The real offence, as she ultimately perceived, was her having a mind of her own at all. Her mind was to be his - attached to his own like a small garden-plot to a deer-park.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- James depicts a woman punished for having her own mind, reduced to an appendage of her partner.
- In plain terms
- A woman was treated as belonging to her partner, not as an independent person.
- What can you take from it?
- Maintain your independence in relationships.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do you maintain identity in relationships?
- What does independence mean to you?
Another view
Interdependence in relationships is also valuable.
More from Henry James
Don't mind anything anyone tells you about anyone else. Judge everyone and everything for yourself.
Permalink to quote #14 You wanted to look at life for yourself - but you were not allowed; you were punished for your wish. You were ground in the very mill of the conventional!
Permalink to quote #16 My choice is the old world - my choice, my need, my life.
Permalink to quote #13
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