La Traviata is a novel by French writer Alexandre Dumas, featuring Marguerite, a famous prostitute in Parisian aristocratic society, and tells the story of her emotional entanglement with the wealthy merchant Armand.
In the story, Marguerite does not meet Armand until the end, and her inner world is distorted, contradictory, and lonely, which are deeply explored in the novel.
First, Margaret's inner world
Margaret is a beautiful, intelligent, attractive woman whose charm attracts many men. However, her heart is full of loneliness, insecurity and conflict.
1. Contradictory feelings
Marguerite loved Armand, but she also knew that the huge class gap between them was insurmountable. She knew that if she and Armand were together, then his family, friends, public opinion, etc. would oppose their relationship.
In addition, Armand also had wives and children, whose presence would make their relationship more complicated and painful. As a result, Marguerite's heart is full of contradictions and pain, and she does not know what to do to make both herself and Armand happy.
2. Loneliness and helplessness
Although Margaret often smiles in social situations, she is lonely inside. She had no relatives or friends, and she had few other things to rely on except for the misfortune of being a mistress.
In love, she is also lonely. She loves Armand dearly, but cannot be with him, which makes her feel very helpless and sad.
3. Fear of death
In the novel, Margaret mentions death several times, and she seems to have a deep fear of death. She thinks she will die soon, so her cherishing of life is even stronger.
Margaret's fear comes not only from the brevity of her life, but also from her reflection on her past life. She deeply realized that she was a woman who sold herself for a living, which made her feel very helpless and sad.
She longs to change her destiny, but has no way to start, and this feeling of helplessness and powerlessness makes her even more afraid of death.
Second, Margaret's life choices
Margaret's inner world influences her life choices. She had chosen to leave Armand and not want him to suffer stress and pain because of her relationship with her.
But then she chose to return to Armand, hoping that he would give her happiness. In this process, Margaret's heart is always full of contradictions and struggles.
1. Leave Armand
Marguerite initially chose to leave Armand because she believed that the class gap between them was insurmountable. She didn't want Armand to be stressed and miserable because of her relationship with herself, nor did she want to embarrass his family and friends.
In addition, she also feels that her relationship with Armand has lost its former passion and romance, and their relationship has become as cold as a business transaction. Therefore, she chose to leave Armand, hoping that she could start a new life.
2. Return to Armand
By chance, Marguerite meets Armand again. Under his pursuit and pleading, she finally chose to return to him.
She longs for true love and happiness, and hopes that she can live a stable and happy life by Armand's side. But this choice also made her feel very conflicted and struggling.
She knows that their relationship is not simple, and their love is not recognized by the people around them. She fears that Armand's family and public opinion will turn against their relationship, and that her past will become a stumbling block to their happiness.
III. Margaret's Collapse
Margaret's life choices brought some short-lived happiness, but eventually she broke down. In the play, she is portrayed as a sometimes agitated, sometimes silent woman, her heart is under too much pain and pressure, and her body and mind are gradually on the verge of collapse.
She experienced love, joy, pain and sadness, but in the end her body and mind could not withstand these torments.
1. Stress and pain
After returning to Armand, Marguerite endured a lot of stress and pain. Her past became a weapon for others to attack her, and her love became an excuse for others to slander her.
Her social circle became narrower, she lost many friends, and she began to feel disappointed and hopeless about her life. Her body began to become weak, she often felt dizzy and nauseous, and her mood became heavier and heavier.
2. Life is short
Margaret's brevity of life also left her in a situation of despair and collapse. She deeply realized that her life was only a few short years, which made her feel very helpless and desperate.
She realized that the happiness and love she was pursuing were only short-lived, and her life journey was only a fleeting moment. She began to doubt the value and meaning of her life, and began to reflect on her choices and the direction of her life.
3. Mental breakdown
At the end of the play, Margaret's body and mind have collapsed. She felt very weak and powerless, and her heart was full of despair and sadness. She eventually died of tuberculosis, and her body could no longer withstand any stress and suffering.
In her dying moment, she finally saw Armand, the man she once loved. Her eyes were filled with gratitude and love, and her heart was comforted and tranquilized in Armand's arms.
However, in the process of her collapse, Margaret also gradually loses her personality and self. She begins to become dependent on men after her breakup with Armand and begins to compromise and give up her principles and values for the sake of her life and happiness.
Her self-esteem and dignity were greatly damaged, and she began to become more and more vulnerable and sensitive. Her mental state was also gradually on the verge of collapse, and her heart suffered too much pain and suffering, and she could no longer bear all this.
IV. Conclusion
Margaret in La Traviata is a female figure full of complex emotions and inner contradictions. Her life path was full of setbacks and pains, and her body and mind were under too much stress and suffering.
She is deeply in love with Armand, but her love is bound by society and morality, and she cannot pursue her happiness and true love. Her collapse also shows the injustice and oppression of women in society, and women are often only vassals and supporting roles for men in traditional society.
However, Margaret is also a brave, resilient and independent woman. She dares to pursue her own happiness and freedom, she adheres to her values and principles, and she does not want to fall victim to society and men.
Her breakdown also shows that she is a real person, she has her own heart and emotions, and her pain and collapse are also what she must experience as a person.
Thus, Margaret in La Traviata is a complex, contradictory, real and touching figure, and her story also reveals society's oppression and bondage on women.
Her collapse also shows the limitations and powerlessness of human beings as a limited life, and we must cherish our own lives, pursue our own happiness and true love, and at the same time bravely face our hearts and contradictions.