Redefining“TheRomanceofTravel”inEdithWharton’s
AMotor‐FlightThroughFrance
by
BreannaBalleby
APROJECT
submittedto
OregonStateUniversity
inpartialfulfillmentof
therequirementsforthe
degreesof
HonorsBaccalaureateofArtsinEnglish(HonorsScholar)
HonorsBaccalaureateofArtsinInternationalStudies(HonorsScholar)
PresentedonAugust20,2014
CommencementJune2015
ANABSTRACTOFTHETHESISOF
BreannaBallebyforthedegreesofHonorsBaccalaureateofArtsinEnglishandHonors
BaccalaureateofArtsinInternationalStudiespresentedonAugust20,2014.
Title:Redefining“TheRomanceofTravel”inEdithWharton’sAMotor‐FlightThrough
France
Abstractapproved:_______________________________________________________________
PeterBetjemann
Inthebeginningofhertravelogue,AMotor‐FlightThroughFrance(1908),Edith
Whartondeclaresthat“themotor‐carhasrestoredtheromanceoftravel.”Manyscholars
havetakenthisstatementasanindextothebook’sthemes.However,myreadingclosely
examinesparticularmomentsoftravel(specificallyWharton’svisitstoBeauvaisandLes
Andelys)tocriticallyinterrogatetheproposedrelationshipbetween“romance”andthe
motor‐car.FocusingonPartIofMotor‐Flight,whichdetailsWharton’stravelsinthe
northwestofFrance,mythesisarguesthatmotortravelactuallyappearsmonotonousand
uninterestingcomparedtotheratherromanticcathedrals,rivers,andcastlesthatshe
visits.Itappears,Iargue,thatWharton’ssearchforthe“romanceoftravel”istrulysatisfied
bythesephysicalhistoricalplacesratherthanthemodernizedmotor‐carandits
accompanyingroads.
Keywords:EdithWharton,motor‐car,travel,romance,France
Correspondinge‐mailaddress:breanna.balleby@gmail.com
Redefining“TheRomanceofTravel”inEdithWharton’s
AMotor‐FlightThroughFrance
by
BreannaBalleby
APROJECT
submittedto
OregonStateUniversity
inpartialfulfillmentof
therequirementsforthe
degreesof
HonorsBaccalaureateofArtsinEnglish(HonorsScholar)
HonorsBaccalaureateofArtsinInternationalStudies(HonorsScholar)
PresentedonAugust20,2014
CommencementJune2015
©CopyrightbyBreannaBalleby
August20,2014
AllRightsReserved
HonorsBaccalaureateofArtsinEnglishandHonorsBaccalaureateofArtsinInternational
StudiesprojectofBreannaBallebypresentedonAugust20,2014.
APPROVED:
PeterBetjemann,Mentor,representingEnglish
TaraWilliams,CommitteeMember,representingEnglish
NickFleury,CommitteeMember,representingInternationalStudies
AnitaHelle,Director,SchoolofWriting,Literature&Film
ToniDoolen,Dean,UniversityHonorsCollege
IunderstandthatmythesiswillbecomepartofthecollectionofOregonStateUniversity.
Mysignaturebelowauthorizesreleaseofmythesistoanyreaderuponrequest.Ialso
affirmthattheworkrepresentedinthisthesisismyownwork.
BreannaBalleby,Author
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Iwouldliketothankeveryonewhohassupportedmethroughoutthisthesis
project.Therearemanyofyou,andIamgreatlyappreciative.Iwouldliketospecifically
recognizeandexpressmygratitudeformythreefantasticcommitteemembers.
Dr.PeterBetjemann,workingonthisprojectwithyouhastaughtmesomuch.You
havehelpedmecontinuallyrisetothechallengebyprovidingconsistentencouragement
andadvice.Ateverystageofthisproject,Iwouldfindmyselfreinvigoratedafterourthesis
meetingsoremailconversations.Iknowthisprojectismuchmorefluid,engaging,and
clearbecauseofyourthoroughfeedbackandenthusiasmformythesis.Thankyoufor
beinganoutstandingmentor.
