When returning to Coketown to defend his honor, Stephen falls into a pit and injures himself. Web. We see this when Stephen comes to ask Bounderby how to ditch his wife. Required fields are marked *. This article, however, limits its discussion to the issue of marriage and divorce during the Victorian era and Dickenss concern for the poor labourers for whom seeking a divorce could never have been possible given the intricate processes and huge expenses. Undoubtedly Stephen Blackpool is an afflicted character with ragged scars from life in Coketown. He reveals with a proud air: I had not a shoe to my foot. Perhaps the object of his miserable existence will be taken; although frightened at his thoughts, he cannot act as the distraught woman pours from the bottle. His wife is poor and has committed adultery which can be discerned from the fact that she suffers from syphilis, a sexually transmitted disease, making her weaker each day and causing sores on her skin. that seems to shine on him in his pain and trouble. This star not 2023 AesthetixMS. It is particularly significant to Christians , as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( Greek : Stphanos ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts , was stoned to death; he is widely regarded as the first martyr (or " protomartyr ") of the Christian Church . If he leaves his drunken wife or if he harms her or if he marries Rachael or if he just lives with Rachael without the sanction of marriage, Stephen will be punished, for the laws are thus arranged; on the other hand, if he seeks a divorce, he cannot obtain one, for money is the only key that opens the doors of the courts of justice in England. But the law does not permit him to marry another without divorcing the first. But Rachael awakens and seizes the deadly cup. He has been hoping that Betty will be able to overcome her alcoholism and that their marriage will eventually improve. During the entire discussion, Mrs. Sparsit listens and seems to agree with her boasting employer. Stephen represents completely another layer of society than, for instance, Mr. Bounderby or Mr. Gradgrind. Her marriage with Mr. Bounderby is soon dissolved and she never remarries. Though much is said earlier, it is important to contrast the character of the banker with that that of Stephen. Stephen Blackpool Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! He's not just a "Hand," he is an individual and a human being. Stephen Blackpool is a perfect person who shares both passion and integrity. WebHe is married to a drunk woman who wanders in and out of his life. The truth is that the life of a poor is much more difficult than a well-to-do person because he does not have influential acquaintances to give him a helping hand if needed. Mr. Gradgrind is the intellectual founder of the Gradgrind educational system and he is also a member of Parliament. The Life of Saint Stephen . He deprives his mother of her motherly affection for all these years by simply giving her money. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The nuptials came six years after Stephen's wedding day disaster with ex Melissa "Imani" Showalter. Oct 24, 2021 Very pleased that one of my images has been commended in the prestigious Landscape Photographer of the Year Awards. Stephen is a power loom operator in Bounderby's factory. Stephen agrees to accept only two pounds, promising to pay back the two pounds after hearing his deep emotions. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. lives a life of drudgery and poverty. Mr. M'Choakumchild Mr. M'Choakumchild is the teacher at Gradgrind's school. Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. His father was Stephen-Henry, Count of Blois and Chartres, an important French nobleman, and an active crusader, who played only a brief part in Stephen's early life.. During the First Crusade, Stephen-Henry had acquired a reputation for cowardice, and he returned to the Levant again in 1101 to rebuild his reputation; Stephen was married nineteen years before our story began. on 50-99 accounts. Entitled "Stephen Blackpool," "No Way Out," "The Old Woman," and "Rachael," they are chapters of character representation, of Dickens' philosophy, and of symbolism. Bounderby's title could well be "Bully of Humanity" for the manner in which he deals with this worker. He married young, and his wife has since become a raging alcoholic. Award winning weather photographer. She visits Coketown just to get a glimpse of her son, who has always claimed that she abandoned him as a child. Dickens satirizes the Industrial Revolution as he likens the roaring furnace to Fairy Palaces and the factories to elephants from which belch forth the serpents of death-giving smoke. He also struggled with several financial issues in his early years. He has been married nineteen years to a drunken wife and would like to divorce her, but Bounderby