The questions of choice and morals in 'The Spoils of Poynton'

Essai , 2006 , 10 Pages , Note: 1,0

Philologie Américaine - Littérature

Many of the critics writing about The Spoils of Poynton belong to one of two groups: “Either they take Fleda to be the heroine of the story in the traditional sense […] or they have taken her to be neurotic and self-deceiving, pathologically fearful of sex, and contributing more harm than balm to the domestic row between the Gereths” (Lodge. Introduction: 5). Both ways of interpretation actually imply that Fleda is indeed the ‘free spirit’ James intended. This view is particularly clear in the wikipedia article which states that “Fleda Vetch has earned most critics' sympathy for steering the right course through an almost impossible situation” (Wikipedia). The talk of a ‘right course’, however, reveals the author’s belief that Fleda has a choice. In the following, I want to argue that the exact opposite is the case. Fleda’s actions are not based on moral considerations but rather on existential necessities. Her freedom is therefore restricted to the realm of her imagination; all other decisions are dictated by the expectations of society. This is also the one unifying force to which all characters are subject and due to “his own disillusionment with existing English society” (Lyons. Social Vision: 64), James uses the comedy and irony in The Spoils of Poynton as a vessel to convey his social
criticism.

Table of Contents

Introduction

1. The unavailability of choice

2. Morality and Fleda’s increasing corruption

3. Conclusion

Works Cited

Introduction

Many of the critics writing about The Spoils of Poynton belong to one of two groups: “Either they take Fleda to be the heroine of the story in the traditional sense […] or they have taken her to be neurotic and self-deceiving, pathologically fearful of sex, and contributing more harm than balm to the domestic row between the Gereths” (Lodge. Introduction: 5). Both ways of interpretation actually imply that Fleda is indeed the ‘free spirit’ James intended. This view is particularly clear in the wikipedia article which states that “Fleda Vetch has earned most critics' sympathy for steering the right course through an almost impossible situation” (Wikipedia). The talk of a ‘right course’, however, reveals the author’s belief that Fleda has a choice. In the following, I want to argue that the exact opposite is the case. Fleda’s actions are not based on moral considerations but rather on existential necessities. Her freedom is therefore restricted to the realm of her imagination; all other decisions are dictated by the expectations of society. This is also the one unifying force to which all characters are subject and due to “his own disillusionment with existing English society” (Lyons. Social Vision: 64), James uses the comedy and irony in The Spoils of Poynton as a vessel to convey his social criticism.

1. The unavailability of choice

From the very beginning, this view is reinforced. Not even half way through the first page, James has Mrs Gereth wonder why she “consent[ed] to such contacts” and contemplate that “she had had, heaven knew, her reasons” (James. Spoils: 35). Certainly, apart from the wish to look over her son, the other reason is her social obligations. When expressing her disgust over Waterbath, it is obvious that James did not only intend to criticise the Brigstock’s lack of taste, but also Mrs Gereth’s over emphasis on this very matter. It is hilariously funny to read that it “was hard for her to believe that a woman could look presentable who had been kept awake for hours by the wall-paper in her room” (James. Spoils: 35) and that she, nonetheless, managed to appear decent, not the least endimanchée. James’ irony is, however, not unidimensional; it does not stop at Mrs Gereth, but is rather directed at everyone: “No character in the novel is exempt from James’ teasing” (Hartsock. Light Lamp: xxxiv). So, when Fleda is introduced, she is referred to as “one of the two Vetches” who “was dressed with an idea, though perhaps not with much else” (James. Spoils: 36). The omission of the ‘poor child’s’ first name^[1] emphasises her last name and hints at the fact that she is a person who is unable to provide for herself, a person who has to “depend on the generosity of others for her support” (Goldsmith. Poetry: 137). Apart from that, information about Fleda’s background is scattered throughout the book. Early on, we learn that although Fleda “hadn’t a penny in the world” and not “so much even as a home” (James. Spoils: 42), she longs for a higher social standing. She aspires to an upper class lifestyle and even views it as the one appropriate for her. When Fleda is invited to live as a lady’s companion to Mrs Gereth, she is only too happy to consent and already feels her “meagre past f[a]ll away from her like a garment of the wrong fashion” (James. Spoils: 40). Considering her admittedly poor background and her naiveté which makes her arm “herself for the battle of life by a course with an impressionist painter” (James. Spoils: 42) most likely to leave her jobless, her decision to stay with Mrs Gereth hardly qualifies as a choice at all. Much more than a choice, her decision resembles a desperate clutch at a straw. With a father unwilling to accommodate her any longer, she has to take any opportunity to secure her living. As she strongly depends on the acceptance of those to whose social class she wishes to belong, she hastens to please everybody and hesitates to openly criticise anyone. For Fleda, however, appealing to her benefactress Mrs Gereth is an easy task to begin with, for both women share a heightened aesthetic sensibility. Under these circumstances, it seems only natural that Fleda should somewhat identify with Mrs Gereth. This development is accompanied by an increased confidence thanks to which she conceives of herself as “having quickly become necessary to her imperious friend” (James. Spoils: 42). It is unfortunate that Fleda is unable to recognise the nature of this dependence. Being an aesthete does not prevent Mrs Gereth from having just as materialistic an attitude as the Brigstocks. Both sides accumulate possessions; Adele Gereth chooses with taste, the Brigstocks without. For all of them, however, “things [are] of course the sum of the world” (James. Spoils: 49). Whereas the Brigstocks judge everything by its monetary value, Mrs Gereth views everything in relation to the ‘spoils’. She only needs Fleda as someone ‘who understands’ and even regards her as “a bit of furniture” (James. Spoils: 200) herself.