IalsoowemanythankstoDr.TaraWilliamsandNickFleury.Thankstobothofyou
foryourconstantsupportthroughyourthesis‐relatedcourses,officehours,andemail
correspondence.Yourassistanceearlyonwiththethesisprocesswasimperativetomy
completionofthisproject.FromdiscoveringWharton’sratherunknowntravelnarrative
togethertodiscussingthesislogisticsandtimelines,youradviceandsupportdeserves
muchappreciation—thankyou!
TABLEOFCONTENTS
INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................................................1
BEAUVAIS&THECATHEDRALOFSAINT‐PIERRE...................................................................................9
THEROUTEDEPARIS&LESANDELYS......................................................................................................20
CONCLUSION...........................................................................................................................................................31
WORKSCITED.........................................................................................................................................................34
LISTOFFIGURES
Figure1‐MapofFranceShowingAreaTraveledinPartIofMotor‐Flight....................................4
Figure2‐A1904Panhard‐Levassor...............................................................................................................6
Figure3‐MapofBeauvaisfrom1832..........................................................................................................11
Figure4‐MapDemonstratingLocationofBeauvais..............................................................................13
Figure5‐ASizeComparisonofNearbyCathedrals...............................................................................14
Figure6‐MapofFrancefrom1840Highlightingthe“RoutedeParis”.........................................20
Figure7‐PresentDayMapIncludingRouen,LesAndelys,andParis............................................21
Figure8‐Wharton’sImageofChâteauGaillard&theSeineRiver..................................................28
Figure9‐ChâteauGaillardin1906(left)&PresentDay(right)......................................................32
INTRODUCTION
ThebeginningofPartIofEdithWharton’sAMotor‐FlightThroughFranceisa
stand‐aloneparagraphcontainingasinglesentence:“Themotor‐carhasrestored
theromanceoftravel.”1Astheopeningtohertravelogueofherearlytwentieth
centurytravelsinFrance,thissentencewouldappeartoringtrueforallof
Wharton’sreflectionsanddescriptionsthatfollow.Inactuality,thisstatementis
challengedbyWhartonherselfthroughouttherestofPartI,indicatingthatthe
motor‐cardoesnotnecessarilyequatetoprovidingorrestoringthe“romanceof
travel.”
ManyscholarshavestressedtheimportanceofthisfirstlineofMotor‐Flight.
Forexample,intheintroductiontoEdithWharton:TravellerintheLandofLetters,
theauthorstatesthatWharton“ownedoneofthefirstautomobilesandwas
convinced,asshedeclaresattheopeningofAMotor‐FlightThroughFrance,that
‘Themotor‐carhasrestoredtheromanceoftravel.’”2Thisintroductorystatement
servesasanodtotheimportancethatthisfirstlineofWharton’sbookholds.In
EleanorDwight’sEdithWharton:AnExtraordinaryLife,anentirechapteristitled
afterthisfamoussentence.3Dwight’sintroductiontoMotor‐Flightstateshow
1EdithWharton,AMotor‐FlightThroughFrance(DeKalb:NorthernIllinois
UniversityPress,2012),1.
2JanetGoodwyn,EdithWharton:TravellerintheLandofLetters(London:The
MacmillanPressLtd,1990),2.
3EleanorDwight,“TheMotor‐CarHasRestoredTheRomanceofTravel,”inEdith
Wharton:AnExtraordinaryLife(NewYork:HarryN.Abrams,Inc.,1994),119.
1
Wharton“collectedherobservationsaboutFranceinaseriesoftravelarticles,
eventuallypublishedinbookformasAMotor‐FlightThroughFrance(1908),which
openswiththesentence,‘Themotor‐carhasrestoredtheromanceoftravel.’”4
Dwightalsoclaims“themotorcardidrestoreromance—inmanyways—toEdith
Whartonandherfriends,”butIfeelthedefinitionof“romance”needstobe
examinedbeforemakingthisconclusion.5Anotherscholarclaimsthatthis“opening
sentence”ofMotor‐Flight“offersthebolddeclarationthat‘Themotor‐carhas
restoredtheromanceoftravel.’”6Iagreethatthestatementis“bold,”butIhave
foundthatthis“declaration”isratherconflicted.Thisthesis,then,interrogatesthe
validityofthebook’sopeningsentence.Iarguethatthemotor‐cardidnotrestore
the“romanceoftravel.”WhileWhartonmaybepursuingromanceviathemotor‐car,
itisneitherthevehicleitselfnortheactualactoftravelingthatisconsidered
romantic.
