All 4 entries tagged Christine

obedient good maid

"She very obedient. She will make a good maid" (7.LXIII.i).

This is reminiscent of Lavinia in The Aeneid, through whom Virgil reassesses the archetypal woman and suggests subservience as a quality that the perfect Roman woman should embody. The term 'maid' is a pun, implying Christine's sexual purity as well as Ma Kilman's overt sense of the girl's suitability for domestic service (cf. "legitimate", 7.LXIII.i).

Amanda Hopkins : 09 Jul 2007 15:54 |  Tags: Christine Epic Tradition Helen Obedient Good Maid Women |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

legitimate

"legitimate" (7.LXIII.i).

This implies that Christine has a sense of identity and is grounded in her roots, and also seems to contrast pointedly with Helen's illegitimate child.

Amanda Hopkins : 09 Jul 2007 15:50 |  Tags: Characters Christine Helen Identity & Naming |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Christine

Amanda Hopkins : 09 Jul 2007 15:49 |  Tags: Characters Christine |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

new Helen

new Helen (7.LXIII.i).

This is ambiguous: it suggests the island's new beginnings and resolution of identity, and also refers to Christine as a more pure and innocent Helen who has not been 'colonized' or corrupted.

Amanda Hopkins : 09 Jul 2007 15:46 |  Tags: Characters Christine Colonialism Ecology Helen Helen Of Troy New Helen St Lucia Women |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem