Roxana's Susan: Whose Daughter Is She Anyway?

Roxana's Susan: WhoseDaughterIsSheAnyway? GEOFFREYSILL ReadersofDanielDefoe'sTheFortunateMistressdisagreeonmany things,buttheygenerallyconcuronthecentraleventofthestory:the protagonistRoxanaisdrawn,eitherbyherownvanityandambitionorby thediabolicalinterventionofhermaidAmy,toconsentimplicitlytothe murderofherdaughter,Susan,inordertoconcealherpastfromherhus- band,theDutchmerchant.1Thisconsensus,however,givesrisetooneof themajorcriticaldebatesaboutthenovel,whichistheproprietyofits conclusion.ThenovelendswithalamentbyRoxanaaboutthe"Blastof Heaven"thathasfollowedhersinceherdaughter'sdisappearance,buther remarkissooffhanded,sodevoidofremorse,thatitcastsdoubtonthe moralworthofherrepentanceandleavesthequestionofherspiritualcon- ditionunresolved. Somereaders,believingthatDefoewaspreoccupiedwiththethemeof sinandredemption,thinkthathewasunabletofinishthestorybecausehe couldnotredeemhisheroinefromtheconsequencesofsuchahorribleact. JamesSutherland,forexample,praisedthenovelforthelinksitestablishesbetweenpastandpresent ,particularlythe"reappearanceofthechil- drenofRoxana'sfirstmarriage,"includingSusan,buthefurtherargued thatSusan's"relentlesspursuit"ofhermother,whilegivingthenovela tensionthatis"unlikeanythinginDefoe'sotherstories,"createsanarra- tivesituationfromwhichDefoewasunabletoextricatehisheroine:"in 261 262 / SILL developingthepowerfulsituationinwhichthepersistentgirlstrovetoes- tablishthatRoxanawashermother[Defoe]perhapsfailedtoweighthe consequencesofhavinghermurdered."Sutherlandendeavoredtoexoner- ateDefoeforleavingRoxana"inthathalf-wayhouseontheroadtotrue repentance,"speculatingthatperhaps"illhealthforcedDefoetoabandon Roxanabeforehehadcompletedit"andthatthefinalparagraphswere writtenbyanotherhand.2 Theotherextremeinthecriticaldiscussionsurroundingtheendofthe novelappearsinanessaypublishedin1970byRobertD.Hume.After summarizingtheviewsofIanWatt,G.A.Starr,MaximillianNovak,Spiro Peterson,JaneJack,andMichaelShinagel,amongothers,Humeconcluded thattheendofthenarrative,though"abrupt,"completesthestoryofcrime andpunishmentthatDefoehadwantedtowrite.AccordingtoHume,the endingisa"rousingfinale"thatisintended,throughitsveryabruptness,to "jolt"thereaderintoa"stateofsuspenseandsuspendedexpectation"that resemblesRoxana'sfinalstateofmind.Roxana's"apparentsuccess"in erasingherpastbyimplicitlyapprovingthemurderofherchildtrapsher intoanemptyprosperitythatis"onlyamockeryandatorment"toher.If DefoedoesnotdwellonRoxana'srepentance,saidHume,thereasonis thathis"growingtechnicalskill"asanovelisthastaughthimnotto"wan- deronintoanti-climacticdetails,"ashehaddoneinhisearlierbooks.3 BothSutherland'sandHume'sreadingsoftheworksharetheassump- tionthatDefoewasaPuritanwriterdrawingonthetraditionofMiltonand Bunyan,andthatthereforethestorymustbeaparableoftheinevitability ofGod'spunishmentforsin,eventhoughthepunishmentistemperedby Defoe'sapparentsympathyforthesinner.4AsreadershavefreedthemselvesoverthepasttwodecadesfromtheconvictionthatDefoe 'sperspec- tivewasthatofaseventeenth-centuryPuritan,theygraduallyhavetaken greaterinterestinthepsychologicaldimensionsofthenovel,andhave readitsendingasareflectionofRoxana'sfinalmentalcondition.Inhis 1979study,Defoe'sArtofFiction,DavidBlewettconcurredwithMaxi- millianNovakthatRoxanais"anovelofmoraldecay"thattracesthe"sev- eralstagesinRoxana'smoraldownhillpath,"andhedeniedthatRoxana "isinanysenseapsychologicalnovel,"buthedidadmitthat"whatmakes itsounusualamongDefoe'snovelsistheattentionpaidtotheinterior dramaofmoraldeterioration."5Inthesameyear,TerryCastledescribeda "psychosexualpattern"inthenovelinwhichRoxanatransfersontoAmy herowntraumasandmaternalresponsibilities,thusperforminga"psycho- logicalretrenchment"againstmortalitythatisthreatenedbythere-appear- anceofherdaughter.6In1982,RaymondStephansonshowedthatRoxana's symptomsareconsistentwiththeseventeenth-centurydescriptionofmei- Roxana'sSusan:WhoseDaughterIsSheAnyway?