Graham's Magazine Vol XXXII. No. 5. May 1848Various
General
Graham's Magazine Vol XXXII. No. 5. May 1848
Various
Literature -- Periodicals; Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals
Few novels published within the last ten years have made so great a
stir among readers of all classes as this. The Harpers have sold a
vast number of their cheap reprint, and we have here to notice its
appearance in the old duodecimo shape, with large type and white
paper. That the work bears unmistakable marks of power and originality
cannot be questioned, and in a limited range of characterization and
description evinces sagacity and skill. The early portions of the
novel are especially truthful and vivid. The description of the
heroine's youthful life--the exact impression which is conveyed of the
child's mind--the influences which went to modify her character--the
scenes at the boarding-school--all have a distinctness of delineation
which approaches reality itself. But when the authoress comes to deal
with great passions, and represent morbid characters, we find that she
is out of her element. The character of Rochester is the character of
a mechanical monster. The authoress has no living idea of the kind of
person she attempts to describe. She desires to represent a reckless
man, made bad by circumstances, but retaining many marks of a noble
character, and she fills his conversation with slang, makes him
impudent and lustful, a rascal in every sense of the word, without the
remotest idea of what true chivalric love for a woman means; and this
mechanical automaton, whose every motion reveals that he moves not by
vital powers but by springs and machinery, she makes her pure-minded
heroine love and marry.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account