Love and Entire Emotional Spectrum Essay

The main subject of Editha is war. Editha blindly and ignorantly believes in the heroic amorousism of war and is totally oblivious to the real consequences of battle, and Howells shows his dislike in his portrayal of Editha though the plots. From the earliest of moments in the story, Editha is shown as one who has embraced the jingoistic claims of nationalism in a time of war. Editha sees war as a romantic pursuit, one in which there is no complexity. For Editha, when the nation has committed to war, there is no question of its authenticity and little room for doubt in foothold of individuals paying heed to its discover But dont you see, dearest, she said, that it wouldnt have come to this, if it hadnt been in the order of Providence? And I call any war glorious that is for the liberation of people who have been struggling for years against the cruelest oppression. Dont you think so too? Editha views war in terms of providential design, glorious in its notion of liberation, and an exercise in which there can be no ambiguity.For Editha, war is an exercise of Romantic valor, something expressed to George in a letter to him in which her love of the adventure in war is almost secondary to the affection of a beloved I shall unendingly love you, and therefore I shall never marry anyone else. But the man I marry must love his country first of all, and be adapted to say to me, I could not love thee, dear, so much, Loved I not honor more. There is no honor above America with me. In this great hour there is no other honor. Honor is something that Editha defines externally. George defines himself in a very different manner. For George, honor is internal, adhering to a conception from within.In solution to Edithas zeal about war, George responds, But war Is it glorious to break the peace of the world? For George, the action of war is not honorable. George sees the world possessing doubt, something that he feels is accede when he differs from Editha. In contrast to Edithas certainty, George sees doubt and confusion. It is because of this that he is swayed to join the war effort, joining something in which he has doubt and uncertainty. It is in this point and differ in which Editha and George operate. They function in relation to one another because they represent the entire emotional spectrum about love, war, and commitment.