“But he is now so completely reconciled to my attendance in general that he is never satisfied when I am not by his side… I have the servants to overlook, my little Arthur to attend to,—and my own health too, all of which would be entirely neglected were I to satisfy his exorbitant demands.” (chapter 48)
Now that Arthur is fatally ill, Helen is by his side and caring for him nearly 24/7. It clearly takes a significant toll on her mental health as she mentions that if she didn’t put the greater of her mental health before him it would be “entirely neglected”. He continues to display abusive behaviors and a disregard for the care Helen is showing him. I would imagine this is extremely emotionally draining and distressing for Helen. Not only does she have to manage her health while she takes care of her abuser, but she also has to consider what it’s like for her son to witness not only the abuse but his biological father on his deathbed. It seems the sole way Helen can escape Arthur’s grasp is only through death.
I wonder if Helen deep down thinks she owes Arthur, and that’s why she’s been so diligently taking care of him. She did grow up with the societal idea that wives should dedicate their lives to their husbands. Although she still acknowledges that he sucks, I wonder if she feels as though she needs to take care of the father of her child.
One response to “QCQ #3”
One way to answer your question is to look to her explanation of why she returns, what she thinks her moral/Christian duty is, what her wifely duty, and what she owes to her son in terms of trying to reform his father. In a lot of ways the same moral imperative informs all of these decisions. Look for passages where she talks about her self-respect too–Arthur can be a bad husband, but she will be a good wife and have that satisfaction.