley. When Mrs Slade said "I know what was in that letter because I wrote it" it appears she had been waiting all those years to tell her. Mrs.Slade believed that she had beaten Mrs.Ansley and was anticipating a strong reaction. Mrs.Slade is also dislikable because she proudly stated that she was with her husband for twenty-four years. This seemed like she was playing a game and wanted to be the winner. With this statement Mrs.Slade did not seem like she was truely in love, but a woman that was desperate to bring herself to believe she was better than Mrs.Ansley.
ReplyDeleteBoth Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley have perceived notions of each other that go back to when they were young. Mrs. Slade views Mrs. Ansley as boring and old-fashioned. This is evidence in the story when Mrs. Slade is thinking "Grace Ansley was always old-fashioned." Mrs. Ansley feels that Mrs. Slade is intelligent and exciting. This is evidence when Mrs. Ansley is thinking of Mrs. Slade and thinks "Alida Slade awfully brilliant; but not as brilliant as she thinks" and how she feels Mrs. Slade has vividness that Jenny does not. One thing is for certain they will be friends again. Mrs. Ansley will probably think that Mrs. Slade is just viscious and spiteful. Mrs. Slade on the other hand is probably shocked that Mrs. Ansley had this much gumption.
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree with Emma on the fact that humans are viewed negatively in this work. Not only for the fact that these two women are 'posing' to be friends, but that they seem more concerned with themselves and are selfish, ultimately leading to the climax/disagreement. I have a few supporting quotes from Part II, though long, they offer quite a bit of valuable insight into the relationship between these women.
ReplyDelete"Yes. And you got well again—so it didn't matter. But I suppose it struck your friends—the reason given for your illness. I mean—because everybody knew you were so prudent on account of your throat, and your mother took such care of you. . . . You had been out late sightseeing, hadn't you, that night"
"Perhaps I had. The most prudent girls aren't always prudent. What made you think of it now?"
Mrs. Slade seemed to have no answer ready. But after a moment she broke out: "Because I simply can't bear it any longer—"
Mrs. Ansley lifted her head quickly. Her eyes were wide and very pale. "Can't bear what?"
"Why—your not knowing that I've always known why you went."
"Why I went—?"
"Yes. You think I'm bluffing, don't you? Well, you went to meet the man I was engaged to—and I can repeat every word of the letter that took you there." ------ Now what purpose does she have in doing that? This segment proves Mrs. Slade to be bitter and malicious to Mrs. Ansley though they have been acting as friends for a life time.
This next segment proves Mrs. Ansley guilty in the sense she knew what she was doing was wrong, but did it anyway. Which is a more or less selfish human behavior.
Mrs. Ansley's head drooped again. "I'm not trying to excuse myself ... I remembered ..."
"And still you went?"
"Still I went."
And this last segment just proves the disposition of the friendship:
You do understand? I'd found out—and I hated you, hated you. I knew you were in love with Delphin—and I was afraid; afraid of you, of your quiet ways, your sweetness ... your ... well, I wanted you out of the way, that's all. Just for a few weeks; just till I was sure of him. So in a blind fury I wrote that letter ... I don't know why I'm telling you now."
"I suppose," said Mrs. Ansley slowly, "it's because you've always gone on hating me."
(e) In my opinion, the language of this story is much more honest and truthful to each woman's point of view, instead of contrived and bland, as a soap opera would be, or a story that read out like a soap opera. Yes, it has much of the same characteristics as a "quality" soap opera (forged letters, betrayal, illegitimate child, jealousy, resentment...), but it's real. Mrs. Slade's emotions and thoughts are the ones we as readers observe the most, and you can feel them in the diction that the author chooses. With a soap opera, as you're watching it, you know these emotions are fake. It's all too much on display. I don't feel as though the same dramatic feelings are conveyed in the same way in "Roman Fever." Perhaps one of the most honest and most telling lines in the story is, “Mrs. Slade broke off this prophetic flight with a recoil of self-disgust. There was no one of whom she had less right to think unkindly than of Grace Ansley. Would she never cure herself of envying her? Perhaps she had begun too long ago.” This gives the reader a proper idea of Mrs. Slade’s feelings: There’s something brimming under the surface, but Mrs. Slade is keeping it in; and trying to do it with good intentions, not just to save herself. However, we see this same potent tone in Mrs. Slade’s voice: “’Well, girls are ferocious sometimes, you know. Girls especially. And I remember laughing to myself all evening at the idea that you were waiting around…Of course I was upset when I heard you were so ill afterward.’” I think this is a very telling quote from Mrs. Slade. It shows her true thoughts on the situation. And I do not think you could get these kind of real thoughts, real emotions from a simple soap opera.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Amber a lot. At first i wasn't rooting for either one, but after reading part II i began to root for Mrs. Ansley. Especially when Mrs. Slade said, "Well my dear, I know what was in that letter because i wrote it!" My view of Mrs. Slade went dark. Also when Mrs. Slade sneered at her and said, "Yes; you would, naturally-you're so prudent!" At this point i wanted Mrs. Ansley to stick up for her self and admit what she did or clear up the story. Later on when Mrs. Slade found out that Mrs. Ansley wrote a reply to the letter and that Delphin arrived, i was enlightened to see that Mrs. Ansley was whitty. And finally, when Mrs. Slade said, "After all, I had everything; I had him for twenty-five years. And you had nothing but that one letter that he didn't write." And Mrs. Ansley replied with, "I had Barbara." Even though Mrs. Ansley had one of Delphin's children without being married to him, I was secretly rooting for her to have the last laugh. Even though what she did was very wrong.
