Marjorie Daw E-Book

Thomas Bailey Aldrich

• Herausgeber: Booksell-Verlag
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019

Beschreibung

In "Marjorie Daw," Thomas Bailey Aldrich presents a charming and witty exploration of romantic ideals and societal expectations in 19th-century America. Through a series of cleverly crafted letters, Aldrich intertwines humor and sentiment as he narrates the story of Marjorie, a young woman whose enigmatic character captivates a group of suitors. The epistolary format lends a modern sensibility to Aldrich's prose, inviting readers to engage intimately with the characters' thoughts and emotions. Set against the backdrop of New England life, the novella reflects the tensions between romantic dreams and reality while showcasing Aldrich's deft use of irony and lively dialogue. Aldrich, an influential figure in American literature and a prominent editor, drew from his own experiences and observations of society and its complexities. His background in journalism and poetry informs his skillful narrative style, where each character is vividly fleshed out through dialogue and letters, allowing for a deeper exploration of themes such as love, ambition, and social mores. Aldrich's insights into human nature and his keen eye for social critique make this work a significant contribution to the literary canon of his time. "Marjorie Daw" is highly recommended for readers who appreciate a blend of humor and romance woven into a rich narrative tapestry. Its insightful commentary on the gender dynamics of the era and the nature of courtship will resonate with contemporary audiences. Aldrich's keen observations and engaging storytelling merit a place on the bookshelf of anyone interested in American literature and the evolution of romantic narratives. In this enriched edition, we have carefully created added value for your reading experience: - A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes. - The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists. - A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing. - A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings. - Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life. - Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance. - Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.

Leseprobe

Thomas Bailey Aldrich

Marjorie Daw

Enriched edition. Humorous and Romantic Tales from the Gilded Age

In this enriched edition, we have carefully created added value for your reading experience.

Introduction, Studies and Commentaries by Ryan Holloway

Edited and published by Good Press, 2019

[email protected]

EAN 4064066242091

Table of Contents

Introduction

Synopsis

Historical Context

Marjorie Daw

Analysis

Reflection

Memorable Quotes

Notes

Introduction

Table of Contents

At once playful and probing, Marjorie Daw turns the simple act of letter writing into a crucible where imagination fashions a presence so persuasive that longing, courtesy, and common sense are quietly rearranged, inviting the reader to weigh how far a crafted image can travel from the page into the heart before the difference between comfort and illusion becomes a question not of facts but of feeling, and suggesting, with a light, urbane touch, that storytelling itself is both balm and temptation in a world where distance sharpens desire and friendship tests the boundaries of what should be told and why.

Written by American author Thomas Bailey Aldrich, Marjorie Daw is a short story in the epistolary mode that first appeared in the late 1860s, a time when magazines were a principal venue for fiction in the United States. Its world is recognizably nineteenth-century American society, shaped by manners, decorum, and the rhythms of personal correspondence. The tale reflects a refined, urbane sensibility characteristic of post–Civil War magazine culture, balancing wit with close observation of social behavior. Rather than panoramic scene-setting, the narrative keeps its focus on private experience, letting letters carry the unfolding action and the texture of everyday life.

The premise is disarmingly simple: two friends exchange letters during a period of convalescence, with one correspondent confined and restless while the other supplies diversion by reporting on people and scenes beyond the sickroom. Among these reports is a portrait of a young woman, Marjorie Daw, whose charm and poise are rendered in incremental strokes, each letter adding a shade of character that deepens curiosity and emotional investment. The situation remains decorous and domestic, yet it thrums with the delicate tensions produced when an unseen figure acquires vividness through description, suggestion, and the imaginative energy of the one who reads.

Aldrich’s prose is polished without stiffness, quick with irony yet restrained in judgment, allowing the voices within the letters to carry both humor and delicacy. The epistolary structure provides immediacy and momentum, making the reader feel like a confidant who inhabits the pauses, elisions, and enthusiasms of real correspondence. The mood ranges from sprightly comedy to reflective tenderness, and the pacing rewards attention to nuance: a turn of phrase matters, an aside ripples outward, and silence between letters becomes eloquent. The overall effect is graceful and quietly suspenseful, inviting careful listening as tone and implication subtly shift.

Without disclosing later developments, the story engages enduring questions about how narration mediates experience, how ideals take shape in the mind, and how friendship navigates the ethics of invention. It surveys the social expectations of its era—especially the rituals and hesitations surrounding courtship—while exploring the allure and limits of vicarious knowledge. The reliability of the letter writer, the susceptibility of the recipient within the story, and the complicity of the reader beyond it become intertwined. Aldrich examines how language can reveal and conceal at once, turning a comedy of manners into a study of perception, credulity, and intention.

These themes feel strikingly current in an age when first impressions are often mediated and carefully composed. Marjorie Daw offers a compact lens on the pleasures and hazards of encountering a person primarily through description rather than presence, asking what we owe one another when shaping narratives that influence feeling. Readers interested in questions of authenticity, representation, and responsibility in storytelling will recognize the tale’s relevance, not as thesis but as invitation. Its elegance lies in presenting human foibles with gentleness, letting wit and form illuminate the uncertainties that arise when affection and imagination meet at a distance.

As an introduction to Aldrich’s craft, the story promises brisk entertainment allied with subtle moral intelligence, rewarding both casual reading and close scrutiny. It invites laughter while quietly provoking inquiry into how stories work on us, how we polish the images we are given, and how friendship can blur into authorship. For newcomers, it serves as an accessible entry into nineteenth-century American short fiction; for returning readers, it remains a model of concision and control. Entered with open curiosity, Marjorie Daw yields the pleasure of style and the aftertaste of questions that linger long after the final page.