Tofullyinterrogatethe“romanceoftravel”asportrayedinWharton’sMotor‐
Flight,itishelpfultomoreclearlydefine“romance.”AccordingtotheOxfordEnglish
Dictionary,thiswordhasbeenpresentintheEnglishlanguagesinceapproximately
theearlyfourteenthcentury.7Oneofthefirstmeaningsof“romance”listedis:“A
medievalnarrative…relatingthelegendaryorextraordinaryadventuresofsome
4Ibid.
5Ibid.
6JasonVredenburg,“MotorsandMagicHighways:TheAutomobileand
CommunicationinTwentieth‐CenturyAmericanLiteratureandFilm”(Universityof
IllinoisatUrbana‐Champaign,2013),27.
7“Romance,N.andadj.1,”OEDOnline(OxfordUniversityPress),accessedAugust4,
2014,
http://www.oed.com.ezproxy.proxy.library.oregonstate.edu/view/Entry/167065.
2
heroofchivalry…”8Theassociationof“romance”with“adventure,”“narrative,”and
the“medieval”matcheswellwithWharton’sromanticidealswhenitcomestothe
“romanceoftravel.”Thisdefinition,alongwiththeideathat“romance”connotes
“thecharacterorqualitythatmakessomethingappealstronglytotheimagination,
andsetsitapartfromthemundane;anair,feeling,orsenseofwonder,mystery,and
remotenessfromeverydaylife;…suggestionof,orassociationwith,adventure,
heroism,chivalry…”bestdescribe“romance”inregardstoWharton’suseofitinher
firstsentenceofMotor‐Flight.9
EventhoughthisopeningphraseisoftenusedtointroduceMotor‐Flightinits
entirety,itseemsbesttoonlyconsiderthissentenceinregardstothefirstsectionof
Motor‐Flightandnotthewholework.ThisisbecauseMotor‐Flightactuallyconsists
ofthreeseparateparts.“Majorportions…firstappearedasaseriesofessaysinthe
AtlanticMonthlyin1906,1907,and1908”butthe“AtlanticMonthlydoesnotinclude
PartIII”titled“AFlighttotheNorth‐east.”10GiventhatWhartonoriginallywrote
thesevarioussectionsduringdifferenttravels,ofdifferentyears,itisunlikelythat
sheintendedthefirstsentenceofPartItoapplytotheentirecollectionofessays
whentheothertwosectionshadnotyetbeenexperiencednorwritten.ThisiswhyI
havechosentofocusonPartIofMotor‐Flightwheninterrogatingthemeaningofthe
“romanceoftravel.”
Inregardstothearticle’soriginalpublicationandbackground,thetravelsof
PartItakeplaceinMayof1906.Whartonwasaccompaniedbyherhusband,Teddy
8Ibid.
9Ibid.
10MarySuzanneSchriber,“Introduction,”inAMotor‐FlightThroughFrance(DeKalb:
NorthernIllinoisUniversityPress,1991),xv.
3
Wharton,andherbrother,HarryJones.11FromBoulognetoAmiens,toBeauvais
andRouen,andeventuallyendinginBourges,theirspringtimetravelsarefocused
onthenorthwestregionsofFrance.Whilethetravelersvisitedvarioustowns,I
Figure1‐MapofFranceShowingAreaTraveled inPartIofMotor‐Flight
havechosenpassagesfocusingontheupperhalfofthehighlightedsectionshownin
Figure1.MuchofwhatWhartonencountersintheseregionsaredifferenttypesof
castles,cathedrals,andrivers,alldatingbacktovariouspointsinhistory.The
majorityofthestructuressheseesdatebacktotheMiddleAgesandareoften
examplesofGothicarchitecture.ThisisespeciallytruesincenorthernFranceis
greatlyassociatedwithGothicarchitectureandisconsideredthebirthplaceofthis
11“AMotor‐FlightThroughFrance(1908),”accessedMay26,2014,
http://public.wsu.edu/~campbelld/wharton/disc/id19.htm.
