The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-07-13
THE END.
UNHAPPY HOMES.
Some of the Reasons Which Help to
Make Them.


Make Them.
BROOKLYN. N. Y, July 12.-It would
give me great pleasure to print the very
able letter from lady Of Augusta, Ga,
with her criticisms ON "a Dolls House,
and Walter Besant's continuation of the
story, beginning when the doll, Nora, sud
denly coming, undine-like to tn efull realiza-
ton of her womanhood, leaves her husband
and her children forever. But this is i'm
possible, because if did rcould not oblige
my correspondent in the manner mentioned
My Augusta critic thinks that, psychology
caliy considered, Mora" is monstrosity,
and that it is not at all to be wondered at
that the deserted husband and father
should become dissipated, and so neglect
the care and education of his child rem as to
insure their destruction. "What can be ex-
pected of h man without the restraining in
huences OF a homer my friend inquiries
"Of course Torvald would become a drunk
ard. His wife had left him no other
course"
Now, it is to be expected that Walter
Besant, the apostle of pessimism and the
prince Of pesSimlsts, would have brought
Torvald and his motherless children into
just such straits. Its my opinion that he
never undertook work that suited his tenn
permanent and his genius SO perfectly. Now,
| think 1t very likely that Torvald would
to use Mr. Mantalini's most expressive re-
mark-have gone to the "de nnition bow
vows" anyway Torvald was a time
server, a man whose definition of honesty
consisted in not being found out in dis
honesty. He could despise his wife for a
fault that would reflect upon him and so
hurt his business credit, or his social stand
ing, but he would care nothing for the fault
itself unless he was thus threatened. Tor
valid was an Incorporate man, as his gross
conduct toward his wife after the ball SO
thoroughly indicates. His course was inev-
itably downward, and Nora the doll, could
never have been strong enough for two.
What she could have accomplished when
the woman took the place of the doll |
would not dare predicate, for some women
have done SO much under similar condi-
tions, while other women just as able and
equally noble have 50 miserablv failed. Mr.
BeSant has not erred artisticaly in bis
treatment of Torvald. The only fault
find with the novelist is the inference which
he keeps constantly before his readers that
Nora, by remaining, could have saved him,
and that women generally are to blame
for their husbands dissipations.
If men were usually made drunkards be-
cause of no homes, or unhappy homes, there
would be some excuse for MIR. Besaat's gem
eralization. But the reverse of this is
known to be true. That many men seek
the wine cup for the purpose of drowning
their sorrows cannot be douted, but we have
only to look upon the drunken husbands of
peerless women, and we all know them to
understand how little effect can be pro-
duced by the possession and practice of most
of the virtues My belief is, and I am
glad to say that this belief is shared by
many excellent critics and close
students of psychology, that the
of Torvald are not the charac.
tiers to be benefcently acted upon by wifely
influence and the attractions of home. |
can conceive perfectly of Noras sudden
awakening, and of her desire and determi-
nation to leave her husband. So far | can
go with the great dramatist, but when to do
this, she is obliged to sacrifice her children,
that moment she becomes to me a creature
whose future even Walter Besant cannot
deal with too peSsimistically. At this point
the author who has kept all along SO true
to life, loses his hold upon the
main string of nature. Psychologically
considered. the flash of light that so sud
denly shows the dolls life with its littleness,
its petty aims and small hypocrisies, would
have awakened the mother conscience and
brought out in vivid distinctness the respon-
sibllities of the woman. Thank heaven, the
Noras Of this world are few and far be-
tweeH. Ibsens Nora is a wonderfully con-
siStent creation up to the point mentioned.
Here she Is suddenly transformed into a
totally different person. The doll is changed
to devil, and the progress is neither true
nor artistic.
Far be it from me to lessen the RESPONSE
bility of women, but think they have had
too much, far too much, expected of them
in the past. Innocent women are constantly
being held accountable for their husbands
wrong doing. Some wives may be respon-
slble for such wreckage, but it is my firm
conviction that men who can be driven to
drink or crime because of domestic intellect
ties would not always be held in check by
the best wives and the most perfect homes
1t seems to me also about time for such
intelligent women as my Augusta cores
pendent to set up a higher standard for
men. 1t is a poor compliment to the sex to
say that, "Of course they will get drunk if
their wives leave them" Men that will
make beasts of themselves for such a cause
will sooner or later do it anyway. Let US
have less sentiment aud more common
sense, and for heavens sake let us, as loyal
women, stand up for and by women better
in the future than we have in the past.
ELEANOR KIRK.