Dangerous Ages · Chapter
VII: Gerda explained
Gerda is now living at the Red House, a hotel for revolutionary souls, and working as Barry's secretary.
What happens
Gerda is now living at the Red House, a hotel for revolutionary souls, and working as Barry's secretary. She spends her evenings with fellow radicals and her days with Barry, whom she deeply loves. They attend plays together and discuss art, love, and social issues. After encountering a prostitute, Gerda questions Barry about the nature of love versus desire, and he defines love as involving imagination and the mind. Gerda reflects on her love for Barry and the possibility of sharing him with Nan.
Themes in this chapter
Love, Marriage, and Freedom
Gerda's love for Barry is contrasted with Barry's definition of love as involving imagination and mind, versus mere desire. Gerda contemplates sharing Barry with Nan, reflecting on women's need to share.
Women's Roles and Identity
Gerda's role as a working woman and secretary, her interest in the plight of prostitutes, and her reflections on women's need to share men due to demographic imbalance.
Generational Conflict
Gerda's generation is interested in social reform and Freudian ideas, contrasting with older attitudes. The Red House lodgers represent a new revolutionary spirit.
Characters to notice
- Gerda
Living at the Red House, working as Barry's secretary, deeply in love with Barry, and reflecting on love and sharing.
- Barry Briscoe
Gerda's employer and object of her affection; discusses love and desire with Gerda, and receives a letter from Nan about a trip to Cornwall.
- Nan Hilary
Barry's romantic interest; writes to Barry inviting him to bicycle in Cornwall with her, Gerda, and Kay.
- Aunt Phyllis
Runs the Red House, a fiery revolutionary in her late forties, writes for the British Bolshevist.
- Mr. Digby
Rev. Anselm Digby, a clergyman revolutionary who denounces and incites revolution in the name of Christ and the Third International.
Key passages
“Love has the imagination in it, and the mind. I suppose that's the difference. And, too, love wants to give.”
Barry explains that love involves imagination and intellect, and is characterized by a desire to give, unlike mere physical attraction.
Barry defines love for Gerda during their walk, distinguishing it from passing desire.
“Women must share, for there were a million more women in England than men.”
Gerda reflects that women have to accept sharing a man because there are more women than men in England.
Gerda rationalizes the possibility of sharing Barry with Nan due to demographic realities.
“Stop the demand? Stop that desire of men for women? Stop the ready response of women to it? If that was the only way, then there was indeed nothing for it but education—and was even education any use for that?”
Gerda questions whether stopping prostitution requires stopping male desire, and wonders if education can change such fundamental urges.
Gerda ponders the root causes of prostitution after her conversation with Barry.