4
structuralstyle.12Quiteimportantly,theyweretravelingtotheseplacesinthe
Wharton’s1904Panhard‐Levassor,abrandnewFrenchmotor‐cartheyhad
purchased.13
In1906,themotor‐carwasstillarathernewtechnology.The“Panhard‐
Levassorfirmhadahistorygoingbacktothe1840s,”buteventhatwaslessthan
fiftyyearspriortoWharton’stravels.14Thismotor‐carcompanywaswellknownfor
its“numeroussuccesses…inearlymotoringcompetitions,especiallythatof
Levassorinfinishingfirstinthe1895Paris‐Bordeaux‐Parisrace(injustovertwo
daysofcontinuousdriving,atanaveragespeedof15mph).”15Attheturnofthe
century,thiswasthebrandthat“caughtthepublicimaginationandforthosewho
couldaffordit,aPanhard‐Levassorwasthecartohave.”16Infact,“uptotheearly
1900s,”therewassuchademandforthesecarsthat“therewasasignificantwaiting
listfornewones.”17ThisindicatesnotonlytheWhartons’statusbutalsotheir
commitmenttotravel.Yet,themotor‐caritself,atleastforWharton,wasnot
necessarilyromantic.Themotor‐carwasevenconsideredsomewhatdangerousat
thetime.Forexample,oneoffoundersofPanhard‐Levassor,EmileLevassor,died
shortlyafter“anaccidentinthe1896Paris‐Marseille‐Parisracewhenhiscar
12“GothicArchitecture,”accessedAugust4,2014,
http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Gothic_architecture.ht
ml.
13Schriber,“Introduction,”xxii.
14“Brighton‐Early :Panhard‐Levassor,”accessedDecember6,2013,
http://www.brighton‐early.com/panhardlevassor.html.
15Ibid.
16Ibid.
17Ibid.
5
overturned.”18Additionally,intheprefacetoMotor‐Flight,authorMarySuzanne
Schriberdescribeswhensheandherfriend“setout…onafive‐weekmotor‐flight
throughFrancewithEdithWharton’sMotor‐Flightinhand”in1980andhowtheir
travelswereconsiderablymorecomfortablethanthatofWharton’s.19Shedetails
howtheywere“sparedtheflattires,theexposuretotheelements,andthelaryngitis
thatWhartonsufferedbeforetheinventionofthewindscreen.”20
Figure2 ‐ A1904Panhard‐Levassor
Eveninmomentswherethemotor‐carisn’tdangerous,itwascertainlynot
comfortableorbeneficialtoone’shealthatthistime.Itisnegativequalitiessuchas
thesethatbegintoconflictwiththeideaofthemotor‐carrestoring“romance”to
travel.
Ofcourse,Whartondidnothavethecomfortofthemoderncarfor
comparison.ButinfactWhartonherselfpointstowardssentimentsof
dissatisfactionanduninterestwiththemotor‐car,theroads,andtheactoftraveling.
Forexample,indirectcontrasttoherboldopeningsentence,Whartondescribes
18Ibid.
19Schriber,“Introduction,”xi.
20Ibid.
6
howthetravelers“ranstraightacrossagreatplateau,withanoccasionallongdip
andascentthatneverdeflecteditfromitspurpose…”21Here,theroadisdepictedas
“straight,”purposeful,andratherunchanging—allofwhichindicatesarather
monotonousmotor‐flightontheirwaytoArras.Shecontinuesthedescriptionof
theirarrivalasfollows:“Arras,however,wasfullofcompensationsforthedullness
oftheapproach.”22
Onlyfourpagesafterclaimingthe“motor‐carhasrestoredtheromanceof
travel,”Whartonchallengesthisstatementbyhighlightingthedullnatureofher
travelsandhowitisonlycompensatedbytheirdestinations.Ascanbeseen
throughouttherestofPartI,itisthetreasuredcathedrals,castles,andriversof
thesetownsthatfulfillherdesireforspontaneity,adventure,beauty,andhistory.