/263 ancholyputforwardbyThomasWillis(1621-1675),andthattheconclu- sionofthebookdepictsnotaspiritual,butamentaldeteriorationbrought onbythemurderofherchild.7PaulaBackscheiderhassinceofferedan- otherdiagnosisofRoxana'spsychologicalcondition:Roxana,shesays, "livesinaworldthatisbothclaustrophobicandparanoid."8Backscheider attributesRoxana'sclaustrophobianottoapuritanicalconsciousnessof sin,butrathertoRoxana'shavingtrappedherselfintoacounterfeitiden- tity,whichshecanneithermaintainnorescapefrom.Backscheiderconcurs ,however,withallpriorcommentatorsonthenovelthatSusanis Roxana'sdaughter,andarguesthatthisbiologicalconnectionexplainshow themothercomestorecognizeherownreflection—andthereforeherguilt— inherdaughter'sface.9 Despitethegrowingappreciationofthepsychologicaldimensionsof Defoe'sfiction,alloftheseapproachesoverlookwhatisperhapsthefun- damentalambiguityofthestory:whetherornotSusanisinfactRoxana's daughter.IfSusanisindeedherdaughter,thenthestoryisoneofcrimeand punishment,inwhichRoxana'sguiltiscompoundedbyherdenialofthe maternalbond,andDefoe'sreluctancetospelloutthe"BlastofHeaven" thatfollowsthecrimeseemsanunaccountablefault.ButifSusan'sproblematicalclaimhasnobasisinfact ,thenthenovelbecomesadifferent workaltogether,andamuchmoremodernone:itisastudyofthepowerof anger,fear,anddoubttoinfectamind,pathogenizethereasoningprocess, anderodetheintegrityofthesubject.Thissubject,Roxana,mustdescend intoadarkrepositoryofmemoryandsecretsinordertoconfrontthepas- sionsthatbedevilher.Theendofherhistorybecomesmorecompelling— ifnotmoreaestheticallysatisfying—aswerealizethatRoxana'sillnessis onlyinremission,andthatshesuffersfromaconditionwhich,inDefoe's day,waswidelybelievedtobeincurable.Thenovel'sfailuretoreachclo- surereflectsthediseased,incoherentnatureofhersubjectivity. II Roxanaprovidesuswithacluetothenatureofherillnessinthepassage inwhichshestrugglestoexplainherapparentlyirrationalrefusalofthe Dutchmerchant'sproposalofmarriage.Marriagetothemerchantwould putRoxanabeyondthereachofbotheconomicnecessityandherhusband thebrewer,fromwhomshewasneverdivorced,butshefindsherselfun- abletotakeadvantageofthissafeharborbecauseherambitionandvanity stillleadhertodreamofmarryingaprince."TheNotionofbeingaPrin- cess,"saysRoxana,"theThoughtsofbeingsurroundedwithDomesticks; honour'dwithTitles;becall'dHerHighness;andliveinalltheSplendor 264 / SILL ofaCourt...allthis,inaword,dazzledmyEyes;turn'dmyHead;andI wasastrulycraz'danddistractedforaboutaFortnight,asmostofthe PeopleinBedlam,tho'perhaps,notquitesofargone."10Inanasidetothe reader,sheself-diagnosesherformofmadness: SofastaholdhasPrideandAmbitionuponourMinds,thatwhenonceit getsAdmission,nothingissochimerical,butunderthisPossessionwe canformIdeasof[it],inourFancy,andrealize[it]toourImagination: NothingcanbesoridiculousasthesimpleStepswetakeinsuchCases; aManoraWomanbecomesameerMaladeImaginaire,andIbelieve, mayaseasilydiewithGrief,orrun-madwithJoy,(astheAffairinhis Fancyappearsrightorwrong)asifallwasreal,andactuallyunderthe ManagementofthePerson.