May 2025 The Dream Chapters 7-8

Thoughts & Comments

Innocence begins to confront reality.

We see some indication here that Angélique is a Rougon-Macquart, with the family pride and voluptuous passion, though the “hereditary flame” has to fight against the respect and sense of duty that the Huberts have instilled in her. I’m not a Freudian but it seems undeniable that there is a sexual sub-text under the physical extremes of the martyrdom stories in the Golden Legend which appeal so much to her.

>3 booksaplenty1949: I agree with the sexual subtext. Angelique is not just a hormonal teen, she is swept into almost hysterical passions by her reading of the Golden Legend. It seems to me that she was quite willing to give herself to Felicien the night he climbs to her bedchamber. He was too chaste to even kiss her hair, but she was like, Take me.