ReplyDeleteI have read!
ReplyDeleteThey just think of each other as a friend who spent a long time with them. They seem like they didn't have any bad feeling or jealousy to each other. But, after the revelation, Mrs. Slade was really shocked. Especially, When She realized that her husband was there after he got a letter from Mrs.Ansley. It said, "Came? How did he know he'd find you there? You must be raving!",She sounds like she's little upset about that.I could feel that by also her behavior. It said Mrs.Slade flung her hands up to her face and there was no conversation for a pretty long time after this happened. But later, Mrs Slade said " I don't know why you should be sorry for me." Because, She tought Mrs.Ansley didn't get anything except the letter,and maybe she didn't want Mrs.Ansley to know her feeling. This story didn't tell anything about Mrs.Slade's feeling after the revelation about Barbara. I think she should be very upset about it. She won't do anything and she will not say anything because it will be a really big shock to her.
ReplyDeleted. I would agree with the idea that author shows us a negative image of human. Although they introduced themselves as close friends, in their mind, they judge each other by their own standard. We can see it well in the part 1. (In page 113, “Alida Slade’s awfully brilliant; bbut not as brilliant as she thinks”, “Sometimes Mrs. Ansley thought Alida Slade was disappointed; on the whole she had had a sad life. Full of failures and mistakes”, and “So these two ladies visualized each other, each through the wrong end of her little telescope” ) They keep thinking about ‘whose life is better than the other’s?’. It’s non-sense that the friend visualized/estimate each other, but they did. Also in part 2, there are more straight negative expression, (In page 117, ‘“Yes, you would, naturally- you’re so prudent!” the sneer was open now’, “I horrify you”, “you do understand? I’d found out- and I hated you, hated you…. And I was afraid of you; afraid you….well.. I wanted you out of the way.” In page 118~9 “I suppose I did it as a sort of joke”, “I was blind with rage”) In the process of revealing the truth, both of them show us their selfishness and rage. Mrs. Slade wrote a faked love letter as a joke, although she knew Mrs.Ansley was in love with Delphine. Also, Mrs. Ansley, she went to the Colosseum and had a night with Delphine, although she knew that Delphine was engaged to Mrs. Slade. Finally, both of them couldn’t have happy ending. They were broken, and hurt by the plan that made by themselves.
ReplyDeleteThe view of humans here seems very negative because there seems to be so much jealousy and trying to ruin others lives. For example, when Mrs. Ansley wrote a letter to Mrs. Slade saying that Delphin wanted to meet her it was very cruel and a little sadistic. Her only reason for writing the letter was to hurt Mrs. Slade, both emotionally and physically. She wanted her “out of the way. That’s all. Just for a few weeks. Just until I was sure of him.” She knowingly sent her to the Colosseum where there was a high risk that she could become very ill and die from the fever. On the other side, Mrs. Slade had an affair with Delphin, knowing that Mrs. Ansley was in love with him and Delphin had the affair when he was involved with Mrs. Ansley. All in all, each of the characters show intentional negative, hurtful behavior toward others.
ReplyDeleteI have read.
ReplyDeleteIn the end I am more sympathetic with Mrs Ansley. It is Mrs Slade that tries to hurt Mrs Ansley with the line:
ReplyDelete"Yes; I was beaten there. But I oughtn't to begrudge it to you, I suppose. At the end of all these years. After all, I had everything; I had him for twenty-five years. And you had nothing but that one letter that he didn't write."
When Mrs Ansley responds with "I had Barbara" as she moves ahead of Mrs Slade, I don't feel bad for Mrs Slade. I feel like she deserved it.
I think my feelings are much more sympathetic towards Mrs. Ansley then Mrs. Slade. Mrs. Slade is arrogant and her jealousy of Mrs. Ansley comes out in angry and mocking tones, "Yes; you would, naturally-you're so prudent!' The sneer was open now." Mrs. Slade's jealousy also led her to write the letter in order to "win" her fiannce by getting rid of Mrs. Ansley, "...and I was afraid; afraid of you, of your quiet ways, your sweetness...your...well, I wanted you out of the way, that's all." This backstabbing plot was turned around and caused Mrs. Slade more heartache then she wanted for Mrs. Ansley. I find myself excited at the end that Mrs. Ansley is able to turn the tables on Mrs. Slade and have the last word.
ReplyDeletee) I think that what makes the story more than just a soap opera is the maner in which information about these women is revealed. Even in the description of the scenery is very vague. Instead of just describing the Palace of Ceasers in the begining, the author chooses to give the reader a clue with a bit of dialogue, "'...I get tired just looking--even at this.' Her gesture was now addressed to the stupendous scene at their feet" (111). With this method, the author doesn't immediately evoke an image in the mind of the reader, but rather a sense of mystery. He continues this tactic in the revelation of the scandal, especially in the final twist. Instead having Mrs. Ansley clearly say that she had the baby of Mrs. Slade's late husband, she simply says, "I had Barbara"(119). As this is the very end of the story, it is difficult for the reader to fully comprehend upon first reading it, which creates a fuller shock. His language in revealing the story is also a reflection of the girly, passive-agressive cattyness that we se characterized in Mrs. Slade and Mrs, Ansley.
ReplyDelete