The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy Essay

She leaves the care of her children to her grandmother, abandoning them and her husband when she leaves to live in the pigeon-house. To her, leaving her old home with Léonce is very important to her freedom. Almost everything in their house belonged to him, so even if he were to leave, she would still feel surrounded by his possessions. She never fully becomes free of him until she physically leaves the house. That way, Edna has no ties whatsoever to that man. Furthermore, Edna indulges in more humanistic things such as art and music. She listens to Mademoiselle Reisz’s playing of the piano and feels the music resonate throughout her body and soul, and uses it as a form of escapism from the world. Based on these instances, Edna acts almost like a very young child, completely disregarding consequences and thinking only about what they want to do experience most at that moment. However, to the reader this does not necessarily appear “bad”, but rather it is seen from the perspective of a person who has been controlled by others their entire life and wishes to break free from their grasp. In a way, she is enacting a childlike and subconscious form of revenge by disobeying all known social constructs of how a woman should talk, walk, act, and interact with others.

Her whole life the Marquesa “lived alone and she thought alone” (Wilder 14). The Marquesa grew up without love and happiness in her childhood. When she married “a supercilious and ruined nobleman” (Wilder 14) she bore a daughter who she “fastened upon her idolatrous love” (Wilder 14). She chose to bestow upon her daughter all of the love that she didn’t receive. Her daughter Clara was like her father in many ways and regarded her mother “with astonishment and repulsion” (Wilder 14). When time of marriage came she “deliberately chose the one that required her removal to Spain” (Wilder 14). The Marquesa’s whole existence “lay in the burning center of her mind”(Wilder 15) and revolved around writing her daughter letters after she moved to Spain. She chose to become more secluded and to devote her time trying to connect to her daughter who would never return her

For all of Marguerite’s life she has dealt with the horrible rude effects of racism. Regardless of these bad events she is a very smart and is imaginative. The major things that the young girl Marguerite encountered were white prejudice, black powerlessness, and strong female subjugation. All of these have strong effects on anyone who would have to deal with problems such as these horrible ones listed. She grew up in this era of racism and was affected by it on a regular basis. She would have these extravagant dreams of being Caucasian in skin tone and being a beautiful girl instead of a dark skinned

Marguerite Blakeney can be quite ruthless at times. When someone is displeasing towards her or something doesn’t go her way she becomes uncivil. After the Countess rejected Marguerite by saying “Suzanne, I forbid you to speak to that woman” (Orczy 11), the reader can tell by her small actions after that she was bothered. As well as “For the moment Marguerite’s sweet face had become as white as the soft fichu which swathed her throat, and a very keen observer might have noted that the hand which held the tall, beribboned stick was clenched, and trembled somewhat” (Orczy 11). Her response was insulting the Countess by saying “Sir Andrew, did you ever see such an unpleasant person? I hope when I grow old I sha’n’t look like that” (Orczy 11). This was also followed by Lady Blakeney mimicking the Countess, so the reader would think Marguerite is ruthless because of her childish and impolite actions due to a minor rejection. Obviously people going against her in any way is a great issue to her, and imagine what she might have done if Suzanne (who was more relaxed in this situation) had not convened with her. Imagine what other impolite or harsh comments or actions she might have added. Nevertheless, this kind of behavior should help the reader see how incredibly ruthless she is at times, however, Other people may believe that she’s quite kind and she just hides her feelings. Readers would think Marguerite is kind due to her act of kindness towards a homeless man by buying him a meal before entering The Fisherman's Rest (Orczy 9). While they have a reasonable position, it’s wrong because that single act of kindness was in reality the only act of kindness she showed for the rest of the

Challenges her to fix her boyfriend, Paul, and Paul’s best friend, Theo. Theo has been poisoned and is dying, while Paul is broken into pieces, which has Marguerite vulnerable and willing to play into Conley’s plans.

Harry potter and the prisoner of Azkaban is an excellent book. Out of ten stars I would rate this one an eight because it was to short. Once you get into it and finish it. It seems so short, because it is so interesting. Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban starts out with a bang. In the beginning Sirius black a Man accused of thirteen murders in one night escapes from Azkaban.( A wizard prison guarded to the tee by dementors, deadly spirits that feast on anything happy. Basically they suck the life out of you slowly until you go mad and lose sanity). Harry runs away on the same night and crosses the man without realizing it. Since Sirius is an ananamugus he is able to turn into a giant black

She was pressured to marry Leonce by her father and older sister. Along with marriage came the pressure to have children. She is forced into these roles but never actually succumbs to them. Edna not only has Madame Ratignolle's friendship and her marriage to wake her up to her dreams and emotions, her affairs wake up to her desires. The way the different male characters treat her reminds her that she will never happily fit into the role of a wife and mother, therefore awakening her.

