Page 40 Item D
In "The Lion's Hair", a newlywed couple are deeply in love and are happy. However, their happiness did not last long because they couldn't seem to stop fighting. They fought because of countless reasons. For instance, the husband thought his wife was extravagant and the wife thought her husband was tardy. Finally, the young wife went to the wise judge wanting a divorce. The judge, instead of allowing the divorce, told the young wife about a magical medicine that will save her marriage. However, there was a secret ingredient: a lion's hair. The wife agreed to bring the lion's hair after careful consideration. Everything went well in the end and the wife went home with a solution to her marriage. On the surface, the judge seems very wise but personally, I think the judge was careless.
I think he was careless because he didn't consider another possibility; the wife being killed by the lion. I fully understand that his intention was to remind the wife how deep she was in love with the husband. However, I think his measures to awaken the wife was too extreme. Realistically thinking, the wife's plan could have failed and she could have been torn apart by the lion on the first day she approached it. Then, the old "wise" judge's plan would have not worked, only the wife being the victim of his orders. Of course, it was the wife who made the final decision but she was desperate and was willing to do anything to save her marriage. The judge could have come up with a less dangerous verdict for the woman. Therefore, I think the judge made the wrong call making the young wife pull hair from the fierce lion.
Page 40 Item E
If Father Paul didn't speak to Laurence, then Esther would not have found out what Father Paul and Laurence really thinks about her. Then, she may have not killed Laurence. However, I still think that either Esther or Laurence would have been unhappy if they got married because eventually Esther would have felt what Laurence thinks of Aboriginals. Laurence was easily convinced by Father Paul's words meaning that he did think of Aboriginals as uncivilized people as well. Thus, I think that even though Esther didn't kill him that night, Esther would have made the same choice to kill Laurence because his real thoughts about Aboriginals would have been easily revealed.
I entirely agree with your idea that the judge was careless. But do you think being not considerate about the danger of the lion is the only reason why he was careless? I think the reason why he was careless was that he was too superficial when he was dealing with the marriage because 'patience' or the 'courage' does not really help in some relationships sometimes. how do you think?
ReplyDeleteI also agree to your idea that their relationship will not end happily because of how Laurence thinks of aboriginals. However, I do not agree that she would kill Laurence even after the marriage. I think the reason why she killed Laurence was the betrayal. After marriage, the thoughts of Laurence will reveal slowly and would not show directly but she will realize slowly time to time.
Kim, Jusung / PSD
Hello Park So Yeon,
ReplyDeleteI agree with much of your opinion, especially on item E.
People around Esther did not let her to co-exist with them in the same place, all because she is Indian. Even Laurence is not sure of marrying Esther, for she is not white. So she would have left the place anyway, for being fed up with discrimination by people around her.
Thank you for your great opinion
Seong Ji Lee
Nowadays, owing to PC movement (though I think this movement has turned into strange manner thesedays) much of the racist kind of thinking or behavior is no longer tolerated in the society. However, that time people have no awareness or recognition about it... it can literally kill and destroy one person's soul. I agree with what you're saying. Sooner or later, she will kill Laurence (or maybe I think the opposite case can happen, too). It would have been better if she left him peacefully without assassinating him, though.
ReplyDelete