{"id":1996,"date":"2018-10-06T09:47:59","date_gmt":"2018-10-06T08:47:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/melodramaresearchgroup\/?p=1996"},"modified":"2018-10-06T09:47:59","modified_gmt":"2018-10-06T08:47:59","slug":"summary-of-discussion-on-esther-waters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/melodramaresearchgroup\/2018\/10\/06\/summary-of-discussion-on-esther-waters\/","title":{"rendered":"Summary of Discussion on Esther Waters"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our discussion of Esther Waters<\/em> focused on several areas: melodrama and its character stereotypes of (female) victim and (male) villain; the main characters Esther and her lover William Latch; the rhythms of melodrama; the film\u2019s social commentary.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

We initially noted that the film was subtler than anticipated, including in relation to expectations raised by extra-filmic fan and trade magazines. While many, though not all, Victorian melodramas seem to function at the level of both fate and character, Esther Waters\u2019<\/em> melodrama mostly stemmed from the former. The characters, especially the main couple \u2013 Esther (Kathleen Ryan) and William (Dirk Bogarde) \u2013 were nuanced rather than stereotypical.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>To provide some context, the source material \u2013 George Moore\u2019s 1894 novel \u2013 was published towards the end of a cycle of \u2018Fallen Woman\u2019 novels. These include those written by British women \u2013 Elizabeth Gaskell\u2019s Ruth <\/em>(1853) and Ellen Wood\u2019s East Lynne <\/em>(1861) \u2013 as well as the male British novelists Wilkie Collins\u2019 The New Magdalen <\/em>(1873) and Thomas Hardy\u2019s Tess of the d\u2019Urbervilles <\/em>(1891). Three years after Moore\u2019s novel appeared the perhaps archetypal US melodrama \u2013 Charlotte Blair Parker\u2019s play Way Down East<\/em> \u2013 was first staged. \u00a0D.W. Griffiths\u2019 1920 silent film version starring Lillian Gish as Anna Moore is one of the most cited silent melodramas. \u00a0Like many other of the female protagonists in the cycle, Anna is betrayed by the man she loves, gives birth to an illegitimate baby, and is subsequently cast out by society. By contrast, we commented that Esther was a strong heroine who knowingly took decisions to direct her own life and was not the self-sacrificing suffering woman completely at the mercy of others. Similarly, we thought that William was not what some might consider to be the moustache-twirling villain of the piece. (While Bogarde does sport an ill-advised moustache for a fair proportion of the film this appears to be incidental.)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Considering the two main characters in more detail, we especially noted Esther\u2019s resilience and determination. Some of Esther\u2019s strong opinions are connected to her faith \u2013 she is one of the Plymouth Brethren. Her very religion therefore goes against the prevailing church of England doctrine dominant at the time\u2013 she is a nonconformist. Esther is also notably anti-gambling, in \"\"<\/a>opposition to other members of the house, Woodview, in which she goes to work as a kitchen maid, since the estate keeps racing horses. \u00a0She also does not approve of the penny dreadfuls the other staff read aloud. Esther\u2019s firm stance is reinforced by other characters within the diegesis. Mrs Latch (Mary Clare) is the cook at Woodview, and William\u2019s mother. She states that Esther is a \u2018strong\u2019 woman\u2019 \u2013 the type her son needs.<\/p>\n

It is not just Esthe\"\"<\/a>r\u2019s or other characters\u2019 comments, which reveal her strength, but also her actions. Perhaps surprisingly given Esther\u2019s strong faith, she is seduced by William. Her response to her consequent pregnancy is typically stoic. She decides to keep her baby after William leaves, even though this means she has to quit her current situation, and have her child looked after by others while she finds employment in London. In one of the film\u2019s most melodramatic, and disturbing, scenes, Esther visits her sick baby who is being \u2018looked after\u2019 by a woman, Mrs Spires (Beryl Measor), who has multiple children in her care. The woman implies that Esther, and her baby, would be better off if the baby quietly died. Instead of consenting to this outrageous suggestion, or pretending that she has not understood, Esther confronts the woman. She\"\"<\/a> just manages to flee, clutching her baby, only to almost suffer another melodramatic fate: being run over by a horse and carriage. Esther is brave enough to mention the woman\u2019s intentions to the policeman who saves her. His incredulous response (\u2018it\u2019s 1875!\u2019) further underlines the melodramatic nature of the previous scene, suggesting that such happenings do not occur in modern times.<\/p>\n

