Essay Questions

Utilize Freudian concepts to deconstruct Hervey’s nature.

Edgeworth expounds, “Clarence Hervey might have been more than a pleasant young man, if he had not been smitten with the desire of being thought superior in every thing, and of being the most admired person in all companies. He had been early flattered with the idea that he was a man of genius; and he imagined that, as such, he was entitled to be imprudent, wild, and eccentric." Clarence's desire for adoration and superiority is attributed to his ego. His "imprudence, wildness, and eccentricity" cannot be inhibited by his super-ego because he unconsciously yearns for gratification because he considers himself an archetypal genius.

Expound of the irony of the world’s “envy and admiration” of Lady Delacour.

Lady Delacour asserts, “My husband hates me – no matter – I despise him. His relations hate me – no matter – I despise them. My own relations hate me – no matter, I never wish to see them more – never shall they see my sorrow ….I will die, as I have lived, the envy and admiration of the world. When I am gone, let them find out their mistake; and moralize, if they will, over my grave.” The world covets Lady Delacour’s life because it appears to be glamorous. However, Delacour is extremely unhappy because she lacks the love of her husband and relations. People envy her; yet she is silently suffering and experiencing a slow emotional death. If the world understood her pain, it would neither admire or envy her. The world is misguided by the superficial shows which lead them to conclude that Delacour leads a glamorous and gratified life.

Why does Lady Delacour equate herself to a slave?

Lady Delacour recounts, “I was intoxicated with the idle compliments of all my acquaintance, and I endeavoured to console myself for misery at home by gaiety abroad. Ambitious of pleasing universally, I became the worst of slaves – a slave to the world. Not a moment of my time was at my own disposal – not one of my actions; I may say, not one of my thoughts was my own; I was obliged to find things "charming" every hour, which tired me to death.” Lady Delacour is compelled to please the world through fascinating appearances and actions. She does not focus on her happiness because the world holds her to high expectations. Accordingly, she devotes her life to the world by virtue of her position as a lady instead of investing in her gratification. The society's requirements enslave her to the degree that she is terrified to be independent of it. Delacour becomes a hypocrite because she pretends intending to show the world that she is happy even though she is not.