Entering this upper class society, Fleda appears rather pure and innocent. She is not interested in amassing tacky objects like the Brigstocks, nor does she view aestheticism as the ultimate end as Mrs Gereth does. Although inclined to play up to her, Fleda nonetheless acknowledges Owens rights but assumes that, because of his goodwill, he at least “might let [his mother] pick out the things to which [she is] most attached” or supposes that some other “good-humoured graceful compromise [could] be imagined or brought about” (James. Spoils: 44/45). However, of the opposing parties, neither Owen nor his mother is governed by mutual affection or humane principles in general, as Fleda may have suspected. The first is led by his love for Mona, which makes him do all she wants, the latter is guided by the obsession with her ‘things’. Therefore, the battle for Poynton is inevitable. Much more than a question of right and wrong, it is a battle for a status symbol; matters of moral or legal justice are secondary. Both parties aim at degrading their opponent and reinforcing their own place in society. This social battle field is unknown ground to Fleda and she has to be careful not to trip. Even more than the others involved, she must protect her reputation, for the slightest damage to it could make her unacceptable company. Unlike the others, she has no possessions to secure her social standing. This is why Fleda cannot afford to upset anyone with a higher position in society. It is not primarily her love for Owen, though it admittedly makes things even more complicated for her, which puts her in a dilemma, but the necessity to be on friendly terms with everyone. On the one hand, she feels obliged to Mrs Gereth, who has taken her in, and indeed she perceives a “tightening of the bond” (James. Spoils: 47) between the two of them. On the other hand she must not offend Owen and the Brigstocks. When asked to do Owen the favour of “seeing Mrs Gereth safely and singly off the premises” (James. Spoils: 62), she consequently assents, for Owen “liked Fleda’s seeming to be on his side” (James. Spoils: 60). Once he has left, she suddenly realises the “ugliness of this duty” (James. Spoils: 60), she anticipates the problems she will run into. With the promise given to Owen and the obligations to his mother, who has reason to believe that Fleda “was of course always on [her] side” (James. Spoils: 67), she finds herself caught between the lines. Playing for time and hoping everything will somehow work out fine is the only option left to her. She constantly assures either party of her loyalty and only when pressed admits that she does very little to convince the other of their being wrong. In order not to affront anybody, Fleda even goes as far as lying (cf. James. Spoils: 139 et al.). Nevertheless, in spite of sacrificing her morals, in spite of her standing up to the ‘temptation’ to marry Owen (James. Spoils: 160), in spite of her attempts to suit everybody, her reputation starts to get cracks. Not only does Mona rightly doubt Fleda’s honesty (cf. James. Spoils: 144), but there are also people “saying that she fastened like a leech on other people” (James. Spoils: 73). Fleda herself recognises that she was of “a usefulness not […] universally acknowledged” (James. Spoils: 89).

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^[1] Although the first name “Fleda” has connotations as well, namely those of “flight and escapism”, which can be traced back to the Teutonic Fleta, meaning “swift as an arrow: takes flight”, as Goldsmith points out (Goldsmith. Poetry: 136), I believe it is left out here because the notion of dependence is much more important in the beginning whereas the notion of flight gains importance at later stages in the novel.

• Université: University of Freiburg
• Cours: Henry James in Transition
• Note: 1,0
• Auteur: Sebastian Kluitmann (Auteur)
• Année de publication: 2006
• Pages: 10
• N° de catalogue: V86404
• ISBN (ebook): 9783638020848
• ISBN (Livre): 9783638923170
• Langue: anglais
• mots-clé: Spoils, Poynton, Henry, James, Transition