tells him he will not be able to afford a divorce. The horse-trainer/circus-performer who is the father of Cecilia. For the previous five years, he paid her money to stay away from him and it worked until now. However, Bounderby cannot get divorce as his wife has not committed adultery. In his Summary and Analysis His Bio: Wife, Parents, Naked Truth Of Lisa Vicari - Height, Boyfriend, Ne DJ Akademiks Biography: Age, Net Worth, Girlfriend Park Jihyo (Twice) age, body, weight. Throughout her life, Louisa is very unfulfilled because she has been forced to deny her emotions. Stephens name is taken off Bounderbys bank list as a result of his robbery. One of the Hands in Mrs. Sparsit Mrs. Sparsit is Bounderby's housekeeper. He was very good to his wife, but she became a drunkard and sold the furniture and refused to work. Stephen, too dejected concerning his own affairs, answers her many questions but does not wonder as to her interest in his employer. His love for Rachael is pure and deep: not a tone of her voice but an echo in his inner heart (1xi), and he seeks a law to assist him in divorce, but is told by a court that the law is not for you. They had two children together. His wife is poor and has committed adultery which can be discerned from the fact that Again, through satire, Dickens censures the machine age by referring to the towering smoke pipes as Towers of Babel, speaking without being understood. anthony dawson milford high school; plato quotes on leadership; secondary consumer in a food web Stephen Blackpool is introduced after we have met the As Rachael explains, Stephen ends up with the GradeSaver, 9 September 2001 Web. creating and saving your own notes as you read. Please check back weekly to see what we have added. in Wagner 166). However, he does not have the privilege of being rich. By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy. Alan Dobie. Given the situation of both, Bounderby can pay the amount of divorce as he is rich and can enact a Private Act of Parliament; Stephen cannot as he is poor. Blackstone, Sir William. It is indicative of a womans losing her selfhood, property, and immersing her identity in that of her husband, but Dickens does not espouse only the case of women but rather pleads for a love-bound-married life, and the absence of which should not be deterred by law from easily getting a divorce. Stephen comforts himself by gazing at a particularly bright star "I'm like, 'Look bruh why I got to keep asking you about this prenup. 13 Feb. 2016. to compromise both the employees and employers moral integrity, It is for this reason that he dealt with the marriage laws in his Household Words and advocated lenient laws so that not only women but also men could find an escape from an otherwise caged existence. Stephens situation is similar to a real court proceeding that took place at Warwick Assizes in 1855. Adams, James Eli. Luckily, the man found a good and highly moral woman, but he was not able to marry her due to restrictions of marriage which were taken by the society. She has also been unfaithful to him on several occasions. Bounderby terminates the interview with his favorite comment: "I see traces of turtle soup, and venison, and gold spoon in this." We did dat. Stephen is an important character not only because his So much so, in fact, that he is willing to not join the union like the rest of the workers. She is the eldest of the Gradgrind children and the prize pupil of the educational system. In his absence, Stephen is accused of committing a crime that he did not actually commit. AceShowbiz - Stephen is the only Hand who refuses to join a union, because he believes striking is ineffective in improving working relations between factory owners and employees; he also wants to earn an honest living. Thomas Gradgrind Thomas Gradgrind is a prominent citizen of Coketown who later becomes a Member of Parliament. Sissy lives with the Gradgrind family but she is a poor pupil at their school. Call Today. They are better off than Tom and Louisa because Sissy Jupe has assisted in their upbringing. Your email address will not be published. CliffsNotes study guides are written by real teachers and professors, so no matter what you're studying, CliffsNotes can ease your homework headaches and help you score high on exams. She accepts Bounderby's proposal largely to please her brother, Tom, whom she loves. Rachel is Stephens childhood friend and a factory worker. WebStephen Blackpool is introduced after we have met the Gradgrind family and Bounderby, and Blackpool provides a stark contrast to these earlier characters. The theme of escape really underscores the difference between the lives of the wealthy and the lives of the poor. He likes to manipulate others, especially his sister Louisa. In the end, Tom is forced to flee the country to escape punishment. ", She allegedly still hadn't signed the papers on the