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The Crimson Petal and the
White is the story of a group of people from
opposite ends of the social scale who inhabit Victorian London. There’s William
Rackham, reluctant heir to Rackham Perfumeries and his fragile wife Agnes, who
spends most of her time in her darkened bedroom. William’s pious brother Henry
who has rejected his claim to their father’s fortune, and his close friend,
widow and member of the Rescue Society, Mrs. Emmeline Fox. And then there’s
Sugar, teenaged prostitute who is the height of popularity with the men of
London. Our narrator leads us through this complex world, advising us which
characters to follow.
Although this novel is set in Victorian London it makes a point of
not merely regurgitating the Jack the Ripper induced stereotype that is so
often portrayed. There are moments near the beginning where it feels like the
author is trying to squeeze in as many facts as he can from his research
superfluously, but this is rare and overall it’s a very clear picture of the
nineteenth century capital. It’s so well researched with detail nestled in to
the narrative that you almost forget that you’re not reading a book written at
the time, even if some of the scenes definitely wouldn’t have been considered
appropriate.
The first character we meet is Caroline, a prostitute with a lower
class clientele than Sugar, who lives in a poverty stricken area of London.
Despite her position she is remarkably content, and grateful that she doesn’t
have to start the day with all the labourers desperately trying to secure a day’s
work every morning. Her job brings her a strange sense of financial security –
waking up broke every morning but knowing she’ll be able to earn enough, a
luxury shared by few of the labourers.
As we follow her through the streets there's a profusion of people trying
to sell something in the crowded thoroughfares, using anything they can to make
some money, even scavenging the remains of a carriage shortly after an
accident. Rich and poor live practically next to each other and yet remain
entirely separate. Oxford Street creates a parting between two streets at polar
opposites on the scale of wealth and poverty. There’s a stark contrast between
the people we’ve met so far and William Rackham. When we first meet him he is
in a state of panic as he tries to dispose of his out of fashion hat and
purchase one that won’t cause him great anxiety to be seen in. He appears
foppish and shallow, his problems laughable compared to those struggling for
enough money to stay alive. It does, however, also plant the idea that the
middle classes aspiring to move upwards are trapped in their own gilt cages,
unable to freely do as they wish for fear of being shunned. The theme of social
sensibilities and the problems and misery they induce recurs throughout the
novel.
The differences are not only obvious between characters with very
different lives, but when Sugar and Caroline are first seen together they could
not seem more different. Physically they are nothing alike, but their minds are
also contrasted. Caroline is seemingly content, easily amused by simple
activities, and does not think too deeply. Sugar is seething with hatred and
sees the injustice of the world clearly. The cause for this outlook, beyond her
profession, is not explained at this point, but her psychological history is
revealed gradually throughout. It also gives a sense of her intelligence, a
blessing and a curse in a world where she is unable to make use of a brilliant
mind. It is commented what a pity it is that her mind was born in to a female
body, what a difference she could have made if only she were male.
Her intelligence marks her apart from Rackham’s wife Agnes, who,
despite being sent to top schools was taught not how to think and be
accomplished, except of course at being seen in public and looking beautiful.
When William meets Sugar he is impressed by her intelligent, active mind and
enjoys talking to her about his business affairs and literature. Eventually,
however, this becomes evidence in his mind of her mental instability – it is
unnatural for a woman to have a mind such as Sugar’s.
According to William’s clownish friends Bodley and Ashwell, half the
wives in London are mad. It shouldn’t therefore distress him too much that
his wife is among them, it is no great social shame when so many others are
dealing with the same problem. Women are, after all, exceedingly prone to
madness. Their bodies are closely linked with madness, and Doctor Curlew
regularly examines Agnes to find her ‘wandering womb’. There’s also a distinct
lack of understanding of the adult body from both the male and female
characters which contributes to the problem. Agnes has no concept of what
menstruation is and so regards it with fear. It is also remarked upon several
times that William has a dislike of it, arising from ignorance. Although the
reproductive function of the female is not itself an indicator of madness, the
lack of understanding of it leads both to abuse and distress. Agnes does not
even understand her own pregnancy and refuses to acknowledge her daughter Sophie as a result.
There aren’t many likable characters in this novel. Agnes and
William are both very much of their time and class – terribly concerned with
their status in society (though William likes to pretend he is not) and relying
on their servants for the simplest of tasks, not even opening a window for
themselves. Agnes also comes across as selfish, complaining about being in
mourning to those who are grieving more than she is. The mix of perspectives
make it difficult to form a decisive opinion on some characters – are we to
believe Agnes’s interpretation and despise Rackham? She is, after all,
supposedly mentally unsound. Do we, then, believe Rackham’s memories and
thoughts to be trusted over hers, even with Sugar loathing him at times? Although he behaves badly much of the time, he seems more of a fool, often not
knowing what to do rather than being intentionally cruel. He does redeem
himself somewhat by resisting sending Agnes to an asylum despite constant pressure from
her doctor.
For all her strength Sugar has a vulnerability and need for
affection. On becoming Sophie’s governess we begin to learn more about her
history, of her mother forcing her in to prostitution and teaching her nothing
but hatred. She fears that she is like her mother when flashes of potential
cruelty cross her mind with Sophie. She manages to resist, proving that it is
possible to throw off the chains of abuse and express love.
This is a brilliantly evocative novel that brings nineteenth century
London to life. The array of characters are interesting for their
contradictions and psychological complexities. Most are miserable and seemingly
trapped in situations they have little control over. Lovers of eighteenth and
nineteenth century literature will revel in the allusions that are used to
reveal more about the personalities of the characters. It also considers
subjects of debate such as the role of women and the moral and social issues
around prostitution, science as opposed to religion, and the benefits and
shortcomings of mechanisation, fixing it firmly in the latter part of the
century. There’s a lot left unresolved, and although it leaves you wanting more
it’s ultimately more satisfying, serving to make the story feel more real, as
if you’ve just seen a snapshot of life. The characters had a life before you
started watching, and they’ll continue with their lives after you reach the final
page.
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