The Financier · Chapter
XIX explained
Cowperwood reflects on his egoism and intellectualism, justifying his affair with Aileen Butler as a natural right of the strong.
What happens
Cowperwood reflects on his egoism and intellectualism, justifying his affair with Aileen Butler as a natural right of the strong. He contrasts his wife Lillian's conventional morality with Aileen's passionate nature, and the chapter culminates in a kiss that solidifies their romantic bond.
Themes in this chapter
Ambition and Success
Cowperwood's drive for financial and personal fulfillment is central, as he equates force and quickness of wit with the right to satisfy his desires.
Deception and Self-Justification
Cowperwood rationalizes his affair by dismissing conventional morality and viewing himself as above the laws that bind lesser men.
Love and Betrayal
The burgeoning love between Cowperwood and Aileen is set against the betrayal of his wife Lillian, highlighting the conflict between passion and duty.
Characters to notice
- Frank Algernon Cowperwood
Cowperwood philosophizes about force, egoism, and morality, deciding to pursue his passion for Aileen while maintaining his public facade.
- Aileen Butler
Aileen is drawn to Cowperwood's spirit, and after a kiss at the piano, she confesses her love, feeling intensely happy and overwhelmed.
- Lillian Cowperwood
Cowperwood views Lillian as dutiful and morally conventional, contrasting her with Aileen's passionate nature.
- Norah
Norah appears briefly, interrupting the intimate moment between Cowperwood and Aileen.
Key passages
“I satisfy myself”
Cowperwood's personal motto is to act according to his own desires and judgment, regardless of societal expectations.
This encapsulates Cowperwood's egoistic philosophy and his justification for pursuing Aileen.
“The little guardians of so-called law and morality, the newspapers, the preachers, the police, and the public moralists generally, so loud in their denunciation of evil in humble places, were cowards all when it came to corruption in high ones.”
Cowperwood observes that those who publicly condemn wrongdoing among the poor are afraid to criticize the powerful and wealthy.
This reflects Cowperwood's cynical view of societal hypocrisy and his belief that force protects the elite.