resistance, rebellion + transgression as protest

• in socially unequal world of novel, village community is legally but unfairly deprived of livelihood

  from start, actions they take collectively are misguided + unfair, ineffectual or accelerate the decline of the village
• 3 characters that offer some resistance to injustice, even though by end of novel, we see that enclosure will go ahead

  room for debate about way novel ends, can be pessimistic about possibility of effective resistance to power + injustice, or optimistic in passive wt finally inspired to action
• figures of resistance

  quill

  mistress beldam

  thirsk
• quill

  newcomer to village, skills needed by new capitalists

  presented as compassionate person who tries to act as peace-maker between newcomers + villagers in ch2

  becomes fond of village (’i fear for us’, ch8, p.g.125)
• quill appears as only character who directly criticises ej’s ruthless + profiteering approach to estate

  ej shrugs at fate of ‘sixty souls’, uttering ‘we will sadly need to make economies’ = countered by ‘I do not think that you will make economies’

  described as ‘bravest soul’ so reader understands rashness of such criticism of powerful figure like ej
• q’s honesty + kindness don’t save him from brutal death

  murdered + body dumped in travel chest (ch16, p.g.265)
• in terms of protest, q acts as standard of kindness + morality, gentleness highlighting ruthlessness of powerful

  seen as intelligent, educated + sympathetic, made compassionate by own experience of prejudice (ch8, p.g.132-3)

  offers contrast to + thus emphasises xenophobic prejudices of villagers + callous, ruthlessly efficient behaviour of capitalist ej

  inspiration to wt
• mistress beldam, takes action unlike timid villagers

  from first encounter she takes actions, demonstrating that determined individuals w/ strong motives can influence events

  seen as acting from personal motives, anger @ family’s unfair punishment, grief + revenge

  escapes punishment for actions

  already made homeless by enclosure, by ransacking manor + burning down empty cottages she is defying power of landowners
• wt role- overcoming moral cowardice + taking defiant action

  becomes witness to injustice + finally takes action, rejecting role jordan has imposed upon him

  depicted as spectator for 2/3 of novel, key part of role as narrator (due to burnt hand)

  intelligent observer but moral coward, despite knowing act of injustice he fails to speak out then fails to act when seeing old man struggle in pillory, then fails to reassure/comfort women in ch13
• gradually wt becomes separated from village community, emotionally then literally

  helps map-maker (ch4+8) + co-opted by ej to help w/ search of cottages (ch1, p.g.117-8)

  role as outsider (‘just a visitor who‘s stayed’, ch4, p.g.64) is emphasised

  villagers view him w/ increasing suspicion (‘they’re closing ranks…i am not included’, ch9, p.g.142)

  keeps confidential knowledge to himself, selfish but understandable desire to protect himself (e.g. ch6, pg.104- ‘only one who knows… we’re all displaced’)
• chosen to be ‘new master’s ears and eyes’ (ch12, p.g.187)

  left uneasy w/ new role, ‘i hate myself for saying so’ (ch12, p.g.188)
• ‘waking nightmares’ (ch14, p.g.209)

  crace uses reflective + articulate wt to register psychological effects of sudden, violent changes, breakdown of community + sense of fear + loss

  e.g. ch11, p.g.181, ch13, p.g.202, ch14, p.g.209-20
• ’only one to witness and know it all’ (ch13, p.g.202) while watching pageant leave village

  implies change from passive bystander, as new role is carrier of knowledge
• beldam as inspiration for wt’s protest

  facing loneliness + fears, he sleeps in manor house w/ her shawl, arguably a symbol of her courage + defiance

  inspired by her so awakes ‘a sense of what i ought to do’ (ch14, p.g.213)
• ’countryman’s revenge’ (ch14, p.g.231)

  releases man in pillory a day early then ploughs + sows winter wheat

  first defiant gesture

  re-enacts traditional practices, following rhythm of way of life that enclosure is bringing to an end
• ’what starts with fire will end with ash’

  burning down manor house, lighting fire w/ deeds proving ej’s ownership, is his 2nd act of defiance as tribute to q

  outright rejection of caretaker role placed upon him + condamnation of unjust way community was destroyed

  reader approves of his actions, even when enclosure likely to still happen

  demonstrates importance of standing up to injustice