and Marianne’s relationship. The novel outlines the history of the connection between Kilneagh and Woodcombe, describing how Marianne’s ancestors had married into the Quinton family, and how she “later caused history to repeat itself, as in Anglo-Irish relationships it has a way of doing: she fell in love with a Quinton and became, in time, the third English girl to come and live at Kilneagh” (4). Marianne depicts her unwavering commitment in her decision to move to Kilneagh against her parents’ wishes and wait for Willie to return from exile. After arriving and being told to go back home, Marianne responds, “I don’t believe it would be better to go back to England” (137). Marianne further illustrates this point when she exclaims, “You think I'm extravagant in my Irish fancies? Father Kilgariff thinks so, and the others too. Yet I am part of all this now. I cannot help my fervor” (175). Marianne is determined to follow her tragic love story to its conclusion; although Willie may never come back, she remains steadfast and fully devotes herself to Willie’s Irish family and history. As critic John Hildebidle concludes, in refusing to leave, Marianne “knowingly cut herself off from England . . . by so wholly adopting as her own the plight of the Irish that she offended her English cousins” and “remolds herself into the purest Irishry she can imagine.” In addition to illustrating the precarious bond between the Irish and English families and the powerful, historical relationship between Ireland and England, Marianne’s steadfastness depicts the hopeless love that history destroyed. History’s destructive power is also exemplified through Kilneagh’s demolition and the consequences that followed its devastation. As McAlindon asserts, “what clearly marks out Fools of Fortune as a historical novel is the impact of the War of Independence on character and action, and in particular the involvement of Michael Collins with the
in his decision to commit murder. As Larsen explains, “Willie is confronted with two paths and two rival goddesses--he must choose between . . . the virgin’s sacrifice for love and the mother’s sacrifice for hate . . . the mother’s razor or the lover’s lamp?” If Willie decides to take the path of revenge, he decides to let history’s destructive power dictate his life. His mother’s suicide proves to be the factor that determines Willie’s fate. Larsen illustrates Willie’s viewpoint, explaining, “Rudkin must be slaughtered with a butcher knife. Throwing over the years of preparation for the rebuilding of Kilneagh in his father’s stead, turning his back on Kilneagh and Marianne, Willie follows his mother’s example.” Willie chooses to give into history’s destructive power and allows it to govern his future. Later in the novel, even Marianne gives in to history’s power, ominously declaring to Father Kilgariff, “Destruction casts shadows which are always there: surely you see that, Father? We will never escape the shadows of destruction that pervade Kilneagh” (179). The effect of Kilneagh’s devastation and the ramifications that followed permeate the lives of Willie and his loved ones and reflect history’s power to forge destruction. The power of the past is also reflected in Willie’s schooldays. Although he himself asserts that “It’s best to forget “ (96), he is not allowed to forget. As McAlindon expounds, “At school, Miss Halliwell’s . . . fondness entails in effect a determination not to allow him forget his tragic past: he must remain an object of pity for her affections to feed on” (8-9). Wherever he goes, Willie is reminded of his past. Even if he wanted to forget his past, he isn’t given a chance to; he truly is a fool for fortune. Father Kilgariff also engrained the importance of the past in Willie’s mind. He taught Willie about the power of history; he described historical heroes that exemplified pacifism, reason, and