Edith Wharton: "Old age, calm, expanded, broad with haughty breadth of the Universe, old age flowing free with the delicious near-by freedom of death” (Brainy Media). Parapet
The quote above I believe represents Wharton's "Roman Fever" to the tee. We are introduced to two women, Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley, both are widowers and both have one daughter. We get the character description of Mrs.Delphin Slade and Mrs.Alida Ansley not from themselves but on how each of the women see the other, and it is between these descriptions Wharton interjects the Roman Monuments as a means for the reader to see the underlying feelings that are boiling beneath the surfaces of both women.
Wharton strategically places the two women on the rooftop of a restaurant with a view of the ruins of ancient Rome. The view as a whole is symbolic of the dilapidated friendship between the two women. The women are suppose to be friends, however in the beginning they keep
their emotions guarded by their silence. Wharton's symbolic piece of architecture that represents the idea of the women's emotions being guarded is when Wharton describes them as being surrounded by a “parapet” (832). Parapet is derived from the Italian word “parapetto” where “para” is translated as “defense” and “petto” is translated as "breast," (http://www.dictionary.com/).
The Palatine (Right)
The Forum (Left)
The women are looking out at the “Palatine” and the first ancient monument the “Forum” (Wharton 832). The Palatine is the oldest hill in Rome, that stands in between the Forum and the Colosseum. The Palatine was covered by churches and convents after the fall of Rome (Beach). The importance of the Palatine in “Roman Fever,” is it that it represents the balance. It is the center of the scale of justice, on one side guilt or innocence is decided, on the other side is survival and death. The cold wind at the Forum was believed to be the cause of Roman Fever, and was an epidemic that was killing many at the time the two women were teenagers. It was the place where Mrs. Slade sent Mrs. Ansley when they were girls, hoping she would meet the same fate as many others had. The Forum was where Mrs. Slade passed her own judgment and death sentence on Mrs. Ansley. She knew that her fiance had feelings for Mrs.Ansley, and Mrs. Ansley reciprocated his feelings. Mrs. Slade sent Mrs. Ansley via a letter into the coldest depths that went from the Forum, to the Colosseum under the guise that she would be meeting the man she loved, Mrs. Slade's fiance.
The Colosseum
The next monument that Wharton uses is the most symbolic of the story, the Colosseum. It was “even colder and damper” (838). In Roman history, the Colosseum was the place where Emperors held games for the public's enjoyment. The Colosseum was a place where the public gathered and watched the gladiators fight to survive. It was also the place that housed caged wild animals that were used to fight the gladiators in the games. The Colosseum is the symbol of conflict between Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley. Mrs. Slade thought she had won her battle for her fiance, because Mrs. Ansley became very ill. She had killed Mrs. Ansley's love for her, Mrs. Slade's fiance, and they soon married. She had not won. Mrs. Ansley's response to her letter was sent to Mrs. Slade's fiance, and he did go to the Colosseum. They finally gave into their feelings that had been caged in like an animal and made love. Mrs. Ansley was the gladiator. Even though it was only for one night she won the battle for the man she loved, and just as a Gladiator is rewarded for his winning, she too was rewarded with a daily reminder of that on night her daughter.
Work Cited
Breach, Anne. "http://everywheremag.com/articles/920." Everywhere Travel is around you. 28/06/2008. 13 Sep 2009.
"Edith Wharton Quotes." Brainy Quote. 2009. Brainy Media. 13 Sep 2009.
Wharton, Edith. “Roman Fever.”
