Lecture Notes: Roman Fever by Edith Wharton

Introduction

• Author: Edith Wharton (1862-1937)
• Setting: The lofty terrace of a Roman restaurant overlooking historical sites.

Main Characters

• Mrs. Slade: High-colored, energetic, formerly married to a famous lawyer, Delphin Slade.
• Mrs. Ansley: Smaller, paler, more reserved, widow of Horace Ansley.
• Barbara ('Babs'): Mrs. Ansley’s daughter, dynamic and admired.
• Jenny: Mrs. Slade’s daughter, angelic but lacking her mother's vividness.

Plot Overview

• Two middle-aged American women, long-time friends, reflect on their lives while sitting on a terrace in Rome.
• They listen to the voices of their daughters, who are off exploring Rome.
• The conversation reveals the women’s past rivalry and their differing perceptions of each other.
• Both have lost their husbands and share a history in Rome from when they were young.

Themes

• Past vs. Present: The story contrasts youthful romance with middle-aged reflection.
• Maternal Expectations: Both women grapple with their roles as mothers and the lives of their daughters.
• Secrets and Revelations: Long-buried secrets about a romantic rivalry are uncovered.

Key Moments

• Reflection on Youth: Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley recall past visits to Rome and their daughters' attitudes.
• Conversation about the Past: Mrs. Slade reveals she wrote a letter supposedly from Delphin to lure Mrs. Ansley to the Colosseum.
• Dramatic Reveal: Mrs. Ansley confesses she met Delphin that night and that he is Babs’s father.

Symbolism

• Roman Fever: Represents both the literal illness and the figurative fever of passion and jealousy.
• The Colosseum: A site of past secrets and pivotal events between the characters.

Conclusion

• Mrs. Ansley's calm assertion that she has Barbara, revealing the depth of the past betrayal and her quiet victory.

Analysis

• Wharton explores themes of jealousy, rivalry, and the complexities of female friendship set against the backdrop of ancient Rome.
• The story highlights how perceptions can be flawed and how past actions reverberate into the present.

These notes summarize the key points of Edith Wharton's "Roman Fever," capturing the essence of its plot, characters, and themes for study and review.