The House of the Seven Gables · Chapter
XVII: The Flight of Two Owls explained
Hepzibah and Clifford flee the House of the Seven Gables after Judge Pyncheon's death, venturing into the rainy streets and boarding a train.
What happens
Hepzibah and Clifford flee the House of the Seven Gables after Judge Pyncheon's death, venturing into the rainy streets and boarding a train. Clifford is exhilarated by the journey, while Hepzibah remains haunted by the old house and her fears. They engage in a conversation with a fellow passenger about the merits of home versus the modern railroad, and Clifford expresses a desire to escape the past.
Themes in this chapter
The Past vs. the Present
Clifford embraces the modern railroad as a means to escape the stale ideas of home and the past, while Hepzibah remains mentally trapped in the old house, illustrating the tension between moving forward and being haunted by history.
Isolation and Community
Hepzibah and Clifford, long isolated in the House of the Seven Gables, are thrust into the communal space of the train, yet Hepzibah feels more apart from humanity than ever, while Clifford revels in the throng.
Characters to notice
- Hepzibah Pyncheon
Leaves the house with Clifford, feeling adrift and cold, both physically and morally. She is tormented by the memory of Judge Pyncheon and the old house, and struggles with a sense of unreality.
- Clifford Pyncheon
Exhilarated and possessed by a powerful excitement, he takes control of their flight, leading Hepzibah onto the train. He engages in a philosophical conversation about the railroad replacing home and fireside.
- Judge Jaffrey Pyncheon
Mentioned by Clifford as 'Cousin Jaffrey' sitting alone in the house, his presence haunts Hepzibah's thoughts during the journey.
Key passages
“The world’s broad, bleak atmosphere was all so comfortless! Such, indeed, is the impression which it makes on every new adventurer, even if he plunge into it while the warmest tide of life is bubbling through his veins.”
The outside world feels cold and unwelcoming, as it does to anyone stepping into it for the first time, even if they are full of youthful energy.
Describes Hepzibah's overwhelming sense of discomfort as she leaves the house.
“It not a little resembled the exhilaration of wine. Or, it might more fancifully be compared to a joyous piece of music, played with wild vivacity, but upon a disordered instrument.”
Clifford's excitement is like the effect of alcohol, or like a lively tune played on a broken instrument, mixing joy with a jarring flaw.
Highlights Clifford's manic state during the flight.
“This one old house was everywhere! It transported its great, lumbering bulk with more than railroad speed, and set itself phlegmatically down on whatever spot she glanced at.”
No matter where Hepzibah looked, the image of the old house followed her, moving faster than the train and settling heavily into her view.
Shows how Hepzibah is mentally unable to escape the House of the Seven Gables.