Websites Where Pictures may be Found:
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-UL5yj6kkKaaRuT4_klpPy2yWCufnO_XG4OgHELtHXCft_aL5PLVm5Vd8WNS6HImd1zp5uZ_20lavqRzBQnmkfCaTvLgsc5c0T8VFBewynihFO_36CRGTHROFjlyvKpCXkEFBZ7foek/s1600-h/Palatine.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdx0wQAHGiILqnYrcWoBt9atVeknrWaDhWdclJ1e62NLFwa4VXfZl4wBboOV_XL4tuOSCA_S6L5pDjReTAApWOTRGKG25BEKMwnzeZLzatK4_jDXLL92x1Dxg3-HmrxfzlXjYn_mA83Q/s1600-h/rome_forum_15.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgviCHOQa-kXGz4IcpNdMq5HZp9rqi94984dNifd4o4tIfLB-bq5JeZqLwvUE6PBTdSG_fHWhLb1aiv9SB7egRTnTJporcvJj0Kd2gPhtrLQGBAr09UWrwzGzRRMgUcbgIdaqt3q1g6Fbc/s1600-h/col_nigh_1.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxtcTWuSYlpIXasvV7Jit_HOB26r65X6A_e0K8iDAzxOBGpqsq5QrgOtz2zKmvMCfxG9pPY30atyBpr5CMyKoPD7dQRbA5PFZoI0McrtqLcFV8tuI2krqsJ0UfUI0XkXsfo7_pyGZZpVE/s1600-h/parapet01-at.jpg
The women are looking out at the “Palatine” and the first ancient monument the “Forum” (Wharton 832). The Palatine is the oldest hill in Rome, that stands in between the Forum and the Colosseum. The Palatine was covered by churches and convents after the fall of Rome (Beach). The importance of the Palatine in “Roman Fever,” is it that it represents the balance. It is the center of the scale of justice, on one side guilt or innocence is decided, on the other side is survival and death. The cold wind at the Forum was believed to be the cause of Roman Fever, and was an epidemic that was killing many at the time the two women were teenagers. It was the place where Mrs. Slade sent Mrs. Ansley when they were girls, hoping she would meet the same fate as many others had. The Forum was where Mrs. Slade passed her own judgment and death sentence on Mrs. Ansley. She knew that her fiance had feelings for Mrs.Ansley, and Mrs. Ansley reciprocated his feelings. Mrs. Slade sent Mrs. Ansley via a letter into the coldest depths that went from the Forum, to the Colosseum under the guise that she would be meeting the man she loved, Mrs. Slade's fiance.
The Colosseum
The next monument that Wharton uses is the most symbolic of the story, the Colosseum. It was “even colder and damper” (838). In Roman history, the Colosseum was the place where Emperors held games for the public's enjoyment. The Colosseum was a place where the public gathered and watched the gladiators fight to survive. It was also the place that housed caged wild animals that were used to fight the gladiators in the games. The Colosseum is the symbol of conflict between Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley. Mrs. Slade thought she had won her battle for her fiance, because Mrs. Ansley became very ill. She had killed Mrs. Ansley's love for her, Mrs. Slade's fiance, and they soon married. She had not won. Mrs. Ansley's response to her letter was sent to Mrs. Slade's fiance, and he did go to the Colosseum. They finally gave into their feelings that had been caged in like an animal and made love. Mrs. Ansley was the gladiator. Even though it was only for one night she won the battle for the man she loved, and just as a Gladiator is rewarded for his winning, she too was rewarded with a daily reminder of that on night her daughter.
Work Cited
Breach, Anne. "http://everywheremag.com/articles/920." Everywhere Travel is around you. 28/06/2008. 13 Sep 2009
"Edith Wharton Quotes." Brainy Quote. 2009. Brainy Media. 13 Sep 2009
Wharton, Edith. “Roman Fever.”
Websites Where Pictures may be Found:
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-UL5yj6kkKaaRuT4_klpPy2yWCufnO_XG4OgHELtHXCft_aL5PLVm5Vd8WNS6HImd1zp5uZ_20lavqRzBQnmkfCaTvLgsc5c0T8VFBewynihFO_36CRGTHROFjlyvKpCXkEFBZ7foek/s1600-h/Palatine.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdx0wQAHGiILqnYrcWoBt9atVeknrWaDhWdclJ1e62NLFwa4VXfZl4wBboOV_XL4tuOSCA_S6L5pDjReTAApWOTRGKG25BEKMwnzeZLzatK4_jDXLL92x1Dxg3-HmrxfzlXjYn_mA83Q/s1600-h/rome_forum_15.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgviCHOQa-kXGz4IcpNdMq5HZp9rqi94984dNifd4o4tIfLB-bq5JeZqLwvUE6PBTdSG_fHWhLb1aiv9SB7egRTnTJporcvJj0Kd2gPhtrLQGBAr09UWrwzGzRRMgUcbgIdaqt3q1g6Fbc/s1600-h/col_nigh_1.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxtcTWuSYlpIXasvV7Jit_HOB26r65X6A_e0K8iDAzxOBGpqsq5QrgOtz2zKmvMCfxG9pPY30atyBpr5CMyKoPD7dQRbA5PFZoI0McrtqLcFV8tuI2krqsJ0UfUI0XkXsfo7_pyGZZpVE/s1600-h/parapet01-at.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxRqa644RLwU2FVhUV5M1haJj4bImCg7RQTPn7Sz0pINIHXRHUoJvb5-WeWiYO2nkYi4Xc7AScBiKBD4r63o1DqAskESQMJm1KrQMrzmhmznzMuO-b6Qy55Yb9LZiY3hAOhsb8kLGLtaY/s1600-h/Edith+Wharton+2.jpg
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