The Secret Sharer by Conrad
In the many critical articles that we have read in class on Joseph Conrad's "The Secret Sharer" many of the authors believed that a secret that was being shared with the reader. They also believed that the secret is Leggett and the captain are sexually attracted to each other. They go on to say that since Conrad wrote the story and this relationship is in the story than Conrad must have had these feelings himself. I do not believe that these authors are correct. They seem to be bringing aspects to the story that are not apparent to me. I am not saying that their ideas are not possible but they do seem far-fetched. Cesare Casarino wrote in his article "The sublime of the closet; or Joseph Conrad's secret sharing." That the secret that is shared with the reader is that the captain and Leggett are involved in a homoerotic relationship. ... in scenes replete with touching, groping, mingling, and clasping, "He caught hold of my arm, but the ringing of the supper bell made me start. He didn't though; he only released his grip" ... For whose glances "mingle" and whose hands meet "gropingly" and linger "united in a steady and motionless clasp" except the glances and hands of lovers? (Casarin
James Phelan writes that the secret that the narrator is sharing with the reader is one that is covert. He goes on to say that as the story goes on the secret should be come more apparent to the reader. Mr. Phelan uses scenes to prove his point that seem odd to me. The section of the story that he uses that gives me the most problem is when the narrator sees his hat in the water. "... -- yes, I was in time to catch an evanescent glimpse of my white hat left behind ..." (Conrad 60) Mr. Phelan uses this section to compare the captain giving his hat to Leggett as if he had given him a ring. He than says Leggett leaving the hat behind is a way for Leggett to give the gift back as "... a powerful symbol of their unconsummated relationship... " (Phelan 138) I do not see how the hat can represent a gift between lovers. It is a gift between friends at most collaborators at least. Phelan writes about when the narrator and Leggett are in bed together they are experiencing a homoerotic moment "I would smuggle him into my bed-place, and we would whisper together..." (Conrad 49) Phelan seems to believe that since the two are whispering they must be whispering sweet nothings into each others ears. He believes that they stop at whispering because if the continued with any other expressions would be loud and alert the crew. He fails to remember that the narrator is hiding Leggett from the rest of the crew. They must remain quite otherwise they
Some common words found in the essay are:
James Phelan, Joseph Conrad's, Billy Budd, Secret Sharer, Scott Leggett, Kime Scott, Kime Scott's, Cesare Casarino, Epistemology Closet, Sharer Conrad, secret sharer, kime scott, conrad's secret, secret sharer written, hat leggett, leggett captain, shared reader, sharer written, billy budd, captain leggett, conrad's secret sharer, secret shared reader, joseph conrad's secret, phelan writes,
Approximate Word count = 976
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
|
