# XIV explained — The Dewy Morn > Chapter companion for The Dewy Morn by Richard Jefferies. ## What happens Martial Barnard, torn between his past with Rosa and his growing fascination with Felise, attempts to resist his attraction by destroying tokens of their encounter, but finds himself haunted by her image. He secretly observes Felise by a pool, where her beauty overwhelms him, leading to an internal struggle between aesthetic admiration and emotional involvement. ## Themes in this chapter ### Beauty and Aesthetic Worship Martial's intense admiration of Felise's beauty is described as a quasi-religious experience, elevating her to a work of art. ### Obsession and Jealousy Martial's inability to stop thinking about Felise and his secret observations reveal an obsessive fixation. ### Freedom vs. Control Martial struggles to maintain his emotional independence and resist the pull of his feelings for Felise. ## Character check-ins ### Martial Barnard Struggles with his attraction to Felise, attempts to destroy reminders of her, and secretly watches her by the pool. ### Felise Goring Observed by Martial at dawn and later by the pool; her beauty and passionate gaze captivate him. ### Rosa Wood Mentioned as the object of Martial's previous courtship; he feels guilt over his cruelty to her. ### Ruy Martial's horse, used during his rides and later mentioned in the encounter with Felise. ### Mary Shaw Briefly mentioned as accompanying Felise during the earlier scene in the fern. ## Key lines > Till this instant he had never met anything that answered to the poetry—the romance—in his heart. Until now, he had never encountered anything that matched the poetic and romantic ideals he held within. _Describes Martial's first true experience of beauty._ > It was his own idea of loveliness—the idea within him—which he had applied to Rosa, and endowed her with what she had not, as the sunset colours a dull wall. He had projected his own concept of beauty onto Rosa, attributing qualities to her that she did not possess, much like sunset light coloring a plain wall. _Highlights Martial's tendency to idealize women._ > Before those beautiful knees he could have bowed his forehead in the grass, in the purest worship of beauty. He felt such reverence for her beauty that he could have prostrated himself before her knees in worship. _Emphasizes the almost religious awe Martial feels._ > Such is woman’s true place, to excite thus the deepest, the best, the most exalted of man’s emotions. This is woman's proper role: to inspire the most profound and noble feelings in men. _Reflects the era's gender ideology._ > He said to himself after a time: 'I have seen her, and I do not love her. My follies are over. Her beauty has only caused an aesthetic admiration.' He convinced himself that his feelings were purely aesthetic and that he was immune to falling in love. _Martial's self-deception about his emotions._ > The Picture said: 'You can look at me without the least harm to yourself.' His mental image of Felise argued that observing her beauty was harmless. _Internal dialogue personifying his temptation._ > He kept the handkerchief for a few days. That passionate glance dwelt in his memory; every time he thought of it, his heart quickened its pace involuntarily. He held onto the handkerchief for days, and the memory of her intense look made his heart race uncontrollably. _Shows the lingering impact of Felise's gaze._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_dewy_morn_se/chapters/volume-i-xiv - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_dewy_morn_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_dewy_morn_se/chapters