Ah yes, I've heard something of the sort. ;-)
Well maybe, but I don't really see the rape in A Man of Property as being libido based. It was more like: "My wife is my property and I will use her as such!" Creepy, but then as I said, I'm not a big Soames fan. It is interesting to see Galsworthy softening up to the character as the series moves along, though.
If we compare Soames and Irene in the first part with them in the second part, I think, they both are changed. In the first part she is a physically attractive woman who is completely unaware of it. Inside, she is more spiritual kind of person. While Soames is too physical and selfish in the first part. But in the second part he becomes more open-minded than her, as far as the relationship between his daughter and Irene's son is concerned.
I don’t think he was more open-minded. I remember him having thoughts like „If they marry, their children and my grandchildren will have the house I have built, in a way I will recover it.” „If they marry, the grandchildren will be mine and Irene’s, what a poetic justice!” And I remember him realizing that Jon will inherit a substantial fortune, so even though Soames changed a bit, his attitude put me off. Besides, Irene gave Jon a free hand in that matter.
Last edited by Aylinn; 02-13-2015 at 04:35 PM.
I read it long time ago. I don't remember all the details. I just remember that Jon and Fleur had beautiful love for each other and that Soames supported it (for this reason or that, it doesn't matter), but Irene couldn't forget the dark side of her previous marriage and it affected her son's choice to leave Fleur. From my point of view, it was selfish of her. Her influence was not based on her son's feelings, but on her own.
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“All" human beings "by nature desire to know.” ― Aristotle
“Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.” ― Robert A. Heinlein
While Irene’s hatred for Soames influenced Jon, I think that circumstances played even great role. Before Soames came to the house, Jon was in two minds about the whole affair. He only gave up on Fleur when he saw his mother’s face during the meeting and that she did not give Soames her hand, which she had right not to give. Soames should have known that it would have been better not to come. He even realizes it afterwards that if he had not come, the outcome might have been different.
Besides, I think that it is for the better that their relationship did not work out. I do not think that Fleur would be happy as a farmer’s wife.
Last edited by Aylinn; 02-14-2015 at 11:39 AM.
Maybe you are right. But, I am always on the side of the lovers at first sight. That was between Fleur and Jon. Unfortunatelly, it was cut not by their own will. Circumstances, beyond their power of control, were against it that this kind of love gets developed, going through all its phases, whatever the consequences. Because, I think, that love at first sight is a 'god's gift', if I may say so.
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“All" human beings "by nature desire to know.” ― Aristotle
“Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.” ― Robert A. Heinlein