With Mrs. Oliphant do not expect a conclusion wrapped up with a bow. She leaves events in mid stream with the characters having their personalities as fate. This is contrary to the usual denouement of the three volume novels that were geared to the circulating libraries of the day. Not exactly a pause button more like this is as far as our history takes us. The fabulous has died and gone to fictive heaven. It is life just as we know it with questions hanging. The deal was not closed.
In ‘A Country Gentleman and his Family’ has a close examination of the psychology of the stepchild Geoff and his step father Theo Warrender. Geoff is a precocious child tied to his mother but also attempting to not be an obstacle between his mother and her new husband. The boy at 8 to 10/12 in the novel is not very likeable with mutual clinging between mother and child. Add that Theo Warrender is a jealous man who wants the youngster gone and the conflict is sure to boil over. The attempt by Oliphant to immerse us in the inner workings of the child’s mind is generally convincing. Remember a full half pint is as full as a full gallon.
Stepchildren must have been commonplace in life as well as fairy tales during the Victorian era given the rate of maternal mortality. ‘David Copperfield’ (1849) has a rejective stepfather but David is a likeable manly little chap whereas Geoff (1863) is a little twerp if that isn’t too harsh. He tries to break out of his over protective cage, but his health is delicate and he is without friends of his own age. However Eton beckons with poor food, fagging and caning. How very jolly.
A good read with intermissions of humour and fallen women, potential bigamy and comfortable clergymen.