wedding day, so he bailed. While he leaves the factory to work at some other place due to his troubled family life, he becomes a target of the leader of the labourers Slackbridges scorn. Comments. As a married woman, Louisa becomes emotionally withdrawn and cold. If he leaves his drunken wife or if he harms her or if he marries Rachael or if he just lives with Rachael without the sanction of marriage, Stephen will be punished, for the laws are thus arranged; on the other hand, if he seeks a divorce, he cannot obtain one, for money is the only key that opens the doors of the courts of justice in England. He is a good-natured old man who suffers from asthma, and he is also somewhat depleted by too much drink. The problem with him was that he had not sought a divorce: Your case is a very clear one, and I doubt not you would have obtained your divorce. Stephen was born in Blois, France, in either 1092 or 1096. Being forced to endure an unhappy marriage means that Stephen can never enjoy happiness with Rachel, his long-time friend. Until 30 October 1998 when they were murdered at their home by Stephen Akinmurele at their home, 2 Seafield Avenue, North Shore. hard facts of his miserable existence. In contrast to Mr. Gradgrind, Sissy lives by the philosophy of emotion, fancy, hope and benevolence. In this chapter, the seeds of Stephen's discontent are revealed when he returns to his lonely apartment after walking his beloved Rachael home and finds that his drunken wife has returned. His ultimate misdeed comes when he steals money from his safe in the bank and then announces the loss as a true theft. He was previously married to Maureen Scott and Rachel Roberts. This cumbersome process made divorce a luxury, beyond the reach of the common people as well as the rich in some cases. Why does he avoid that and go for the Human Sacrifice instead? life. But he is shunned by his fellow workers for refusing to join the union, Bounderby fires him, and he is forced to leave town to seek work. Stephen Blackpool's wife Stephen Blackpool's wife is not named. Wed love to have you back! Rachel protects Stephen's wife until the end of her life. As to his personal life, it goes without saying that he was unhappy because Stephens wife left him and chose to be the night butterfly but not his spouse. Can a man have no soul of his own, no mind of his own (247)? Now we're going to be Captain Obvious here for a second. Since Thomas Gradgrind does not allow his children to indulge in fancy, Lousia becomes apathetic and is pushed by her father to marry his friend Josiah Bounderby who is more than twice her age. Stephen Subscribe now. Desperate to find a way of getting himself out of financial trouble, he robs the bank where he works and arranges things so that Stephen Blackpool is blamed for the crime. In the end, her kindhearted nature softens the rough edges of the Gradgrind family and they come to be grateful for what she has done for them. He married young, and his wife is now a borderline psychotic alcoholic. Novelguide.com is the premier free source for literary analysis on the web. He reluctantly agrees to leave Coketown and never return. Walking back across country to Coketown in order to clear his name, Stephen falls down a disused mine shaft. The title of the eleventh Stephen Blackpool can secure divorce as he has all the necessary grounds. [she said] 'I ain't on nothing, I just ain't had time to sign it planning a wedding.' He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Gradgrind and an employee of Mr. Bounderby. However, he has been hesitant to do so because he knows that it would be very difficult for him to get custody of their children. After a dispute with Bounderby, he is fired from his job at Coketown mills and barred from seeking work from his former colleagues. The law was partisan and prejudiced against women as Sir William Blackstone reveals in his Commentary on the Laws of England (1765-1769) that the husband and wife are one person in law: that is, the very being or legal existence of the woman is suspended during her marriage, or at least is incorporated or consolidated into that of her husband, under whose wing, protection and cover, she performs everything (443). masters against him on one hand, the men against him on the other, WebBlackpool asks what he must do to be rid of her, remarking that he has read in the papers of people set free to marry again from marriages less unfortunate than his. Stephen was one of the seven men chosen to be responsible over the distribution of food to widows in the early church after a dispute arose and the apostles recognized they needed help. Mrs. Pegler Mrs. Pegler is Josiah Bounderby's mother. He married young, and his wife has since become a raging alcoholic. The character represents the working staff; therefore, he has no opportunity to make a living.
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