Nature Vs Nurture Elsie Venner

Oliver Wendell Holmes through this novel seems to be rebelling against his strict Calvinistic background by making Elsie a character to sympathize with. “Holmes is concerned with refuting the Calvinist doctrine of divine punishment for the supposed “evil” carried into the world by all men,” (Gallagher, p57) and he has “set himself to their [Calvinistic dogmas] destruction as his task in literature.” (Perking, p107)

The story begins with an introduction of the Brahmin caste of New England of which the hero, Mr. Berna

Elsie throughout the novel displays her reptilian nature but the one thing she longs for is love. Elsie even says, “Nothing loves me.” (E.V., p312) “Elsie’s stigmata prevents her from expressing or receiving affection.” (Dalke, p66) After being denied the love she wished to receive from Bernard, Elsie took sick to her bed. It is here that she dies. Bernard

Elsie was not the only character portrayed in a dark, demonic light. Her cousin Dick Venner is referred to as “looking so like Mephistopheles galloping hard to be in season at the witches Sabbath-gathering.” (E.V., p137)

One example is of the description of the Dudley Mansion.

“that character, mental and moral, is largely dependant on organization; that transmitted and congenital qualities form a determining force in life,” (Hill, p365) and “that her bizarre characteristics were no more demonic than those of the creature from which they were derived, that if they were dangerous they were more naturally beautiful than satanically ugly, and that Elsie could not be accountable for them.” (Garner, p290)

Before she dies she realizes that she was loved because of the people that were with her at her bedside.

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