Writer 1879: Solitary Journey in France

Chapter 284 What Happened After Nora Left (Bonus Chapter for 1 Votes)

London newspapers initially reported the story with a mocking tone, but it was a tabloid called The Whispers that truly pushed the "scandalous" aspect to its extreme.

It not only reported the matter on the front page with a sensational headline, but also published a "duel scene" drawn by an artist based on his imagination on the inside pages.

The scene shows two women with graceful figures and beautiful faces, their curves fully exposed, their upper bodies exposed, holding sharp swords, engaged in a fierce battle in a magnificent hall.

The whole thing is full of hints and tension.

Despite the painting's poor quality and lack of detail, this "imaginary drawing" caused a sensation in London and even the whole of Britain as soon as it was published.

This is the first time a publicly distributed newspaper has published pictures of scantily clad women on its pages!
This issue of "Whispering News" quickly became a hot commodity, with all 50 copies sold out in three days.

Then it was frantically reproduced and reprinted, and the original version's price skyrocketed on the black market, even selling for 10 shillings a copy!
The reason is simple: it satisfied countless people's most direct voyeuristic desire to know about that secret duel.

This image has become the most iconic representation of the duel in popular culture, its influence even surpassing that of countless lengthy commentaries.

The Times reported on The Whisperer's outrageous act, deeming it a blatant violation of social order and British law!
The Metropolitan Police quickly mobilized and stormed into the Whisperer's office, only to find it deserted and littered with debris.

------

While Parisian public opinion was still arguing over the duel between the two noblewomen, and tabloids were still tirelessly digging up and fabricating all sorts of "insider information"...

A play announcement published in the theater review section of Le Figaro has attracted the attention of many.

The announcement states that Henrik Ibsen's play "A Doll's House," written last year, will premiere in Paris this October after secret rehearsals at the Paris Opera.

The trailer indicates that "A Doll's House," with its novel form and bold themes, has already caused a huge sensation and controversy in Scandinavia and the German-speaking world.

The news itself might not be enough to immediately grab everyone's attention, but the review that followed was sharp and incisive, directly addressing the core of the current Parisian public opinion:
While our newspapers were still debating whether two noblewomen should have removed their tops and drawn swords for the sake of honor, while we were eager to pry into the private feuds of high society with a morbid curiosity—

In the north of mainland China, a true master of drama has used his pen to dissect the seemingly perfect middle-class family, revealing to us the true plight of the women within as "dolls."

Nora, the protagonist of "A Doll's House," did not live in some distant ancient world or in a place like Russia; she lived in a European city in our time.

She doesn't need to prove her courage with a sharp blade or a naked body; all she needs is the awakening of her sense of being a "human being."

She stepped out of the 'doll' role prescribed by her husband and society, a courage that far surpasses that of any woman who currently occupies the front page of newspapers!
When the resounding slam of the door slamming shut echoed through the theater, the emotional impact on the audience was far greater than that of any mere formality in a duel.

Those self-proclaimed enlightened gentlemen and ladies who love to talk about "women's liberation" in salons, it's time to raise your heads and take a look at "A Doll's House"!

Let's see what true "awakening" that concerns women's fate and touches their souls really is, rather than indulging in those boring games shrouded in scandals...

The author of this review is none other than Jean Lemaître, who recently praised Lionel and "A Study in Scarlet" in a tone of "condemnation".

The critic is said to be under 30 years old and a rising star.

He clearly knows how to start a debate.

He contrasted "A Doll's House" with the "duel farce" that was hotly debated in Paris, and his criticism was directed not only at conservatives but also at liberals.

Conservative newspapers, of course, jumped up like cats whose tails had been stepped on.

Le Gaul immediately published a counter-article, calling Doll's House a "poisonous weed that destroys family ethics and encourages wives to leave home."

Its harmfulness far exceeds that of a duel, comparable to last year's "Decadent City," and calls are made for the Paris authorities to ban the play. [If even a virtuous wife and loving mother like Nora is willing to abandon her husband and children, where is the foundation of our society?]
Are we all supposed to learn from those Norse barbarians?

Differences also arose within progressive and liberal newspapers.

Some people agree with the theater critics' viewpoint, believing that Ibsen's plays are truly serious art worthy of attention and discussion, and that this opportunity should be used to guide public attention to deeper social issues.

Others felt the review was too condescending and downplayed the symbolic significance of the duel between Madame Rothschild and Sophia.

They believe that women’s struggles from different social classes and in different situations should be viewed and understood equally.

The topics of discussion in the salon have also quietly changed.

Although whispers still circulated about the erotic details of the duel, words like "Nora," "Doll's House," and "women's escape" began to appear frequently.

People hadn't even seen the play, only read some introductions in newspapers and magazines, yet they were already arguing about whether Nora's behavior was reasonable.

Of course, there's also the question of whether her husband, Helmer, is a complete bastard.

Lionel was overwhelmed with mixed feelings when he read the review and the related debate.

He was certainly aware of the significance of "A Doll's House" in the history of drama and the feminist movement, and he anticipated that its arrival in Paris would inevitably cause a stir.

I never expected it to become intertwined with the storm he himself caused in such a way.

However, he was still "grateful" that this drama appeared at this time—

As one of the "protagonists" in the "duel farce," he has recently been under tremendous pressure.

Now the focus of the debate has shifted to the drama, and he is naturally grateful.

However, after this period of noise and excitement, he seemed to have vaguely discerned that Madame Rothschild and Sophia had reached some kind of tacit understanding.

Through this duel, Sofia's name naturally and increasingly appeared in newspapers and in high society discussions.

Madame Rothschild no longer seemed to be preventing this Russian noblewoman from entering Paris's top social circles.

As for whether there was some kind of deal behind their backs, Lionel didn't know, and didn't care to know.

------

Although it's still almost a month before the premiere of "A Doll's House" at the Paris Opera, the play has already become a must-discuss topic in salons.

Just now, at Zola's Villa Médan, Maupassant excitedly expressed his anticipation for the play.

Zola remained calm as always, waiting until Maupassant had finished venting his passion before turning to Lionel: "Léon, what do you think?"

Lionel paused for a moment before slowly saying, "Although we haven't seen 'A Doll's House' yet, everyone knows that the last scene of the play is Nora slamming the door shut with a loud bang."

That certainly takes courage, but what I'm more concerned about is—what happened to Nora after she left?

(This concludes the 7th update. I'm exhausted from writing, but if you keep submitting your feedback, I'll keep adding more chapters!)
(End of this chapter)