Man and Wife · Chapter
The Owls explained
In the spring of 1868, two white owls inhabit a decayed summerhouse on the grounds of Windygates, a once-luxurious estate in Perthshire that fell into ruin due to a prolonged lawsuit.
What happens
In the spring of 1868, two white owls inhabit a decayed summerhouse on the grounds of Windygates, a once-luxurious estate in Perthshire that fell into ruin due to a prolonged lawsuit. The owls, guardians of the overgrown summerhouse, resist the encroachment of renovation and daylight when the lawsuit ends and a tenant prepares to restore the property. Despite their protests, the creepers are torn down, the summerhouse is cleaned and repaired, and the owls are driven away, lamenting the destruction of their constitution.
Themes in this chapter
Hypocrisy of Society
The owls' defense of the 'Constitution' and their resistance to change satirize human institutions that cling to outdated traditions, mirroring societal hypocrisy in resisting progress.
Suffering and Resilience
The owls' persistence in the face of renovation and their eventual flight symbolize resilience, though their suffering is comically portrayed as they lose their home.
Key passages
“The curse of litigation fell on house and lands. For more than ten years an interminable lawsuit coiled itself closer and closer round the place, sequestering it from human habitation, and even from human approach.”
A lengthy legal dispute plagued the estate for over a decade, isolating it from people and leading to its decay.
This introduces the backstory of Windygates and the impact of the lawsuit.
“The Owls had barely time to pass a new resolution, namely, 'That we do stand by the Constitution,' when a ray of the outer sunlight flashed into their eyes, and sent them flying headlong to the nearest shade.”
The owls quickly declared their loyalty to the old order, but a beam of sunlight scared them away to the shadows.
This humorous passage underscores the owls' futile resistance to change.