Thesearethequalities—thequalitiesofherdestinations—thatWhartontrulyfinds
romanticabouttravel.Shecontrastsstretchesoftravelontheseroadsinthe
purposefulyetuninterestingmotor‐carwithenthrallingdescriptionsofthese
romanticandhistoricalplacesshevisits.
AssuggestedearlyoninherworkwithherdescriptionofArras,Wharton
continuestojuxtaposeherromanticidealsfoundintheseplaceswithdescriptions
ofactualtravelinasubtleandcomplexmanner.Insteadofaligningwithheroriginal
“declaration”thatopensPartI,shefindswaystocontrastthisopeningphrasewith
herlivedexperience—notactuallyequatingromancewiththemotor‐car,theroads,
ortravel,atall.Therefore,Ithinkitisimportanttocloselyexaminespecificpassages
thathelpdefineWharton’smeaningof“romance.”Iplantoexaminethiscontrasting
21Wharton,AMotor‐FlightThroughFrance,5.
22Ibid.,6.
7
natureoftravelversustheactualdestinationsinclosereadingsofhertravelsto
BeauvaisandLesAndelys,twootherFrenchtowns.
8
BEAUVAIS&THECATHEDRALOFSAINT‐PIERRE
Inoneofthefirstmotor‐flightsinPartIofMotor‐Flight,titled“Beauvaisand
Rouen,” Wharton and her companions are traveling to the town of Beauvais after
visiting Amiens at the end of the previous chapter. At the time, the population of
Beauvais was around 20,000; today, it has reached almost 60,000 total
inhabitants.23Either way, Beauvais can be considered a reasonably small French
townlocatedjustabout85kilometersnorthofParis.InthissecondchapterofPartI,
Wharton opens with a passage detailing their arrival to Beauvais. While Wharton
claims at the start of the previous chapter that “the motor‐car has restored the
romanceoftravel,”shecontradictsherselfinherdescriptionoftheirarrivaltoand
eventuallytheirdeparturefromBeauvais.24Inthiscase,theonlyromanticpieceof
theirvisittoandfromBeauvaisisfoundintheoddlyunfinished“cathedralwithout
anave”whichsheappreciatesforitsexemplarrepresentationofGothicarchitecture
andthespontaneousmindsetassociatedwithRomanticismand“theGothicspirit.”25
Wharton opens her chapter with “the same wonderful white road, flinging
itselfingreatcoilsandarrow‐flightsacrossthesamespaciouslandscape…”26Infact,
theroadoutsideofBeauvais“swept”thetravelersastheywentalong,indicatingnot
only the speed of these “arrow‐flights” but also a lack of self‐agency. With this
23“Beauvais‐Wikipedia,theFreeEncyclopedia,”accessedJune14,2014,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beauvais#cite_ref‐EB1911_1‐7.
24Wharton,AMotor‐FlightThroughFrance,1.
25Ibid.,16–17.
26Ibid.,15.
9
sweeping motion, the travelers are unable to find joy in their in their travels and
insteadfindthatthere“seemedtobefewermemorableincidents”alongtheirroute
and “perhaps…the first impression had lost its edge.”27The same familiar scenery
that Wharton can hurriedly view as they move forward in the motor‐car loses its
senseof“generalcharm”astheyare“swept”alongtheroad.28Allofthissuggestsa
different, more ironic reading of the road as “wonderful.” The power of the
repetition of the word “same” in a single sentence is enough to overpower any
wonder of the road. Additionally, the “arrow‐flights” appear to depict the
straightforwardnatureofthemotor‐car’stravelandtheroadsleadingtoBeauvais.
Even the “coils” of the road could indicate a machine‐driven experience from
Wharton’s perspective, where the role of the motor‐car is associated with
movement,purpose,andactionbutnotwithenjoymentnorwithromance.Inother
words,thisroadappearstofeelmonotonousanduninteresting.Overall,themotor‐
carisonlyabletohelpthemotoristscatch“finedistantreachesoffieldandorchard
andwoodedhillside,”allowingthemtogeta“generalsense”oftheland.29
Onthecontrarytothisspeedingblurofratheruninterestingsamenessfound
ontheroad,theBeauvaiscathedraltakescenterstageinWharton’saccountoftheir
arrivaltoBeauvais.Onceatthecathedral,theirtravelstoBeauvaisarethoughtofas
“minorsensations”thatbecomeevenmoreinsignificantwhentheyare“swallowed
upandlostintheoverwhelmingimpressionofBeauvais.”30Whartonfeelsthattheir
27Ibid.
