Notes 3/18

Aurora is caught between two ideals of women, her mother (Italy) and her aunt (England). She has to learn that it's okay to be part of both ideals, not completely in one or the other. Her aunt is a caged bird who wants to cage Aurora, who is a wild bird. She thinks she's doing the right thing by her niece but Aurora who has been free doesn't want to be caged.

According to Romney, Aurora cannot be "Christ" and can only be "Madonna"; she can't be the center, the love, the passion; she can only be the one who helps that person. Aurora retorts that he doesn't want a lover but a wife; he wants her for the idea of her but not for herself. She claims his idea is noble and she is not worthy, thus turning things around on their head and getting want she wants, to not marry Romney, and making him believe he didn't just insult her as she leaves.

After rescinding Romney's offer of marriage, Aurora tells her aunt that she would rather die a poet than to marry for money. "At least/ My soul is not a pauper; I can live/ At least my soul's life, without alms from men." When her aunt dies and she has no money, Aurora must write for cyclopedias, magazines, weekly papers in order to hold herself up so that she can write for herself and still be financially supported.