(238-39) Roxana'sadmissionthathermindhasbeenpossessedbyachimera,to- getherwithherallusiontoMolière'splayabouthypochondria,indicates thatherillnessisnotmeremelancholia,asRaymondStephansonhassaid, buthysteria." Throughmostoftheseventeenthcentury,hypochondriainmenand hysteriainwomenwerebelievedtobeessentiallythesamedisease,differ- ingonlyinthathysteriawasthoughttohaveitsoriginsinthewomb.Dr. EdwardJorden(1578-1632)arguedthatthewombcouldbe"suffocated" bytheinfluenceofotherorgans,includingperturbationsofthemind.12In thelastdecadesoftheseventeenthcentury,ThomasSydenhamandGiorgio Baglivishowedthathysteriawasanervous,notanorganic,disorder.13 Sydenhamidentifiedseveralemotionalconcomitantstohysteria,includ- ingguilt,despair,anger,jealousy,andsuspicion;henotedthatboththe daytimemoodsandthedreamsofhystericswerehauntedbydarkforebod- ings.14Intheeighteenthcentury,accordingtoHelenKing,hysteriawas "increasinglyclassifiedasaneurosis"inwomen,amaladythatcouldbe broughtonbydeparturesfromthe"prevailingsocialandbiologicalno- tionsofwomanhood."15WhileRoxana'shysteriafirstpresentsitselfsymp- tomaticallyintheformofherpossessionbythechimeraofroyalty,itmakes otherappearancesinthetext:inherfuryatAmyforarticulatingdesires thatRoxanaherselfhashad;inhervisionofherdeadhusbandthejeweler beforeheismurdered;inheradoptionof"akindofAmazonianLan- guage"(171)oraTurkishdresstoconcealheridentity;inhervaguerefer- ence,inthelastwordofthenovel,tohavingcommittedacrime—eachof thesemomentssuggestsapersonalitydisposedtowardhysteria.Theill- nesseventuallyinfusesherwholecharacterandrendershervulnerableto spectresandfearsofallsorts,ultimatelyculminatinginherterroratthe possibilitythatSusanthecookmaidmaybeherlostdaughter. Roxana'sSusan:WhoseDaughterIsSheAnyway?/265 EvenifitisgrantedthatRoxanaexhibitsthesymptomsofhysteria,we stillmustaskifherfearsarehysterical—thatis,whetherthethreatposed bySusanhasabasisinfact,orisachimeraproducedbyhermentalpertur- bations.What,afterall,isthehardevidencethattheyoungwomanwho pursuesRoxanaisherchild?WerecallthatRoxanahadfivechildrenby herfirsthusband,threedaughtersandtwosons.Allofthemarelosttoher whensheisabandonedbyherworthlesshusband,thebrewer;thechildren areputoffonherhusband'srelativesbyherfaithfulbutunreflectivemaid, Amy.SinceRoxana,unlikeMollFlanders,hasastrongmaternalattach- menttoherfirstbrood,thisseparationisverypainful:Roxanarecallsthat she"reliev'dmyselfwiththeconstantAssistantoftheAfflicted,Imean Tears,"and"cry'dvehementlyforagreatwhile,"particularlybecauseshe knowsthechildrenwillnotbewelltreatedintheirnewfamily(16).Even- tuallythechildrenaresplitup:thefirstandthird,bothdaughters,livefora timein"theBridewell"oftheiraunt'shouse,andfromtheregointoser- vice"withagreatLadyattheother-endoftheTown"(189-90);thefifth,a son,isapprenticedtoa"verylaborioushard-workingTrade,"fromwhich Amyeventuallyrescueshim(191-92);thesecondandfourth,asonand daughter,donotsurvive(193).Thelastingeffectsofthistraumaticevent periodicallyreappear;duringheraffairwiththelandlord,forexample,she acknowledgesthe"darkReflectionswhichcameinvoluntarilyin"toher mind,which"Ididmyutmosttoconcealfromhim;ay,andtosuppressand smotherthemtooinmyself(48-49),thoughunsuccessfully.Thesedark reflectionsthatshewouldsmotheraretheawarenessthatshehasalready murderedherchildren,figurativelyspeaking,eventhoughshewasforced bycircumstancestodoso.Insmotheringorsuffocatinghermotherhood, RoxanacommitstheactbelievedbyDr.Jordentoinitiatehysteria. BecausethecredibilityofthethreatthatSusanposestoRoxana'ssecu- ritydependsonhowwellsheremembershermother,itisimportanttoestablishtheageofRoxana'schildrenatthetimetheyareseparatedfromtheirmother.Roxanatellsthestoryoftheseparationtwiceinherhistory, andtheageofherchildrenchangesbetweenthefirstandthesecondtell- ing.Whenshefirsttellsthestory,shesays"IhadfivelittleChildren,the