28Ibid.
29Ibid.
30Ibid.
10
experience on the road was of “minor” quality and she quickly dismisses any
nondescript“sensations”fromtheirrideaside.
This statement is even more powerful in that it appears Wharton uses
“Beauvais”inreferencetothecathedrallocatedthereratherthanthecityitself.In
Figure3,thesizeofthecathedralcomparedtotherestofthetownmakesthisquite
likely. Even Wharton’s chapter, titled “Beauvais and Rouen,” mainly discusses the
cathedralandnothingelsebeforemovingontoRouenandotherFrenchtowns.
Figure3 ‐ MapofBeauvaisfrom1832
This means she feels that the town’s name of Beauvais is equivalent to the
grandness of the cathedral and that no other parts of the town, including the
surrounding roads, are as significant as the cathedral. Instead of calling the
cathedral by its official name, the cathedral of Saint‐Pierre, Wharton chooses to
simply call it “Beauvais,” and allows the cathedral to represent the town in its
entirety. Even Wharton’s description of Beauvais is not very particular and glazes
11
over the “usual low houses across the way” until “suddenly there soared before
[them] the great mad broken dream of Beauvais choir—the cathedral without a
nave—theKublaKhanofarchitecture…”31
Herreferenceto“theKublaKhan,”alateeighteenthcenturypoembySamuel
TaylorColeridge,createsananalogybetweentheBeauvaiscathedralandthispoem
andthereforedrawsoutWharton’sperceptionofthiscathedralasbeingromantic.32
Thispoemisconsideredtobeoneofthemostwell‐knownexamplesofRomanticism
in English poetry. Her association of the cathedral with this literary era, and this
particularpoem,highlightsherperceptionofthecathedralasrepresentativeofthe
inherentqualitiesofRomanticism,whichincludespontaneity,imagination,andthe
appealofnature.Bycreatingthisanalogy,Whartonjuxtaposesthisgrandcathedral
with its Romantic uncertainty and spontaneous nature to the predictable linear
quality of the roads that she previously described. Equating the level of romance
Wharton finds at this cathedral with this poem indicates Wharton’s enthrallment
withitasaromanticstructure.
Even the story behind “Kubla Khan” is associated with this passage. While
recounting his dream, Coleridge’s writing process was interrupted by a “person
fromPorlock,”meaninghispoemwasneverfinished.JustasColeridgehasgivenhis
poemasecondtitleof“AVisioninaDream”anditisdescribedasa“fragmentary
31Ibid.,16.
32“Coleridge:KUBLAKHANorAVisionInADream‐ANALYSISbyJMSchroeder,”
accessedJune17,2014,
http://www.englishromantics.com/kublakhan/analysis.htm.
12
vision,” Wharton introduces this cathedral as a “great mad broken dream.”33 She
evengoesasfartodescribeitas“someclimaxofmysticvision,miraculouslycaught
in visible form, and arrested, broken off, by the intrusion of the Person from
Porlock.”34Here the cathedral is seen as even more romantic, with its incomplete
qualities, especially in association with this fragmentary poem. The author,
Coleridge,“explicitlyidentifies‘KublaKhan’asafragment,andmostcriticstakehim
more or less at his word, as fragmentation is seen as one of the hallmarks of the
Romanticstyle.”35Thisdescriptionoffeelingoverwhelmedandutterlyimpressedby
theromanticgrandeurofthecathedral,emphasizedbyitsclosetiestotheRomantic,
isnosurprise,givenitsmagnificenceandspecialcircumstances.
Located equidistantly from three larger cities—Amiens, Rouen, and Paris—
Beauvaislies“attheverycenter”ofthisgeographicaltrianglecreatedbythesethree
other cities that also happen to
have well‐known and grand
cathedrals. 36 The locations of
these four cities can be seen in
Figure4.
Figure4 ‐ MapDemonstratingLocationofBeauvais
33Ibid.;“KublaKhan,”Wikipedia,theFreeEncyclopedia,June17,2014,
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kubla_Khan&oldid=609540102.
