Reading this made me suddenly think that King Lear is the tragedy of Cordelia, not of Lear (I'm sure this is a hackneyed perspective). Lear makes a stupid, uncharacteristic decision, as a result of which conflict is inevitable; Cordelia acts honourably (by refusing to act a part), in a way that is aligned with her character. As a foreseeable result of which everyone dies horribly.
We want people to be authentic and committed, but we also want them to be able to stop being authentic and committed when it's sensible to do so. Which is to say, we want authenticity to be an act. And when it's persevered with, we say to ourselves that it's really still an act, but one that the actor is too scared of humiliation, and of having to admit that they were wrong, to put aside.
Lovely review, thank you. I find James more digestible in smaller morsels, but I must try again.
Thanks, you've given me something to think about. A lot of the time, fictional characters become more interesting when they stop balancing authenticity/morality and pragmatism and hold to an ideal "beyond reason." Tragic characters seem to do this a lot, and you're right that we as readers and audiences have mixed feelings about it.
“It rhymes with the mistake of Middlemarch’s Dorothea Brooke”… I need to read this novel! Thank you.
If you liked Middlemarch I think it will appeal. It even has the same early obstacle where the heroine is a little bit insufferable in the beginning!
Reading this made me suddenly think that King Lear is the tragedy of Cordelia, not of Lear (I'm sure this is a hackneyed perspective). Lear makes a stupid, uncharacteristic decision, as a result of which conflict is inevitable; Cordelia acts honourably (by refusing to act a part), in a way that is aligned with her character. As a foreseeable result of which everyone dies horribly.
We want people to be authentic and committed, but we also want them to be able to stop being authentic and committed when it's sensible to do so. Which is to say, we want authenticity to be an act. And when it's persevered with, we say to ourselves that it's really still an act, but one that the actor is too scared of humiliation, and of having to admit that they were wrong, to put aside.
Lovely review, thank you. I find James more digestible in smaller morsels, but I must try again.
Thanks, you've given me something to think about. A lot of the time, fictional characters become more interesting when they stop balancing authenticity/morality and pragmatism and hold to an ideal "beyond reason." Tragic characters seem to do this a lot, and you're right that we as readers and audiences have mixed feelings about it.