A Scandalous Woman (Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Edna O’Brien
- First Published: 1974
- Type of Plot: Domestic realism
- Time of Work: The 1930's or 1940's
- Setting: Rural Ireland
- Principal Characters: Eily Hogan, The narrator, Jack, Eily's father
- Genres: Short fiction, Domestic realism
- Subjects: Rural or country life, Violence, Fear, Feminism, Women’s issues, Farms, farmers, or farming, Punishment, Ireland or Irish people, Happiness, Scandal
- Locales: Ireland
The Story
A grown woman recalls her friendship with Eily Hogan, and from the opening paragraph, the reader is alerted by her remark that she has been “connected” with Eily's life. At first, that connection takes the form of romantic admiration. The narrator sees Eily as a high-spirited person who brings excitement into their dull lives. Their childhood bond, based on play, soon becomes a bond of collusion when Eily begins a sexual relationship with a bank clerk. The narrator helps Eily to cover her tracks when she goes out into the woods to meet Jack, whom they call Romeo,...
[The entire page is 1552 words long]
