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Excerpt from Lemorne Versus Huell, by Elizabeth Stoddard

No more was said on the subject of his coming home with me. Aunt Eliza
had several fits of musing in the course of the evening while I read
aloud to her, which had no connection with the subject of the book. As
I put it down she said that it would be well for me to go to church the
next day. I acquiesced, but remarked that my piety would not require the
carriage, and that I preferred to walk. Besides, it would be well for
William and James to attend divine service. She could not spare James,
and thought William had better clean the harness, by way of penance.

The morning proved to be warm and sunny. I donned a muslin dress of home
manufacture and my own bonnet, and started for church. I had walked but
a few paces when the consciousness of being free and alone struck
me. I halted, looked about me, and concluded that I would not go to
church, but walk into the fields. I had no knowledge of the whereabouts
of the fields; but I walked straight forward, and after a while came
upon some barren fields, cropping with coarse rocks, along which ran a
narrow road. I turned into it, and soon saw beyond the rough coast the
blue ring of the ocean--vast, silent, and splendid in the sunshine.
I found a seat on the ruins of an old stone-wall, among some tangled
bushes and briers. There being no Aunt Eliza to pull through the surf,
and no animated bathers near, I discovered the beauty of the sea, and
that I loved it.

Presently I heard the steps of a horse, and, to my astonishment, Mr.
Uxbridge rode past. I was glad he did not know me. I watched him as he
rode slowly down the road, deep in thought. He let drop the bridle, and
the horse stopped, as if accustomed to the circumstance, and pawed the
ground gently, or yawed his neck for pastime. Mr. Uxbridge folded his
arms and raised his head to look seaward. It seemed to me as if he were
about to address the jury. I had dropped so entirely from my observance
of the landscape that I jumped when he resumed the bridle and turned
his horse to come back. I slipped from my seat to look among the
bushes, determined that he should not recognize me; but my attempt was a
failure--he did not ride by the second time.

Explanation ​

Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from Lemorne Versus Huell by Elizabeth Stoddard ​

Context of the Work ​

Elizabeth Stoddard (1823–1902) was an American novelist and poet associated with the Dark Romanticism movement, which explored psychological complexity, moral ambiguity, and the darker aspects of human nature. Her works often feature strong-willed female protagonists who chafe against societal expectations, a theme prominent in this excerpt.

Lemorne Versus Huell (1860) is one of Stoddard’s lesser-known works, but it reflects her recurring interests in female autonomy, social constraints, and the tension between duty and personal desire. The passage follows an unnamed female narrator who, after a conversation with her domineering Aunt Eliza, decides to skip church and instead seek solitude in nature—a small but significant act of rebellion.

Themes in the Excerpt ​

  1. Freedom vs. Constraint

    • The narrator’s initial compliance with Aunt Eliza’s expectations (agreeing to go to church) contrasts with her sudden defiance when she chooses to walk alone instead.
    • The moment she steps outside, she is struck by the consciousness of being free and alone—a rare and intoxicating sensation for a woman in the 19th century, where female movement was often restricted.
    • The open fields and the sea symbolize liberation, while the carriage, church, and domestic chores (cleaning harnesses) represent societal obligations.

  2. Female Autonomy and Rebellion

    • The narrator’s decision to abandon church is a quiet but meaningful act of self-assertion. She rejects the prescribed femininity (piety, obedience) in favor of personal agency.
    • Her muslin dress of home manufacture and her own bonnet suggest self-sufficiency, reinforcing her independence from male or familial control.
    • The absence of Aunt Eliza (who would normally dictate her actions) allows her to discover her own desires, such as her love for the sea.

  3. Nature as a Site of Self-Discovery

    • The barren fields, rocks, and ocean are not conventionally "beautiful" landscapes, but they hold a raw, untamed allure for the narrator.
    • The sea, in particular, becomes a symbol of emotional and spiritual freedom—something she had never truly noticed before because she was always under supervision.
    • The ruined stone wall where she sits suggests a breakdown of old structures, mirroring her own rejection of societal norms.

  4. Isolation and Observation

    • The narrator’s solitude is both liberating and slightly unsettling. She is unaccustomed to being unobserved, which is why she is so struck by the experience.
    • When Mr. Uxbridge appears, her immediate desire to hide reveals her fear of judgment—even in her freedom, she is not entirely comfortable being seen outside of societal expectations.
    • His lawyer-like demeanor ("as if he were about to address the jury") reinforces the legal and moral scrutiny women faced when deviating from norms.

  5. The Illusion of Escape

    • While the narrator physically escapes her aunt’s control, her psychological conditioning remains. She hides from Mr. Uxbridge, showing that true freedom is not just about physical space but also mental liberation.
    • The fact that he does not see her the second time could symbolize how society often ignores women’s quiet rebellions—her defiance goes unnoticed, for better or worse.

Literary Devices & Stylistic Choices ​

  1. Stream of Consciousness & Interiority

    • The passage is heavily focused on the narrator’s thoughts, giving us direct access to her psychological state.
    • Phrases like "the consciousness of being free and alone struck me" and "I discovered the beauty of the sea, and that I loved it" emphasize sudden self-realization.

  2. Symbolism

    • The Sea: Represents freedom, vastness, and the unknown—things the narrator has been denied.
    • The Ruined Stone Wall: Suggests the decay of old restrictions (patriarchy, domestic expectations).
    • The Horse & Bridle: Mr. Uxbridge’s control over his horse contrasts with the narrator’s lack of control over her own life.

  3. Irony & Social Critique

    • Aunt Eliza’s hypocrisy: She insists on religious duty (church) but exempts the men (William and James) from it, showing how gender roles are arbitrarily enforced.
    • The narrator’s walk is both an escape and a confinement—she is free from her aunt but still anxious about being seen.

  4. Sensory & Natural Imagery

    • The warm sun, coarse rocks, tangled bushes, and blue ocean create a vivid, almost tactile landscape that mirrors the narrator’s emotional state.
    • The silence of the sea ("vast, silent, and splendid") contrasts with the noise of domestic life, reinforcing her craving for stillness.

  5. Foreshadowing & Ambiguity

    • The narrator’s sudden awareness of her own desires (loving the sea) hints at future acts of rebellion.
    • Mr. Uxbridge’s failure to see her could foreshadow how her defiance may go unrecognized—or how she may remain invisible in a male-dominated world.

Significance of the Passage ​

This excerpt is a microcosm of Stoddard’s feminist themes, illustrating how women’s lives were governed by unseen rules and how small acts of defiance could be revolutionary.

  • Historical Context: In the 19th century, women were expected to be pious, obedient, and domestically focused. The narrator’s rejection of church (a key institution of female control) is a radical act.
  • Psychological Realism: Stoddard captures the internal conflict of a woman who wants freedom but is still bound by fear of judgment.
  • Nature as a Feminist Space: Unlike male Romantic writers (e.g., Wordsworth, Thoreau), who saw nature as a place of transcendence, Stoddard’s narrator finds in it a temporary escape from oppression—not a permanent solution, but a moment of clarity.

Conclusion: Why This Passage Matters ​

This excerpt is not just about a woman skipping church—it’s about the first flickers of self-awareness in a constrained life. The narrator’s walk into the fields is a metaphor for the broader feminist struggle: the desire for autonomy, the fear of being seen, and the brief, bittersweet taste of freedom before reality reasserts itself.

Stoddard’s writing doesn’t offer easy resolutions—the narrator’s rebellion is small, private, and potentially futile—but it captures the quiet courage of women who dared to question their place in the world. The passage remains relevant today as a study of how societal expectations shape—and sometimes stifle—personal identity.