There are some nineteenth century novels I read for pleasure, and some where the pleasure arises from the book as historical artifact - the story may not be strike me as "entertaining" per se, but the things that it tells me about the historical time period definitely do!
My own college (called Lawrence!) was founded coeducational in 1847, and I know that Oberlin was founded coeducational and integrated around the same time - so Laurence College would have been a real possibility in 1887.
Isn't part of the problem with Dan/Bess that Dan killed a man (who totally had it coming! but nonetheless!) and is thus Forever Tainted? I remember feeling it was strange that everyone believed so adamantly that Bess could never love him. I could understand why they would think the match could not or should not come off, but how can they all be SO SURE Bess will never love him back? And the narrative bears this belief out, too.
This is the book that ends with Alcott storming "I wish I could end this book with an earthquake swallowing Plumfield and killing them ALL so no one could ever bother me about the March family EVER AGAIN," right? Just the sheer ballsiness of flinging that in the face of her most devoted readers. I am in awe.
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My own college (called Lawrence!) was founded coeducational in 1847, and I know that Oberlin was founded coeducational and integrated around the same time - so Laurence College would have been a real possibility in 1887.
Isn't part of the problem with Dan/Bess that Dan killed a man (who totally had it coming! but nonetheless!) and is thus Forever Tainted? I remember feeling it was strange that everyone believed so adamantly that Bess could never love him. I could understand why they would think the match could not or should not come off, but how can they all be SO SURE Bess will never love him back? And the narrative bears this belief out, too.
This is the book that ends with Alcott storming "I wish I could end this book with an earthquake swallowing Plumfield and killing them ALL so no one could ever bother me about the March family EVER AGAIN," right? Just the sheer ballsiness of flinging that in the face of her most devoted readers. I am in awe.