Washington Square
So, because I am somewhat of a snob and a narcissistic person, I came up with the idea of writing a "sequel" to the film, The Heiress, which stars that glorious Dame of Cinema, Olivia De Havilland. Of course, the film is based upon Henry James novella, Washington Square. And since I have never read it, I thought I should.
The story goes: a proud, and somewhat arrogant, widowed doctor objects to the impending marriage of his "dull, plain" daughter Catharine to a man named Morris Townsend. The doctor believes Morris to be merely interested in Catharine's wealth.
Check out the film, which does vary the tale a wee bit but also happens to be one of the finest performances by Dame De Havilland (my personal nickname for her, don't use it!).
After finishing the tale, I realized that no sequel is possible. In the course of the story, it is revealed why Catharine, after learning the truth not only about Morris' intentions but also about her father's genuine dislike for her, abstains from finding any personal joy in her life.
And it struck me because it only takes one event, one rejection from that one particular person, to ruin any chances ever after. After Morris leaves Catharine, she has other suitors but she rejects them all. She simply says "I will not marry." Because the one man she really loved rejected her, no one else will "replace" him.
Now I may joke about why I've abstained from that sort of thing but the truth is that after that one rejection, I was never interested again. One person or none at all. It may sound harsh and yes, I do deal with loneliness on occasion, but that's the truth of it. As the disco song goes: if I can't have you, I don't want nobody, baby.
And wow! This just got really personal. But there it is. I have often wondered why no one ever really interested me. I mean, the couple of "suitors" who tried found the work of trying to get me involved either too tiring or too much of a mountain to climb. These were not horrible men. I was just not interested. I simply have no interest in it. As Sherlock Holmes says, "I am married to my work." (Not my job... which I endure... but my work, my writing.)
Strange that it took reading Washington Square for me to own up to this simple truth.
The story goes: a proud, and somewhat arrogant, widowed doctor objects to the impending marriage of his "dull, plain" daughter Catharine to a man named Morris Townsend. The doctor believes Morris to be merely interested in Catharine's wealth.
Check out the film, which does vary the tale a wee bit but also happens to be one of the finest performances by Dame De Havilland (my personal nickname for her, don't use it!).
After finishing the tale, I realized that no sequel is possible. In the course of the story, it is revealed why Catharine, after learning the truth not only about Morris' intentions but also about her father's genuine dislike for her, abstains from finding any personal joy in her life.
And it struck me because it only takes one event, one rejection from that one particular person, to ruin any chances ever after. After Morris leaves Catharine, she has other suitors but she rejects them all. She simply says "I will not marry." Because the one man she really loved rejected her, no one else will "replace" him.
Now I may joke about why I've abstained from that sort of thing but the truth is that after that one rejection, I was never interested again. One person or none at all. It may sound harsh and yes, I do deal with loneliness on occasion, but that's the truth of it. As the disco song goes: if I can't have you, I don't want nobody, baby.
And wow! This just got really personal. But there it is. I have often wondered why no one ever really interested me. I mean, the couple of "suitors" who tried found the work of trying to get me involved either too tiring or too much of a mountain to climb. These were not horrible men. I was just not interested. I simply have no interest in it. As Sherlock Holmes says, "I am married to my work." (Not my job... which I endure... but my work, my writing.)
Strange that it took reading Washington Square for me to own up to this simple truth.
Comments