Chapter twenty-one: The French Lieutenant's Woman

The French Lieutenant's Woman is a movie with two stories in one. The title comes from the movie where actors Anna (Meryl) and Mike (Jermey Irons) are playing the leading roles of Sarah Woodruff and Charles Smithson during nineteenth century England. Their script is about how Charles has gone to Lyme and is supposed to be married to a wealthy, upper class, young, white woman. But, who he falls for is a painfully shy, reserved, artistically-gifted woman named Sarah, after catching only a glimpse of her face one day by the sea. Sarah works as a house maiden, and against the wishes of her superiors, she travels in the depths of nature in her freetime as her one method of relaxation. Somedays, she stands at the sea and waits for her French lieutenant to return, at least, that's the gossip of the town.

Sarah's work leads her back to Charles' house, and one day, unsure of who this woman is with the wide eyes and auburn hair that he has crossed paths with so many times, Charles follows her through the forest scenery outside. Sarah reveals her past to Charles. She was working as a governess for a badly wounded man, Varguennes, who was in need of a caretaker. The pair became very fond of each other, but then, when he recovered from his ailing injury, he left for Weymouth on his ship and then to France after one week's time. After he had left, Sarah's lonely instincts compelled her to follow him. Varguennes changed for the worse when the two reunited at his hotel room, because his false romantic intentions were brought to life as he drugged her and overpowered her femininity with his masculinity. But she stayed. Sarah stayed and married her shame. A choice that has since caused immense damage to her sense of self-worth as she describes herself as, "the French Lieutenant's whore."

Following this event, Charles hears talk of the town about committing Sarah to an institution, so he goes to warn her, advises her to head for Exeter, gives her the name of his lawyer, and offers her money. Sarah has since found herself a hotel, and Charles has traveled to see her. When he returns home, Charles informs his soon-to-be wife, Ernestina, that he can no longer marry her. The only trouble with his plan is that after Charles calls off his engagement, Sarah is nowhere to be found because she has changed her name and begun a new life for herself working as a tutor.

Three years later after searching for Sarah with no luck, Charles recieves a letter letting him know that she is alive. He is irate that she has left without a trace of her existence because Charles wanted to marry her. When they reconnect, Sarah, whose name is now Sarah Roughwood, defends her decisions by saying that she had no other choice but to destroy their relationship because he had other marital obligations that made their love unworthy. She has also asked for his forgiveness, telling him, "You loved me once. If you still love me... you can forgive me." It takes little coaxing for Charles to forgive her. Meanwhile out of costume, Anna and Mike are having a Hollywood romantic fling away from Mike's family and Anna's boyfriend. But, what they have, or did have, remains a devious little secret for just the two of them to hold onto.

I think it's a true devastation that Sarah lived as timidly as she did, but what her life proves is just how much of a battle sexism was in the Victorian era. I think that Sarah wanted more for herself. She wanted to leave Lyme to possibly reinvent herself and find freedom from her past, but she lived at a time when such a feat like that could not be done on her own merits. I think she wanted to do a lot on her own, but instead, she waited for her French Lieutenant, because that was the ideal thing to do. Then, at the courtesy and insistence of Charles, she was given the capability to restore her humanity and gather herself again.

As always, thank you for the entertainment, Meryl.