Gertrude essays

Gertrude essays Henry James, the author of The Europeans, portrays Gertrude Wentworth as an innocent woman who yearns to lash out and be rambunctious. When Gertrude is first introduced, most of the characteristics are physical. Gertrude is about twenty-two in age, bareheaded, tall, pale, thin, and awkward. It is clear that Gertrude is not the prettiest person to look at, and that her eyes were dark, dull, and restless. Gertrude is also placed in a garden, which represents innocence and fertileness. The dark and dull eyes of Gertrude, express that her personality is similar. Gertrude has a wild imagination and strives to have the life that only fairy-tale characters can live. Gertrude skips church to read a rather risqu book, but yet, she comes off as a woman who is quite innocent. Gertrude is reliable and trustworthy to everyone; however, she is not true to herself or her family until Felix arrives. Gertrudes personality is not represented accurately because she is held back from a life of excitement. Mr. Brand is one person in particular that forces Gertrude to be a dull, emotionless woman. Gertrude wants to escape from a life that is controlled by others and tells Mr. Brand, I am trying for once to be natural! I have been pretending all my life; I have been dishonest; it is you that have made me so! Gertrude is like Pandoras Box waiting to be opened. Inside she would love to do amazing things like travel and fall in love the way a fairy-tale romance is depicted. Gertrude is the damsel in distress and Felix is the prince charming. Felix enlivens Ge rtrude and she is able to become a more confident woman. Instead of boundaries around Gertrudes curiosities, she can now be independent due to her new found friend and companion. Gertrude puzzles her family simply because they do not share the same interests. As the novel progresses, Gertrudes intention and motive is to marry F...