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I agree with many of the comments posted about Mrs. Kearney in "A Mother" esp those of Rasik Shah. She seems to me to be a woman incapable of love-- a woman who has been taught that she "deserves" the life of a lady and not finding it in her own life tries to relive it by forcing her daughter into the role that she herself would have wanted. In our first description of her we are told of her upbringing and the social graces acquired that were, she assumed, bound to win her a Prince Charming------- unfortunately, her cold, aloof demeanor prevents any appropriate Princes from approaching her "As she was naturally pale and unbending in manner she made few friends at school. When she came to the age of marriage she was sent out to many houses, where her playing and ivory manners were much admired. She sat amid the chilly circle of her accomplishments, waiting for some suitor to brave it and offer her a brilliant life." The icy resolve of her ---- the smug security of "the chilly circle of her accomplishments" won her no appropriate suitor and she had to lower her expectations to a Dublin bootmaker when her "friends" began to talk. She marries Mr. Kearney "out of spite" and accepts the necessity of a middle class existence without losing track of her "romantic dreams" -------- dreams that will be carried out by her eldest daughter -- or so Mrs. Kearney is determined. Her marginalization of her second daughter is proof that her focus is really on herself and the fulfillment of her own dreams------ not a real concern with her daughters' welfare. As these 3 stories ("Ivy Day," "A Mother" and "Grace") are "Public"----- dealing in some way with larger national concerns------- we should look a bit at the Irish Language and Arts revival that stands behind this tale. No one in this story comes out very noble--------- each has suborned the nationalistic ideals of the revival movement for his or her own ends. Mrs. Kearney has her daughter learn the Irish language now because it is the thing to do for social advancement: "When the Irish Revival began to be appreciable Mrs. Kearney determined to take advantage of her daughter's name and brought an Irish teacher to the house." There is no concern here with the higher goals of a National Culture----- the Irish Cultural revival is merely a stepping stone to meeting the right people-- a class of appropriate suitors for her daughter, Kathleen -- or so Mrs. K determines. Just as "Ivy Day" shows people using the Political ideals that engaged Parnall for their own self-serving ends, so too here the Language and Cultural movement is submerged to a set of more practical self-serving concerns. The boy in "The Sisters" heard the word "SIMONY" and the word reverberates all through Dubliners and especially in these "final stories" which illustrate people corrupting the highest ideals of the times to purely utilitarian, selfish concerns. I don't think the question of who is RIGHT concerning the payment is the best question to focus on. Arguments could be made on both sides-and are. Mrs. Kearney had taken over the preparations almost completely from the less than competent Hoppy Holohan-- and indeed had "pushed the decanter towards him" again and again taking over control as Hoppy happily quaffs his drinks while she made the plans. Hoppy is apparently pretty casual about the concerts and sees no higher goal in the cultural revival than a good party----- Mrs. K, in contrast, is zealous but not in the pursuit of the Cultural Revival but in her own and her daughter's advancement through it. The social pretentious of Mrs.Kearney is something that Joyce alludes to again and again. Notice how often she notes the 'lower class' accents of those with whom fate has forced her to engage herself. Mr. Fitzpatrick is defined in her mind as of the lower orders firstly by the way he pronounces his vowels "Mrs. Kearney rewarded his very flat final syllable with a quick stare of contempt" It is not too much to be wondered at that he will not be very hospitable towards this woman. When arguing with Mr. Fitzpatrick about the payment for services, ( the intended 4 concerts vs. the actual 3 ), Mrs.Kearney cannot resist mocking his accent in her own mind at least: "Mrs Kearney's anger began to flutter in her cheek and she had all she could do to keep from asking: `And who is the Cometty, pray?' But she knew that it would not be ladylike to do that: so she was silent. " I think her outrage is as much a matter of social superiority as of fiscal justice. How could these lower class buffoons contest her superiority? I think the best little image of the things going on here is shown in the interplay between Mr. Hendrick, the Freeman reporter and Miss Healy, a young singer. Mr. Hendrick has no interest in the concert at all and arrives only to get someone else to cover it for his paper. But when Miss Healy sees him -- we see the self-serving negotiations on a more obvious level than in the main text: "He had not intended to stay a moment, because concerts and artistes bored him considerably, but he remained leaning against the mantelpiece. Miss Healy stood in front of him, talking and laughing. He was old enough to suspect one reason for her politeness, but young enough in spirit to turn the moment to account. The warmth, fragrance, and colour of her body appealed to his senses. He was pleasantly conscious that the bosom which he saw rise and fall slowly beneath him rose and fell at that moment for him, that the laughter and fragrance and willful glances were his tribute." Each traded something supposedly of a higher level for sheer self-gratification. Mr. Hendricks offered a supposed good write up for the young singer and she offered a supposed romantic interest in return. Both get a momentary feeling of satisfaction but ultimately debase the higher ideals for crass self-serving interests. This is what I think Joyce meant by "simony"------ literally selling the spiritual for monetary reward------ but extended here (as he does with "Paralysis") to a much larger dimension. In the end Mrs. Kearney does not promote her daughter's social advancement; She sabotages it. "Mr. O'Madden Burke said it was the most scandalous exhibition he had ever witnessed. Miss Kathleen Kearney's musical career was ended in Dublin after that, he said." Of course, one could well argue what right has O'Madden Burke to pronounce on this? He gets to write the review only because Hendricks is bored with concerts and just passes it off on him. He looks distinguished with his suave manners and his silk umbrella and in Dublin at this time -- as Joyce might be saying----- looks make the man, unfortunately. ( But we do see that Kathleen is still trotting along with the Irish Revival group (despite the anathema of O'Madden Burke) in "The Dead" ------ but that is not for this note). I think a comparison between Mrs. Kearney and Mrs. Mooney from"The Boarding House" could be a wonderful source of discussion. Both have bagggage--- both have a background that predisposes them to provide for their daughters in very different ways. Both, I think, see themselves as good mothers. And though they are from opposite ends of the social world, both I think ruin their daughters chances for true happiness by imposing their own view of success on the next generation. JAY |
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