34Wharton,AMotor‐FlightThroughFrance,16.
35SeanSutherlin,“Coleridge’s‘KublaKhan’asManifestationofRomanticism,”
Academica.edu,7,accessedJuly20,2014,
http://www.academia.edu/3571716/Coleridges_Kubla_Khan_as_Manifestation_of_R
omanticism.
36ArasBurak,“MontBeauvais,”2011,http://montbeauvais.blogspot.com/.
13
Given that the population of Beauvais is quite small compared to Amiens, Rouen,
andespeciallyParis,itisnosurprisewhyacathedralofthesamemagnitudewould
appearsoshockinginsuchacomparativelysmalltown,asseeninFigure5.37
Figure5‐ASizeComparisonofNearbyCathedrals
Asthesmallestofthesefourcities,theBeauvaiscathedralisdefinitelyonpar
withitssurroundingcompetitors.OfficiallycalledthecathedralofSaint‐Pierre,it
“dominatesthecentralcity”ofBeauvais“todaymuchasitdidintheMiddleAges.”38
Mostimportantly,“thefabricofthecathedralitself,”asWhartonhasalreadynoted,
“isincomplete.”39Thiscathedral,withathirteenth‐centurychoirandasixteenth‐
centurytranseptismissingbothanaveandwesternfrontispieceasseeninFigures
3and5.40InFigure3,itiseasiesttoseethelackofthenave,whichwouldnormally
extendouttowardsthewest.InFigure5,thisisreemphasizedbytheimagesofthe
firstthreecathedrals,inAmiens,Paris,andRouen,showingthewesternfront,while
37Ibid.
38StephenMurray,BeauvaisCathedral:ArchitectureofTranscendence(Princeton,
NewJersey:PrincetonUniversityPress,1989),3.
39Ibid.
40Ibid.;“France,Beauvais,CathedralofSaint‐Pierre,”accessedJune17,2014,
http://www.learn.columbia.edu/ma/htm/ms/ma_ms_image_bc_plan22.htm.
14
theimageofBeauvaisinsteadshowsthesouthernfront.Theseuniquequalities
indicatewhyWhartonfindsthiscathedralintriguing.Sinceitislackinganave,or
theareawherethecongregationsits,thecathedralnotonlydeviatesfromthe
typicalcross‐shapedGothicarchitecturebutitalsoisthereforesmallerandmore
private.Theuniquenessandsecludedqualityofthecathedralwouldlikelyappealto
Wharton,whoisconsistentlysearchingforanindividualizedandadventurous
experience.Lackingthewesternfrontispiece,the“principalface”or“decorated
entrance”ofabuildingsuchasthis,addstotherarityofthiscathedral.41Wharton
enjoysexploringthisoddcathedralthatissomewhatunwelcomingtoothers,
withoutitsdecoratedentranceornavetositin.Shefindsthecathedralrather
mysteriousanditthereforeaddstotheromanticexperienceofhertravelsin
Beauvais.
Thechoir,whichwasconstructedbetween1225and1272,reignedasthe
talleststructureeverbuiltinnorthernEurope.42Sincealwaysreachingforanew
structuralheightwasavitalcomponentofGothicarchitecture,thiscathedralcan
easilybeconsideredoneofthemostambitiousprojectsoftheHighGothicera.43The
vault,about156feet,wasquiteanaccomplishmentforthetime.44Unfortunately,the
cathedraldidnotkeepthisstatusforlong,asonlytwelveyearslater,in1284,the
41“WesternFrontispiece‐MappingGothicFrance,”accessedJune17,2014,
http://mappinggothic.org/word/9.
42Murray,BeauvaisCathedral:ArchitectureofTranscendence,3.
43Ibid.
44JeanBony,FrenchCathedrals(London:ThamesandHudsonLtd.,1951),38.
15
majorityoftheupperchoircollapsed.45ItisthispointthatmostinterestsWharton
inhervisittothecathedralin1906.
