Penguin Island · Chapter
II: The Charity of St. Orberosia explained
The chapter describes the Friday evening retreats at St.
What happens
The chapter describes the Friday evening retreats at St. Maël's church, where the Alcan elite gather under Father Douillard's guidance to promote the cult of St. Orberosia. Father Douillard preaches on the saint's seventh trial, urging the faithful to support her charity. After the service, Mademoiselle Clarence and Viscount Cléna meet, leading to a three-month courtship involving motorcar excursions. Cléna's advances are repeatedly resisted by Eveline, until he accidentally assaults Madame Clarence. The affair ends when Eveline discovers Cléna's debts and dependence on an elderly lady, and she resumes her disdainful social duties.
Themes in this chapter
Hypocrisy of Morality and Sexuality
The contrast between the pious retreat and the sordid affair between Cléna and the Clarences highlights the hypocrisy of social and sexual mores.
Satire of Religion
Father Douillard's manipulative oratory and the commodification of St. Orberosia's cult satirize organized religion's worldly ambitions.
Human Folly and Vanity
The aristocratic congregation's vanity and Cléna's reckless pursuit of pleasure exemplify human folly.
Characters to notice
- Father Douillard
Preaches at the retreat, promotes the cult of St. Orberosia, and collects funds for a monumental church.
- Eveline Clarence
Attends the retreat with her mother, meets Viscount Cléna, and later resists his advances during a three-month courtship.
- Viscount Cléna
A fashionable young man who courts Eveline, but is revealed to be in debt and dependent on an elderly lady.
- Madame Clarence
Eveline's mother, who is accidentally assaulted by Cléna when he mistakes her bedroom.
- Prince des Boscénos
Mentioned as part of the aristocratic congregation at the retreat.
- M. Bigourd
Mentioned as part of the aristocratic congregation at the retreat.
Key passages
“Every Friday evening at nine o’clock the choicest of Alcan society assembled in the aristocratic church of St. Maël for the Reverend Father Douillard’s retreat.”
The elite of Alca gathered every Friday at St. Maël's church for Father Douillard's spiritual retreat.
Sets the scene for the chapter's social and religious dynamics.
“He said to Eveline all that could be said and did all that could be done to overcome her resistance.”
Cléna used every word and action to try to break down Eveline's defenses.
Highlights Cléna's persistent but unsuccessful seduction attempts.
“Then her unhappy aggressor, desperate, enraged, and three parts mad, fled so as not to kill her, mistook the door, went into the bedroom of Madame Clarence, whom he found putting on her hat in front of a wardrobe, seized her, flung her on the bed, and possessed her before she knew what had happened.”
In a fit of frustrated passion, Cléna accidentally entered Madame Clarence's room and assaulted her.
The climax of the chapter's sexual farce, revealing the absurdity of the characters' moral pretensions.