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Roman Fever |
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written
by zinnia / 10.24.2005 |
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Assignment |
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Edith Wharton selected the scene of “Roman Fever” as overlooking the Forum because the stories behind the two parallel each other in numerous ways. The Roman Forum, for which tourists come from all over the world to admire, carries ulterior meanings out of sight to the common passerby, resembles the relationship between the two women; for it is not as happy and light as it’s portrayed at the outset of the story.
Mrs. Ansley and Mrs. Slade’s relationship initially appeared to be calm and peaceful. Things were fine with their reunion, until Mrs. Slade couldn’t keep up façade any longer and surfaced everything to the open. Underneath their seemingly tranquil pretence is a bitter past that neither has forgotten, nor are they willing to forget. The Roman Forum, on the other hand, parallels this situation with its physical appearance that contrast the history. The monuments themselves are magnificent and flawless (at the time), while on contrary the history behind them is filled with intrigues and usurp. Most of the monuments bear some history veiled from the public – unpublicized reason for its presence, changes made to it – that’s intentionally disregarded until the empire’s demise. Augustus deified Caesar and erected the Temple of Deified Caesar, not out of his great admiration for him nor for because Caesar deserved to be a god for his accomplishments; he did these things to stabilize his throne during time of unrest.
Another example, when Carcalla – son of the emperor Septimius Severus – murdered his brother Geta and assumed the throne, he effaced Geta’s name from the Arche of Septimius Severus in attempts of erasing all memories of his brother, thereby concealing his illegitimate takeover. It backfired, of course; just the act of doing so will ensure the people to remember what he did. The tangible grandiose of the arch is very similar to Mrs. Ansley and Mrs. Slade’s sham relationship, both dissembling an ugly past unfit of their elite status.
By enabling the two to see the Colosseum and mentioning Mrs. Slade’s view of it right before her outbreak, the author alludes to the forthcoming event to be malicious and intense, as the gladiators that fought at the Colosseum.
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