Such principled honesty is also seen with\"\"<\/a> Esther\u2019s dealings with other characters. When Fred Parsons (Cyril Cusack), a part-time preacher who has taken a shine to her proposes, she immediately tells him that she has a son. Esther\u2019s truthfulness is rewarded when he apologises for initially being shocked and offers to take on both her and her child. Esther is also honest in front of others. Several years after William\u2019s initial disappearance, he and Esther unexpectedly meet on a crowded train. \u00a0In response to Williams\u2019 question of where she has been, Esther sharply retorts that she has been looking after his son. \u00a0She appears to have little regard for what conclusions those around her might draw about her son\u2019s illegitimacy.<\/p>\n

This opposes the usual \u2018fallen woman\u2019 narrative of maternal melodrama in which the mother loses her self-respect due to her disgrace. In fact, Esther is posited as a \u2018New Woman\u2019 not just in the decisions she makes, but the way she is honest about her sexual desires. \u00a0(For more on the novel\u2019s presentation of Esther Waters as New Woman rather than Fallen Woman, see Dr Andrzej Diniejko\u2019s article on the Victorian Web:\u00a0 http:\/\/www.victorianweb.org\/authors\/mooreg\/estherwaters.html<\/a>) Esther\u2019s \"\"<\/a>answer to Fred\u2019s proposal is that she is not just a \u2018soul\u2019 to be saved, but a woman too. \u00a0Choosing to marry William is therefore not masochistic self-sacrifice, since her son could have Fred as a father. Also, in opposition to other \u2018fallen woman\u2019 narratives, while Esther suffers to a fair extent, she finds happy employment (back at Woodview) at the film\u2019s end and is the proud mother to a now grown up sailor son.<\/p>\n

We also commented a little on the matte\"\"<\/a>r of class in relation to the actor playing Esther \u2013 Kathleen Ryan. Esther\u2019s kitchen maid job clearly signals that Esther belongs to the working classes. \u00a0We were a little bemused by Esther\u2019s often genteel quality \u2013 though we might perhaps connect this to her religion. \u00a0This was especially in relation to her accent, which at times had an Irish lilt (like Ryan\u2019s own) and in any case was not signally working class. We noted that this was also the case in other British films from the time.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Given this term\u2019s focus on Dirk, we also discussed his character at length. While some thought William an irredeemable cad, scoundrel and bounder, others were more sympathetic. His back story explains that the family was previously important in the county and gives him this reason to better himself. His ambitions are to go into bookmaking, partially because he insists that his nickname is \u2018Lucky\u2019 Latch. \u00a0This assertion, made to Esther on the hillside, is immediately undercut, however. \u00a0We hear thunderclaps and a storm commences \u2013 predicting that in fact William will not enjoy good fortune.<\/p>\n

We also spent some time \"\"<\/a>discussing how William\u2019s actions comment on his character. William and Esther\u2019s relationship seems to be based on mutual attraction. They enjoy spending time together, and he only pursues another woman once Esther regrets their intimacy and avoids him. His departure from the house is involuntary, and he is at the time unaware of Esther\u2019s pregnancy. \u00a0William is absent for a fair proportion of the narrative, reappearing 6 years later. Despite the length of time that has passed it is clear that William has fond memories of his time at Woodview. \u00a0The back room of the pub he runs, and invites Esther to visit after they are unexpectedly reunited, is full of photographs of him with fellow staff from Woodview. He has also employed one of their former colleagues. William\u2019s sentimental streak is particularly evident in the fact that he has kept <\/span>the silhouette of himself and Esther, presented to them at the ball many years earlier. He seems genuinely to wish to make amends to Esther, soon proposing and proving to be a good husband and father. He is also demonstrably an honest bookmaker \u2013 even getting into a fight with his assistant when William insists they pay customers the money they are owed.<\/p>\n

