Blog #4: What Is an American Woman Doing in this Novel?

I have not yet finished Volume II of The Way We Live Now, so I’m going to limit this post to a discussion of Volume I. I was especially intrigued by Mrs. Hurtle’s character; even though she has a dubious reputation both in Britain and America, the narrator portrays her as representative of American culture in its opposition to British culture. Interestingly, her character functions as a double-edged sword. At times, Trollope seems to use her to promote British nationalism and expose what is wrong with America. However, there are other moments when Mrs. Hurtle successfully critiques English customs. Her ambiguous character reveals the ambiguous relationship between Britain and America.

While people in London keep vacillating in their opinions on Melmotte, Mrs. Hurtle decisively claims, “He is a man whose hand I would kiss; but I would not condescend to speak even a word of reverence to any of your Emperors” (26.246). Mrs. Hurtle’s opinion perfectly fits American ideals; she does not have any reverence for outdated European forms of nobility, but she respects the self-made man who has acquired vast amounts of wealth. This moment can be a critique of both American and English ideals. Clearly, Melmotte’s money has not been earned by honest means, so anyone in favor of him comes under the novel’s critique. However, the system of ranks and titles in Britain is degenerating, so Mrs. Hurtle’s lack of respect for “Emperors” and English gentlemen is fitting. For example, many of the gentlemen we meet are in debt. The Longestaffes have to sell family property. Felix is a baronet, yet he is a reprobate gambler. There are clearly issues with the class system in England.

Mrs. Hurtle also attacks the British notion of propriety: “I like good conduct, and law, and religion too if it be not forced down one’s throat; but I hate what your women call propriety. I suppose what we have been doing to-night is very improper; but I am quite sure that it has not been in the least wicked” (27.262). She conveys the idea that reputation is often more important than actual virtue or goodness. She merely went to a play with Montague, yet this could ruin her reputation (if it wasn’t already ruined enough) because it goes against rules of propriety. She exposes the trivial concern with external appearances that British people care so much about. However, this does not change Montague’s opinion. One’s reputation may be based on rumors, but those rumors often hold some truth, as is the case with Mrs. Hurtle. Montague thinks that Mrs. Hurtle has “the breeding of the wild cat” and would rather marry Hetta Carbury when he thinks of “her breeding” (38.355). Hetta’s propriety is not just an outward show of virtue but is actually representative of her inner virtue. She is considered superior to Mrs. Hurtle both because she does not have a bad reputation and because she actually is a genuinely good person.

What I found to be Mrs. Hurtle’s most interesting critique of British culture was her examination of gender roles. On the one hand, she accuses British men for not being strong and masculine enough. She says, “In this safe-going country young men perhaps are not their own masters till they are past thirty” (47.441). She finds it ridiculous that men are still subservient to their elders even when they are already adults themselves. This critique does have a lot of weight, especially when we look at Felix and his friends who rely on their parents for money and spend the majority of their time in leisure rather than working as productive members of society. There is an extended period of adolescence for these young men; they are more boys than men. On the other hand, Mrs. Hurtle also believes that women should be allowed to be strong and powerful. While admonishing Montague for breaking things off with her, she says, “is it that you are afraid to have by your side a woman who can speak for herself,--and even act for herself if some action be necessary?” (47.447). Mrs. Hurtle secretly wishes she could be more feminine and find love, but she also recognizes that women sometimes have to stand up for themselves and should not be punished for such behavior. The problem in Britain is that both men and women are effeminate. Mrs. Hurtle sees this as a function of British society: “In this soft civilization of yours you know nothing of such necessity” (47.445).

However, if Britain is too soft, America is too rough. Even when Mrs. Hurtle honestly admits to everything about her troubled past and reveals that she only did what she had to do, Montague still does not want to marry her. He thinks, “She had seen so much of drunkenness, had become so handy with pistols, and had done so much of a man’s work, that any ordinary man might well hesitate before he assumed to be her master” (47.446-7). He strongly believes in traditional gender roles, and Mrs. Hurtle is too much of a masculine woman, especially when compared to Hetta. The first half of the novel shows that Mrs. Hurtle and Montague do not share enough values. Both of their countries have flaws (even if those flaws may be a little stereotyped), but they cannot reconcile their differences in Volume I.