Student Question
What virtues make Hester heroic in "The Old Nurse's Story" and how are these virtues rooted in domestic values?
Quick answer:
Hester is heroic due to her selflessness, kindness, and devotion to family and community, aligning with domestic values. She keeps a secret to protect a family, takes in and cares for a destitute woman and her child, and sacrifices personal happiness to care for others. These virtues reflect the traditional domestic roles of women in her era, emphasizing the importance of family and community care, which were central to her character and heroism.
In "The Old Nurse's Story" by Elizabeth Gaskell, Hester is portrayed as a heroic figure due to her selflessness, kindness, and devotion to her family and community. She is a strong and determined woman who puts the needs of others before her own and is willing to sacrifice her happiness for the sake of those she cares about. Below are instances in the story that exemplify each of these virtues.
- Hester's selflessness comes out when she is asked by the mother of the children she is caring for to keep the existence of a twin brother a secret from the other children and the father, as it would cause him to become insane if he found out. Hester agrees to keep the secret and raises the twin as her own son, even though it means she will never be able to reveal the truth and will have...
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- to bear the weight of the secret alone.
- Hester's kindness is evident when she takes in a sick and destitute woman, Mrs. Jenkins, and nurses her back to health, even though it causes her own health to suffer. She does this without any expectation of reward or repayment, and even after Mrs. Jenkins dies, she continues to care for Mrs. Jenkins's child as if it were her own.
- Hester's devotion to her family and community is demonstrated when she sacrifices her own happiness and security to care for her sick and dying charge, even though it means she will never be able to marry or have a family of her own. She also keeps the secret of the twin, even though it will cause her to be ostracized by her community and lose her job as a nurse.
These virtues are rooted in the domestic values of the time, as Hester's role as a nurse, mother, and caretaker is central to the story and is seen as a key aspect of her heroism. Her actions are rooted in a belief in the importance of family, community, and the care of others, which were traditionally seen as the responsibility of women in the domestic sphere during that time.