Analysis Of Delacour s Delacour - 1078 Words

In addition to fashionable reading, Delacour also shows a habit of reading Methodistical religious texts in her times of mental fervor. After Dr. X finds out about the books, he is â€Å"convinced that superstitious horrors hung upon his patient’s spirits, and affected her health† (Edgeworth 316). Dr. X’s ideas are born from the fact that at the time Methodistical text were â€Å"operating outside rational discourse and sociable domestic space.† They were seen to make one â€Å"vulnerable to manipulation† and cause â€Å"wrong interpretations† of daily happenings (MacFayden 436). Once again the things that Delacour reads feed into her mental state. The values that she is receiving from these texts are outside of the values that society says are acceptable to†¦show more content†¦The sickly nature of Delacour’s children points out that there could be something wrong with Delacour herself. By being connected to her, both childr en have died. The sickness the Delacour herself experiences both physically and mentally could have easily passed to her children. Their deaths not only show a connection to a sickly family line, but they also put a stress on Delacour’s mind. Even if Delacour’s health is not the reason for their deaths, there is still the possibility. Delacour is aware that she could be at fault and the guilt continues to eat away at her, heightening her emotions and clouding her mental space and judgment. Her children may not suffer from madness, but they still could cause her madness nonetheless. Not only does Lady Delacour exhibit all three of Pargeter’s proposed causes of female madness, but she also exhibits what Prageter labels as the primary symptom of madness, namely delirium. Delirium is said to occur when â€Å"the body could not distinguish the impressions of real objects from those of imagination† (Thame 276). On the night before her impending surgery, Delacour tells Belinda that figures have been appearing to her. Delacour explains, â€Å"The forms that flit before my eyes when I am between sleeping and waking,†¦I am willing to believe are the effects of opium, but, Belinda, it is impossible I should be convinced that my senses have deceived me with respect to what I have beheld when I have been as broad awake, and in perfect