The Marriage of Phaedra
Encyclopedia
The Marriage of Phaedra is a short story
by Willa Cather
. It was first published in The Troll Garden
in 1905
four years back. She criticises Hugh for his lack of manners and for his pride. MacMaster takes to going to the studio to garner information from James. He meets Ellen Treffinger to tell her of his project of a biography. Later, he grows wary of an arts dealer, Lichtenstein. One day, James shows him an issue of The Times
saying Ellen is engaged to get married, and she has sold 'The Marriage of Phaedra' to the arts dealer. However, James has sold the painting as Hugh hd made it clear to him before his death that he did not want it sold. MacMaster conjectures they have to tell Ellen of the situation. When he visits her the next day, she says the painting will have to go; it is now in Australia.
's studio in Kensington
; she even used his valet's real name, James.
Further, the story has been deemed Jamesian
for its narrative technique and its use of the painting as a means to convey meaning.
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
by Willa Cather
Willa Cather
Willa Seibert Cather was an American author who achieved recognition for her novels of frontier life on the Great Plains, in works such as O Pioneers!, My Ántonia, and The Song of the Lark. In 1923 she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for One of Ours , a novel set during World War I...
. It was first published in The Troll Garden
The Troll Garden
A collection of short stories by Willa Cather, published in 1905.-Contents:This collection contains the following stories: * "On the Divide"* "Eric Hermannson's Soul"* "The Enchanted Bluff"* "The Bohemian Girl"* "Flavia and Her Artists"...
in 1905
Plot introduction
MacMaster visits a late painter's studio and attempts to collect information to write his biography.Explanation of the title
'The Marriage of Phaedra' is an unfinished painting by Hugh Treffinger.Plot summary
MacMaster goes to Hugh Treffinger's studio in Holland Road, London. He is greeted by James, who shows him around. Later, he visits Lady Mary Percy, whom he had met in NiceNice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
four years back. She criticises Hugh for his lack of manners and for his pride. MacMaster takes to going to the studio to garner information from James. He meets Ellen Treffinger to tell her of his project of a biography. Later, he grows wary of an arts dealer, Lichtenstein. One day, James shows him an issue of The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
saying Ellen is engaged to get married, and she has sold 'The Marriage of Phaedra' to the arts dealer. However, James has sold the painting as Hugh hd made it clear to him before his death that he did not want it sold. MacMaster conjectures they have to tell Ellen of the situation. When he visits her the next day, she says the painting will have to go; it is now in Australia.
Characters
- MacMaster, the protagonist. He sets out to write a biography of Hugh Treffinger.
- Hugh Treffinger, a painter.
- James, Hugh Treffinger's valet.
- Lady Mary Percy, Ellen Treffinger's only sister.
- Lady Ellen Treffinger, Hugh Treffinger's widow.
- Ghillini, a friend of Hugh's.
- Lichtenstein, a Jewish arts dealer from MelbourneMelbourneMelbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. - Captain Alexander Gresham, Ellen Treffinger's new husband.
Allusions to other works
- Hugh is said to have sought inspiration from Roman de la RoseRoman de la RoseThe Roman de la rose, , is a medieval French poem styled as an allegorical dream vision. It is a notable instance of courtly literature. The work's stated purpose is to both entertain and to teach others about the Art of Love. At various times in the poem, the "Rose" of the title is seen as the...
, Boccaccio, and Amadis - The painting itself mentions PhaedraPhaedraPhaedra can refer to:*Phaedra *Various artistic works based on the legend:**Hippolytus by Euripides**Phaedra by Seneca the Younger**Phèdre by Jean Racine...
, who marries TheseusTheseusFor other uses, see Theseus Theseus was the mythical founder-king of Athens, son of Aethra, and fathered by Aegeus and Poseidon, both of whom Aethra had slept with in one night. Theseus was a founder-hero, like Perseus, Cadmus, or Heracles, all of whom battled and overcame foes that were...
, and then fall for her stepson Hippolytus.
Allusions to actual history
- CharlemagneCharlemagneCharlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
and Blanche of CastileBlanche of CastileBlanche of Castile , was a Queen consort of France as the wife of Louis VIII. She acted as regent twice during the reign of her son, Louis IX....
are mentioned with regards to Hugh's paintings.
Literary significance and criticism
It has been argued the story was inspired by Cather's 1902 visit of Edward Burne-JonesEdward Burne-Jones
Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, 1st Baronet was a British artist and designer closely associated with the later phase of the Pre-Raphaelite movement, who worked closely with William Morris on a wide range of decorative arts as a founding partner in Morris, Marshall, Faulkner, and Company...
's studio in Kensington
Kensington
Kensington is a district of west and central London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street, and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the north, Kensington is...
; she even used his valet's real name, James.
Further, the story has been deemed Jamesian
Henry James
Henry James, OM was an American-born writer, regarded as one of the key figures of 19th-century literary realism. He was the son of Henry James, Sr., a clergyman, and the brother of philosopher and psychologist William James and diarist Alice James....
for its narrative technique and its use of the painting as a means to convey meaning.