When I first read "The Other Two" by Edith Wharton, I
had a different response than any of the ones we discussed in class. I
was initially a bit mad after reading it. I'll explain why, but first
I just want to state that I didn't think of any of the social aspects. I didn't
think of any of the characters social rank or how that plays in society. My
reaction came purely from the interaction between the characters themselves,
and needless to say, I wasn't fond of it.
What made angered me was how Mr. Waythorn treated his wife, Alice.
He talks about her in a really creepy way, and it only gets worse after
everything that is going on with her ex-husbands. He's very possessive over
her. He acts as if she is his object to show off rather than his partner in
marriage. “Waythorn felt himself yielding again to the joy of possessorship.
They were his, those white hands with their flitting motions. His the light
haze of hair, the lips and eyes. . . .”(526). No woman should be treated as an
object. Mr. Waythorn becomes nastier after Alice’s two ex-husbands become a
part of their life. When Mr. Waythorn married Alice he knew that she had two
previous marriages. In the beginning, he seems to be relatively okay with that.
He realizes that she’s made mistakes in her past, but the past is done and over
with. All that matters is that they are married now. But that’s not the truth. Mr.
Waythorn just wants Alice to be that perfect, obedient trophy wife. He can’t
stand to think that she was previously another man’s wife. His overall language
and demeanor towards her changes when he is constantly being reminded of her
previous husbands. He acts if she’s some dirty creature who is so below him,
when she really should be his equal. I understand that it was a different time
period and woman were treated differently, but it still made me mad.