Some especially interesting matters in relation to the film\u2019s gender politics were commented upon. William is dismissed from Woodview because of his relationship with the lady of the house\u2019s niece, Peggy. If William were the heroine, it is likely that we would view such a relationship between socially unequal participants as exploitative. \u00a0Similarly, William is criticised for spending his wife\u2019s money while if the genders were reversed, this might not have been mentioned. Spending a woman\u2019s money is therefore not seen as a particularly manly thing to do \u2013 he, after all, should be the provider.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>We noted that in some ways William suffers the fallen woman\u2019s fate: he is diagnosed with a lung condition and is granted a deathbed scene. This especially brought to mind the several film versions of Alexandre Dumas\u2019 consumptive La Dame Aux Camelias<\/em> (1848). <\/em>Despite William\u2019s illness, Dirk Bogarde is lit well, looking almost pretty, in this scene, further underlining his taking of the place of heroine. It also fits in with the sensitivity of Bogarde \u2013 both as described off screen (his star image \u2013 as mentioned in his first fan magazine article considered to be different from the character he plays \u2013 though as I have noted there is sensitivity there) and progressively onscreen. We can link this to the sexual ambiguity scholars have said that Bogarde embodies. (For example, see Robert Shail\u2019s 2001 article \u2018Masculinity and Visual Representation: A Butlerian Approach \"\"<\/a>to Dirk Bogarde\u2019 in the International Journal of Sexuality and Gender Studies, <\/em>Vol 6, Nos 1\/2 and Glyn Davis\u2019 2008 chapter \u2018Trans-Europe Success: Dirk Bogarde\u2019s International Queer Stardom\u2019 in Robin Griffiths\u2019 edited study Queer Cinema in Europe<\/em>.) It is difficult to know how much this may be related to the fact Dirk Bogarde is the male star \u2013 whether it was tailored to fit him as an introduction, or if this would have happened regardless.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>William\u2019s death-bed scene is intercut with scenes from the race on which his, Esther and their son\u2019s futures, depend. \u00a0Such rhythm is important to melodrama, the lows of slow-moving action contrasting to the highs of unexpected, and at times, unbelievable, action. In the film, activity is especially notable during the scenes of the ball, the bustling crowds attending the races, and especially the derby day scenes. These aspects were especially singled out by reviewers to be of interest to the audience. Trade paper Variety<\/em> especially commented on these as well as the death bed scene (6th<\/sup> October 1948, p. 11), while fan magazine Film Illustrated Monthly<\/em> directly contrasted these with the film\u2019s \u2018stodgy\u2019 melodrama (November 1948, p. 13). The former even perceptively notes that we are presented with a point-of-view of the race courtesy of William\u2019s \u2018imagination\u2019. As such, the film comments not just on the fact that Bogarde is privileged here, since he is granted the heroine\u2019s death, but on cinema itself. While during the setting of the film, the 1870s, cinema was not yet invented, its many predecessors such as magic lanterns were popular. Furthermore, by the date of the film\u2019s production, 1948 audiences were, of course, well used to cinematic devices. For example, we especially noted the effectiveness of William Powell Frith\u2019s \u2018Derby Day\u2019 engraving coming to life. The derby scenes also \"\"<\/a>connect more specifically to melodrama. Esther bumps into Fred who expresses pleasure, though surprise, that William married Esther. \u00a0It seems that he expected the melodrama to end differently \u2013 as indeed might the film audience.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The significance of Derby Day as a social mixer \u2013 a ground where those from various classes mingled \u2013 was also mentioned. This led to more consideration of the film\u2019s social commentary. We noted that while the film provided an indictment of the class system, it was even-handed in ascribing good and bad characteristics to those from the lower and the upper classes. As already noted, Esther and William are subtly drawn, although it is significant that the most reprehensible of the characters \u2013 baby farmer Mrs Spires \u2013 is also working class. The upper class Mrs Barfield (Fay Compton) of \"\"<\/a>Woodview is very sympathetic, although the same cannot be said of some of Esther\u2019s other employers. \u00a0It is more often the institutions, or lack of them, which are criticised. Esther\u2019s illiteracy reflects on the lack of educational establishments, and the scenes of \u00a0her in the workhouse just after she has given birth underlines her impersonal treatment.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Much of this stems from Moore\u2019s novel. \u00a0The film understandably, however, elides some events. \u00a0In the novel, Esther returns to her mother and violent step-father\u2019s in London and her mother later dies. In the film, Esther visits London and is shocked to learn the news of her mother\u2019s death. \u00a0The number of Esther\u2019s employers and the suffering she goes through is also telescoped in the film. \u00a0This is effectively shown by a montage of Esther engaged in drudgery at different houses, as the years are flashed up on screen. \u00a0Significantly this is prefigured by the title page of a book on \u2018household hints\u2019 and accompanied by narration as to how servants should be treated. This etiquette includes only conversing with servants when necessary, or to pass a greeting. The light tone might be thought to detract from the film\u2019s social message, but it effectively reveals the disparity between the onscreen reality (Esther\u2019s drudgery) and the omniscient, distant, advice-giver who thinks such advice serves Esther\u2019s, and society\u2019s, best interests.<\/p>\n

