Sedgwick -- “Cacoethes Scribendi” -- Reading Notes

The village of “H.” –

• No young men
• All women
• The women live like NUNS
• A particular “fatality” hung over this devoted place – every women was a widow or a maiden
• “No great diminution of happiness” – IRONY? – men do not = happiness?
• No competition for men; thus, always good will and good humor

They were sure to be mated / the men will return with their fortunes

The “destiny” of women = MARRIAGE?

Narrator (s) = “WE” ?

Ralph Hepburn –

• One of nature’s favorites
• A good figure and face
• Moulded in a poet’s fancy – as farmers in Georgics and Pastorals
• A poet – he wrote verses
• An artist – he does pencil sketches – his grandmother & her cat – SATIRE?
• A musician – a singer in church (ICHABOD) and a violin-maker
• Yet he was no genius or prodigy – IRONY?
• All of his talents were in a moderate degree
• A good farmer
• A good hunter
• An inventor (BEN FRANKLIN)
• A tamer of wild animals
• A STORYTELLER!

Ralph Hepburn –

• Two years since Ralph has come into his “majority” – age / inheritance
• Many girls clamoring to marry him
• He is reluctant to pick out one girl
• Called a “HERO”

REFERENCE to Irving’s “LSH” – footnote 5 – “moving country” – American mobility

Mrs. Courland –

• A widow
• Ralph’s aunt
• 5 sons
• 1 daughter

Alice –

• A sweet girl of 17 y.o.
• Not beautiful, not handsome, but pretty enough
• No girl of 17 was ever more disinterested, unassuming, unostentatious, and unspoiled
• Always on terms of cousinly affection with Ralph – an affection of a neutral tint that they never thought of being shaded into the deep dye of a more tender passion

The season of the PERIODICAL inundation of annuals –

• Ralph’s gift to Alice
• They were to be a “Pandora’s box” to her – bring her bad fortune
• “Poor simple girl!  She sat down to read them, as if an annual were meant to be read”
• “The prettiest story” – “two such tried faithful lovers, and married at last!  It ends beautifully: I hate love stories that don’t end in marriage”
• Ralph agrees
• Alice’s cheeks tingle at his approach!

Mrs. Courland’s Literary Aspirations –

• She had imbibed a literary taste in Boston
• She had some literary ambition
• She read the North American Review
• She talked about books
• She had been effectually prevented … from indulging her literary inclinations à domestic matters took precedence!
• In her reading, she has seen poor writing
• She read Alice’s annual
• She recognized familiar names of friends as authors
• She practices CRITICAL READING!
• She experiences a “CALL TO WRITE”

Alice is RETICENT about her mother’s publication

Mrs. Courland’s fate is now decided – a career in letters

Mrs. Courland encourages her three single sisters to write as well

• Miss Anne – fond of botany
• Miss Ruth – had a turn for education
• Miss Sally – doubted the propriety of a literary occupation but did it anyway

Mrs. Courland’s mother will NOT write

Ralph will NOT write

Alice will NOT write

Alice will still be the VICTIM of this “scribbler’s itch”

Mrs. Courland’s view of the world – authors and subject for authors – everything is fair game

REFERENCE to Irving’s “LSH” – a character based on Ichabod Crane

REFERENCE to W. Irving – footnote 9

REFERENCE to Sir W. Scott – footnote 9

The list of subjects is very “ROMANTIC” in nature –

• A witch
• An Ichabod Crane
• A poor half witted boy
• Much pathos and sentiment
• Settings = a haunted tower or a ruined abbey

Alice is a “Sufferer” –

• Alice becomes a subject for her mother
• Her mother temporarily considers Ralph as a “lover” for Alice in the writing
• Alice also becomes a subject for her three aunts
• Alice feels exposed to the public – but it’s a small public – IRONY?
• She grows afraid to speak or act
• She’s afraid of being a BLUE STOCKING
• Alice is a “poor victim”

REFERENCE to Sir W. Scott – the author of the Waverly novel – footnote 7

Ralph and Alice in a tête-à-tête

Writing is calming

Mrs. Courland considers it a SIN not to write!

WRITING ADVICE – “Mrs. Courland did not know that in literature, as in some species of manufacture, the most exquisite productions are wrought from the smallest quantity of raw material.”

Mrs. Courland’s WRITING ADVICE to Ralph – “All founded on fact, all romantic and pathetic” – ROMANTIC

Mrs. Courland’s response to Alice – “Do you suppose it is necessary to tell things precisely as they are?” – ROMANTIC vs. REALISTIC

Evidence of the LOVE between Ralph and Alice

Alice has been PUBLISHED without her knowledge --> Bradstreet

Upon learning this, Alice BURNS the book!

Mrs. Courland temporarily forgets her literary aspirations and becomes a MOTHER again and consents to their union

A LOVE STORY that ends in MARRIAGE

END IDEA – if you are married, you cannot write?