The Blithedale Romance · Chapter
The Convalescent explained
Coverdale, recovering from illness, reflects on the mysterious Priscilla, her devotion to Zenobia and Hollingsworth, and her gift of a nightcap.
What happens
Coverdale, recovering from illness, reflects on the mysterious Priscilla, her devotion to Zenobia and Hollingsworth, and her gift of a nightcap. He also delves into Hollingsworth's obsessive philanthropic scheme to reform criminals, which consumes his humanity and strains their friendship.
Themes in this chapter
Obsession and Philanthropy
Hollingsworth's single-minded devotion to his criminal reform scheme is portrayed as a consuming, dehumanizing obsession that overrides genuine human connection.
Secrecy and Identity
Priscilla remains an enigmatic figure, with a mysterious past hinted at in a letter, and her true nature is still veiled from the community.
Idealism vs. Reality
Coverdale contrasts the lofty ideals of Blithedale with the harsh reality of Hollingsworth's narrow, almost mad pursuit of his utopian project.
Characters to notice
- Miles Coverdale
The convalescent narrator, observing Priscilla and Hollingsworth from his sickbed.
- Priscilla
The gentle, mysterious girl who brings Coverdale a hand-sewn nightcap and shows deep attachment to Zenobia and Hollingsworth.
- Zenobia
Priscilla's primary object of affection; Zenobia sometimes appears annoyed by Priscilla's close attendance.
- Mr. Hollingsworth
Coverdale's friend, whose obsessive philanthropic project to reform criminals is revealed as a consuming, egotistical passion.
Key passages
“It is my private opinion that, at this period of his life, Hollingsworth was fast going mad; and, as with other crazy people (among whom I include humorists of every degree), it required all the constancy of friendship to restrain his associates from pronouncing him an intolerable bore.”
Coverdale privately believes Hollingsworth is becoming insane due to his obsessive focus, and only friendship keeps others from finding him insufferable.
Coverdale's critical view of Hollingsworth's monomania.
“I wondered whether it were possible that Hollingsworth could have watched by my bedside, with all that devoted care, only for the ulterior purpose of making me a proselyte to his views!”
Coverdale suspects Hollingsworth's nursing care was motivated by a desire to convert him to his philanthropic cause.
Coverdale's suspicion about Hollingsworth's motives.
“But a slight mist of uncertainty still floated about Priscilla, and kept her, as yet, from taking a very decided place among creatures of flesh and blood.”
Priscilla remains an ethereal, mysterious figure, not fully accepted as a real person by the community.
The lingering mystery surrounding Priscilla's identity.