EldestwasundertenYearsold(17),"whichmeansthatthethirdchild, whomwelaterlearnisSusan,couldhavebeenasoldasseven,andthere- forecapableofrememberingtheevent.ButwhenRoxanatellsthestory again,thechildrenareyounger:"theEldestwasnotsixYearsold,forwe hadnotbeenmarry'dfullsevenYearswhentheirFatherwentaway"(188). Theagesgiveninthesecondtellingsuggestthatthethirdchildwasless thanfouryearsold,andthereforelesslikelytohavehadaclearmemoryof hermother.IsthisdiscrepancyaninstanceofDefoe'scarelessness,inthat 266 / SILL hefailedtoturnbackinthemanuscriptandcorrectthefirstpassagein whichhehadrecordedthechildren'sages?Orisitadeliberatere-constructionofthenarrative ,throughwhichRoxanaendeavorstomakeher storyconsistwithherhistory?Thechangeappearsnottobemerelyaslip, butadeliberatecorrectionoftherecord,becausethesecondtellingin- cludesarationaleforthecalculation.Ifwebelievethatthediscrepancy shouldbelaidatRoxana'sdoor,ratherthanDefoe's,weneedtoexplain whathascausedhertoalterherstory. RoxananeverdirectlyconfrontstheyoungwomanwhomshecallsSu- san,nevergetsstraightfromherthestoryofwhatsheremembersaboutthe separation.EverythingthatRoxanaknowsaboutSusanhasbeentoldto herbyAmy,whohasashakycommitmenttothetruth:Amy,likemost servants,tellshermistresswhatsheintuitivelythinksRoxanawantsto hear.JustasRoxanatellsthestoryofherseparationfromherchildren twice,andchangesitthesecondtime,soAmy'sstoryofherinterviewwith Susanistoldtwice,andthestorychangessignificantly.WhenAmyfirst tellsthestorytoRoxana,shesaysthatSusanvolunteeredthedetails:"for she[Susan]toldher[Amy]alltheHistoryofherFatherandMother;and howshewascarriedbytheirMaid,toherAunt'sDoor,justasisrelatedin thebeginningofmyStory"(197).ForRoxana,thefactthatSusanremem- beredthesedetailsprovesthatthechildisindeedhers,andnofurtherevi- denceisdemandedoroffered.WhenRoxanarecallsAmy'sinterviewwith Susanthesecondtime,however,thestoryisreversed;inthistelling,it appearsthatAmyhadpromptedthechild'smemory.Roxananowsaysthat AmytoldherthatwhenSusan,whowasstilltheircookmaidatthetime, chargedAmywithbeinghermother,Amywasforcedtotellthegirlsthe truth:"Soshetookthemtogetheronetime,andtoldthemtheHistory,as shecall'dit,oftheirMother;beginningatthemiserablecarryingthemto theirAunt's"(266).Inoneversionofthestory,then,Susanisoldenoughat thetimeofseparationtohaverememberedthedetails,andvolunteersthem toAmy;intheother,Susanistooyoungtoremember,andisgiventhe detailsofthestorybyAmy.Oneortheotheroftheseversionsmightbe true,butbothcannotbe.Ifthefirstversionistrue,thenthechildmaywell beRoxana's,whichexposesRoxanatoclaimsforreparationsnotonly fromthechild,butalsofromherfirsthusband'srelations—andperhaps herfirsthusbandhimself,whoisstillliving(197).Butifthesecondver- sioncanbebelieved,thenSusan'stearfulrecountingofherdiscoveryof herlostbrotherwhohadbeenvisitedbyagreatladyandrescuedfromhis apprenticeshipmaybenothingmorethanthefantasiesofamotherless child,or,worse,acalculatedtraplaidbyanimpostenIntheend,neither Roxana'sSusan:WhoseDaughterIsSheAnyway?/267 Roxana,Amy,northereadercansaywithcertaintythatSusan'sclaimto havediscoveredhermotheristrueorfalse. Inadditiontothesediscrepancies,thereisanotherdisturbingambiguity surroundingSusan'sidentity.Lateinthestory,Roxanaandherhusband plantosailtoHolland.Atdinner,thecaptainoftheboattellsthemthat therewillbetwootherpassengersonboard—hiswifeand"herKinswoman" (275).ThecaptaininvitesRoxanatomeethiswifeontheshipthenextday. Whentheycomeaboard,Roxanaissurprizedtofindherformercookmaid there,whoitseemsisthekinswomanoftheCaptain'swife.Roxanagives usaconfused,secondhandaccountofhowthesetwowomenmetatschool andbecamesuchclose"Comerades"thattheywere"calledSisters...