Revenge can be analyzed, as it becomes the exhibited behavior of the Widow resulting from a number of causes. First cause is the harm done to her family; second cause is the Widow’s perception of violence during that time; and the third cause is her aggression toward the killer of her son. The first cause of her revenge is the most obvious reason why she avenged the death of her son, and this is because the killer caused pain to her family. Any mother would be committing the act especially that her son was the only company she has. The second cause pertains to the Widow’s perception of revenge during that time, and because at the time, wars and feuds were still evident in the French society, bloodshed for the Widow is not something to be scared of, given any means. This story was only successful in showing to its readers how the society thinks of death during those times, which can be achieved through any means, by which losing one’s life was not something to be thought of carefully. This just proves that during that time, morality was not given high regard as it is now. Death by any means can be accomplished by anybody, regardless of age, gender, and status in society. The third cause of the Widow’s behavior is her aggression toward the killer of her son, which was not literally shown or described in the story, but was evident based on

The Scarlet Pimpernel is a flower which according to the narrator is a “humble English way flower.” In this context, it is used to hide the identity of the bravest and best man in the whole world. The flower used as Percy’s moniker shows his best qualities which are humanity, humble background, English charm and a hero who helps without expecting any reward for his deeds. The most outstanding thing is Percy is that he is willing to come out as stupid and buffoonish just to continue his mission secretly as Pimpernel. Secretly, there dwells one hero behind a humble front who is the Pimpernel. In England Muerite St. is identified as Lady Blakeney. She is the wife of Percy Blakeney who as explain was the Scarlet Pimpernel and the wealthiest and fashionable man in England. Lady Blakeney was French and had condemned the St. Cyrs family to die. SHe is however determined to make amends for the sin which she felt her husband hated her for. Her Husband, however, faces the guilt of not telling his wife about his identity as the Scarlet

Marguerite Blakeney is extremely polite. Even when encountering the Comtesse she is tremendously well mannered. When she walks into the coffee room she looked around and “She nodded pleasantly to Sir Andrew Ffoulkes, whilst extending a hand to Lord Antony,” (Orczy 10) then she continues to greet the Comtesse daughter Suzanne, and “Her whole face lighted up with additional brightness, as she stretched out both arms towards the young girl” (Orczy 10). Marguerite does this with great politeness and it’s obvious she’s trying to be polite; however, Suzanne's mother, the Comtesse, makes her decline the hug and forbids her to even speak to Marguerite. Mrs. Blakeney could’ve easily responded back badly in this situation, but it was crucial for her to remain calm in this case. Being a high standard lady Marguerite

Baroness Emmuska Orczy uses suspense, heroism, and conflict to show the true strength of her fictional character, the Scarlet Pimpernel. Although this is only a disguise, it’s no secret that the Scarlet Pimpernel embodies a hero and stands up for the people of France. The Pimpernel’s true name is Sir Percy Blakeney. The novel focuses on his suspense-filled adventures in attempts to save the aristocrats as he disguises himself as peasants, old Jews, and more.

Momma also showed Marguerite how to be independent and strong. Momma is a very strong and independent woman, she ran a store all by herself, she was financially stable, and had more money than the “powhitetrash” (28). Marguerite saw the strength and power that Momma

Once returning to Stamps, silent and traumatized, Marguerite meets Mrs. Bertha Flowers. Marguerite discusses her as “the aristocrat of Black Stamps.” (93) Marguerite looks up to Mrs. Flowers in many ways. She is beautiful and sophisticated and according to Marguerite, Mrs. Flowers “has remained throughout my life the measure of what a human being can be.” (94) Mrs. Flowers took Marguerite under her wing and into her home. She shared her books with her and allowed Marguerite to read from them, spend time with her, enjoy cookies, and lemonade, all while bringing her back from her silent ways after her rape. She encouraged Marguerite to be “intolerant of ignorance but understanding of illiteracy” as not everyone had the ability or luxury to become educated. (99) Marguerite was in awe of

The Vengeful Miss Havisham - Great Expectations. In Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens, Miss Havisham is a complex character whose past remains a mystery. We know about her broken engagement, an event that changes her life forever. Miss Havisham desperately wants revenge, and Estella, her adopted daughter, is the perfect tool to carry out her motives.

With each letter in Les Liaisons dangereuses, Choderlos de Laclos advances a great many games of chess being played simultaneously. In each, the pieces—women of the eighteenth-century Parisian aristocracy—are tossed about mercilessly but with great precision on the part of the author. One is a pawn: a convent girl pulled out of a world of simplicity and offered as an entree to a public impossible to sate; another is a queen: a calculating monument to debauchery with fissures from a struggle with true love. By examining their similarities and differences, Laclos explores women’s constitutions in a world that promises ruin for even the most formidable among them. Presenting the reader glimpses of femininity from a young innocent’s daunting debut to a faithful woman’s conflicted quest for heavenly virtue to another’s ruthless pursuit of vengeance and earthly pleasures, he insinuates the harrowing journey undertaken by every girl as she is forced to make a name for herself as a woman amongst the tumult of a community that machinates at every turn her downfall at the hands of the opposite sex. In his careful presentation of the novel’s female characters, Laclos condemns this unrelenting subjugation of women by making clear that every woman’s fate in such a society is a definitive and resounding checkmate.