A room with a view novel
RESEARCH PAPER
Introduction
A room with a view is one of the leading and most famous novels that were written in the early 19th century. In the land of Europe, it gained popularity and posed a lot of challenges to most young people, particularly ones who were of the upper class. It’s a novel that talks about love life and the journey of a young lady called Lucy. Lucy finds herself in a very complicated social situation and between hard decisions. She finds love and compassion in a man she wasn’t expecting and, at the same engaged to a man she doesn’t love. This confusion and unveil a lot to Lucy’s life and since she is seen struggling between what is expected of her and what she wants. This essay presents this novel as a piece of social criticism of the upper-middle class in the late nineteenth century. This was where people are disapproved or judged on the basis of perceived faults and weaknesses.
Lucy is a lady from a stable and well off family; her interaction with George is seen as one that can’t work in terms of relationship and intimacy affairs. This is attached to the reason that George is a man who is categorized and judged by his social status. The role of George in the novel clearly points out that to be a source of affection in a society that was regarded as no go zone. He can penetrate and express his love and passion to Lucy in a manner that communicates to Lucy’s inner being. She goes back to Britain, where Cecil proposed, and she accepted, this is where the real issue of criticism starts. Cecil is a man who is well respected and intelligent. He is of the same class as Lucy; he presents his feelings and love in a manner that is different and low grade as compared to George. According to Lucy, Cecil lacks the passion and the aggressiveness that she noticed in George, this forced her to a harder decision and she is undecided between intelligence and passion. According to her life, she was brought up to properly and keen not to fall for passion and desire but to be a lady of manner proper organization. This made the decision harder to make. But deep in her heart she acknowledges and accepts the feelings and the passion together with desire that George presents is more than that which Cecil presents. Consequently, this is revealed and represents the nature of young ladies and gentlemen of those ages who defines life in a restricted and strict environment due to the social classes and judging people based on specific things or factors. Lucy was almost breaking her heart forever by getting married to a man she doesn’t love. This can be attached to the reasons why many marriages and relationships are not working out, and people involved are engaged in constant fights and arguments that can lead to divorce (Brown 279-301). This novel confirms the looming consequences of criticism in the social classes and environment. As the key and main character in this novel, Lucy stands in place of oppressed people who are directed to follow norms when dealing with important and most crucial matters in life. For a longer period of time, social criticism of the middle class has been on the front page of the daily discussion. Its effects are known and more severe. It connected to slavery and racism in the 19th century. The second kiss between George and Lucy confirms everything that kills all the looming cases of criticism. Lucy stood strong and was ready to break the norm and what is expected of her by accepting George. This comes after George convinces her of how Cecil does not know how to love and is planning her like an ornament. Therefore, to realize one’s dream and desire, hard decisions must be decided with uttermost wisdom, risking the norms and abandoning social status for the case of your future.
Another piece and context that displays clearly that George is the center of the criticism and a uniting factor at the same time is he is seeing as the one who will teach Lucy how to be passionate and introduce her to the new ideas and new world(“A Room with a View: Chapter by Chapter Analysis.” 2020) He is the man who is ready to break the chains of normalcy hence the title of the book, “a room with a view”. Social criticism of the middle class results majorly from the fact that they earn less as compared to the elite class; this is according to societal hierarchy. In this novel, three characters that have been discussed earlier bears a true picture of the same scenario by then. Forster speaks of the war that exists in mindin mind and personality of an individual. This culminates in the battle between personal desire and the convention of society.
An excellent analysis of this novel based on the subject will demand a discussion on the propriety and passion. Social resolution and agreement is a critical factor that defines one’s belongs and alienation. Passion is not an essential aspect of social life that determines and defines one’s desire. In the novel ‘a room with a view’, the conflict between the two has been principal theme focus. It’s against the principles and social requirement for Lucy to move in with George; this is like abusing the social standards that exist. Therefore, on the discussion of the criticism in the 19th century, this novel presents the real situation. This is seen projected and proven to be affecting the social life of people and the due to the unconventional nature of people in the higher social classes. Sometimes what is right might not beneficial, and what is beneficial sometimes cannot be right. It takes the inner conviction to follow what the desire of your heart presents to you. Almost all the unconventional people were the once that are fueling this issue of social criticism in the middle class back then. This was due to the fact that they care nothing about propriety, the rudeness they have is of another level. The British characters in the novel ignore the importance of being passionate and how the physical, mental, and social sections of the human work (A Room with a View: Chapter by Chapter Analysis.” 2020). This novel also tells a lot about the restrictions that were accorded to young ladies of Britain. Like many other people who want to move and find happiness, they are forced to abandon these standards and find happiness their heart desires. (Lange 113-120)
The evidence of social criticism in this novel is also supported by the change in location, traveling to Italy is an essential factor and theme. Lucy longs to move to a new place to experience differences far from Britain and the susceptibilities involved. Keen analysis of this section presents a point that social criticism is rampant in Britain’s social classes as compared to the areas. This is why Lucy longs for withdrawal far away from the vicinity of the Britain social conventions. (Brown 279-301)
In the line of social life, this novel presents a theme that is attached to social development. Self-discovery and the position of a woman in all these: Lucy realizes that it’s her responsibility to fight for what you want and what you love. She releases that the solemn responsibility of a woman in all these scenarios is to decide and bypass the barrier of social boundaries. The interaction between man and nature is another important factor when we talk about social criticism in this novel. It takes constant interaction with a diverse environment for one to feel the exact need for self-realization and desires of the heart. This is a link to the meeting Lucy and George were occasionally having.
Conclusion.
In conclusion, the title of the novel is accomplished in the sense that George and Lucy were able to find the purpose of coming together. This was a risky situation and decided to be made both parties bearing in mind the Britain social conventions. Like other bright ladies, Lucy was able to bypass the desire and direction of her social routes to join a passionate man. This helped her to avoid being yoked together with someone she doesn’t love. Social criticism during the early 19th century can be classified to be the mother of all other social problems, even in the world today. Sometimes it’s suitable and advisable to let the wall of communication falls.
References
“A Room with a View: Chapter by Chapter Analysis.” allanswers.co.uk. 11 2018. All Answers Ltd. 06 2020 <https://ukdiss.com/examples/room-with-a-view.php?vref=1>.
Brown, Tony. “Edward Carpenter, Forster and the Evolution of A Room with a View.” English literature in transition, 1880-1920 30.3 (1987): 279-301.
Lange, Eckart, and Peter V. Schaeffer. “A comment on the market value of a room with a view.” Landscape and Urban Planning 55.2 (2001): 113-120.