I Concurso de Escritura Crítica (2007-08)
Comentario crítico de la novela de Wilkie Collins The Woman in White
(600 palabras)
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Primer premioMaría de la IglesiaEstudiante de Cuarto A |
The Woman in White is a masterpiece of the English literature and Wilkie Collins is one of the best writers of his time. He gets to maintain the intrigue during all the novel and we, the readers, can't avoid reading more and more. From the beginning to the end, Collins describes the characters in a witty, intelligent way. In the novel, there are a lot of different characters which enrich the plot. This is not an ordinary story of an ordinary family, but a great thriller full of mystery, which is personified in the figure of the woman in white, called Anne Catherick.
Collins tells a story about two sisters, Laura Fairlie and Marian Halcombe, who, suddenly, were surrounded by villains, which made their lives very complicated. These two sisters are one person. They complete each other and whatever qualities Laura lacks Marian has and vice versa. They, together, are the perfect woman. They love each other and they can't survive without each other. Being more accurate in the description, Laura needs her sister to survive and she can't do anything without being frowned upon by her loved sister Marian. It makes her dependent, which is, in my opinion, one of the worst things in life.
Not only is Laura beautiful but also submissive, weak and rich. On the other hand, Marian is intelligent, strong, witty and... ugly! These are the reasons why Laura is a Victorian woman. In fact, she is more a girl than a woman. However, Marian is more like a man, I mean, a Victorian man. Marian is always near Laura, helping her, caring for her, doing whatever she wants or needs. Therefore, Marian is of the main characters of the novel.
Laura Fairlie is inseccure and wants near her a man who cares for her. While Marian is doomed to be alone. She only has and will have her sister's love... She acts and will act as if she had a moral obligation in her sister's happiness and not in her own hapiness. However, she is not unhappy. She knows that to be near her sister is her must in this life. She has taken it and Walter Hartright helps her in her duty.
Walter Hartright, as his own name indicates, is a good man with an important role in the plot. He and Marian discovered the mystery of the woman in white, Sir Percival's secret, Count Fosco's intentions, and solved the situation. Moreover, he fell in love with Laura, who also loved him, but their love was doomed to failure because Laura was told to marry Sir Percival by her father before his death. This act unleashed misfortune.
However, undoubtedly, the story becomes more exciting, intriguing and absorbing when Count Fosco appears in the plot. The sinister and flamboyant Count Fosco is the finest character of the novel. At the beginning, in spite of being described as a good man, as a gentleman with the best manners, somone who loves animals, opera, and good conversations with nice people, like Marian Halcombe..., he is diabolically devious.
Count Fosco is a friend of Sir Percival's, and both of them need Laura's money. But it is Count Fosco that controls every situation and tells Sir Percival how he must behave. It is Fosco that did his wicked plans to achieve his wicked goals. He is a masterpiece of a villain, but he found in Marian Halcombe his problem... He personifies evil, however, he isn't perfect because, at the end, it is shown that he loves Marian whose knowledge amazes him. Count Fosco is intelligent and capable of murder if neccesary, he is brilliant in his acts and in his thoughts, come what may, but Marian is his sweet, adorable opponent.
Little by little, Wilkie Collins has written a story full of all ingredients of a great thriller, which nobody can leave unfinished.
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