While some of these omission\"\"<\/a>s are no doubt partly for space, it is also notable that this results in the character of William playing a relatively larger part. Furthermore, we must consider what aspects the film was allowed to show \u2013 in terms both of what it was thought audiences would tolerate and official censorship. Anthony Slide has briefly written about the treatment of the film by US censors. The process apparently began early, with the novel sent to Joseph I Breen. Breen suggested that certain elements \u00a0of the novel (sexual references including seduction, adultery and passionate kisses as well as Esther\u2019s employment as a wet nurse) had to be removed, while others (the suggestion that the Spires would be punished by the law) should be added, and the moral consequences for Esther retained\u00a0 (\u2018Banned in the USA\u2019<\/em>: British Films in the United State and their Censorship, 1933-1960 <\/em>(1998, pp. 61-2). Slide notes that the film was eventually given a certificate on the 28th<\/sup> of July 1949 and released in 1951. Tellingly this was under the title The Sin of Esther Waters. <\/em>No doubt this, raised incorrect expectations in US audiences, erasing the nuance present in the film\u2019s depictions that are discussion uncovered.<\/p>\n

As ever, do log in to comment or email me on sp458@kent.ac.uk to add your thoughts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Our discussion of Esther Waters focused on several areas: melodrama and its character stereotypes of (female) victim and (male) villain; the main characters Esther and her lover William Latch; the rhythms of melodrama; the film\u2019s social commentary. We initially noted … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5401,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[50576],"tags":[92827,177930,177940,177917,177931,177927,177919,177935,177905,50745,177924,50756,177922,177916,177906,177824,177939,177915,177933,177911,177929,50721,177918,50836,20536,177920,177932,177923,100155,177926,177925,177921,50861,177928,50720,50755,177934],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/melodramaresearchgroup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1996"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/melodramaresearchgroup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/melodramaresearchgroup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/melodramaresearchgroup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5401"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/melodramaresearchgroup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1996"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/melodramaresearchgroup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1996\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2022,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/melodramaresearchgroup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1996\/revisions\/2022"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/melodramaresearchgroup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1996"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/melodramaresearchgroup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1996"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/melodramaresearchgroup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1996"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}