InMotor‐Flight,Whartoniscompelledbythecathedral’sarchitectureto
imaginethepastanda“panic‐strickenmason,cryingouttotheentrancedcreator:
‘Wesimplycan’tkeepitup!’”46Shemarvelsatthecathedralandheraccountrelates
tohow“themassivestonesoftheunfinishedchargesofthevaultsandtowering
uprightsoftheflyingbuttressesareapowerfulexpressionoftheambitionsofthe
buildersofwhatwasintendedtobethegreatestGothiccathedralever
constructed.”47Yet,herpassionforthiscathedralexpandsbeyondtheambitious
qualitiesoftheGothiccathedral.Whartonfindsittobe“likeagreathymn
interrupted”andonethatseemsto“deserveaplaceamongthefragmentaryglories
ofgreatart.”48ItisthisunfinishedandunplannedqualityofthecathedralofSaint‐
PierrethatattractsWharton.Shefindsitevenmorebeautifulthanifitwas
completelyfinishedandintactbecausesheunderstandsthat“itis…anexampleof
whattheGothicspirit,pushedtoitslogicalconclusion,strovefor…”49
ForWharton,itisthis“Gothicspirit”thatbringsasenseofromancetotheir
travelsinBeauvais,notthe“samespaciouslandscape”surroundingthecity.Instead
ofthemonotonousroad,Whartonfindsenjoymentinhow“theGothiccathedral
seemstoproclaimthecomplexityofmankindandoftheworld.”50Sheissoattached
tothiscathedralanditsmagnificencethatshefeels“hewhocondemnsBeauvaishas
45Murray,BeauvaisCathedral:ArchitectureofTranscendence,3.
46Wharton,AMotor‐FlightThroughFrance,16.
47Murray,BeauvaisCathedral:ArchitectureofTranscendence,4.
48Wharton,AMotor‐FlightThroughFrance,17.
49Ibid.
50Bony,FrenchCathedrals,5.
16
tacitlycondemnedthewholetheoryofartfromwhichitissued”—meaningGothic
art.51Thisstatement,andWharton’sexperiencesinBeauvais,quitedistinctly
hearkensbacktoJohnRuskin’sTheStonesofVenice,originallypublishedinthemid‐
nineteenthcentury,whichdescribesthis“Gothicspirit”indetailinthechaptertitled
“TheNatureofGothic.”52Ruskinstates“thatthearchitectureoftheNorthisrude
andwild;butitisnottrue,that,forthisreason,wearetocondemnit,ordespise.”53
Wharton’sappreciationforthecathedralofSaint‐PierreechoesRuskinandis
clearlyshapedbyhisbelief“thatimperfectionisinsomesortessentialtoallthatwe
knowoflife…andtobanishimperfectionistodestroyexpression,tocheckexertion,
toparalyzevitality.”54Heevenmentionshow“monotonyis,andoughttobe,initself
painfultous,justasdarknessis;anarchitecturewhichisaltogethermonotonousis
adarkordeadarchitecture.”55Clearly,Whartonhighlyrelatestothesesentiments
aboutthespiritoftheGothic.ThisiswhyshefeelssomovedbytheBeauvais
cathedral,appreciatingitsbeautifulimperfectionandcomplexhistory,unlikethe
modernmonotonousroadsorthemechanicalandpurposefulmotor‐car.
Importantly,thispassionatepassageabouttheBeauvaiscathedralis
sandwichedbymomentsofdissatisfyingtravel.Thechapterbeganwiththe“same”
sweepingroadthatbroughtthemtoBeauvaisand,ontheirdeparture,the
“landscapebecamemoredeeplyNorman”yettheydidnot“reallygetbeyond
Beauvaisatall,buttravelledonimprisonedinthattremendousmemory”ofthe
51Wharton,AMotor‐FlightThroughFrance,17.
52JohnRuskin,“TheNatureofGothic,”inTheStonesofVenice,ed.JanMorris(Boston
andToronto:Little,BrownandCompany,1981),118–39.
53Ibid.,119.
54Ibid.,121.
55Ibid.,122.
17
cathedral.56Theirexperienceatthecathedralwassooverwhelminglypleasantthat
oncetheyapproachRouentheyfindthat“thepoetryofthedescenttoRouenis,
unhappily,dispelledbythelongapproachthroughsordidinterminableoutskirts.”57
Atthispoint,theroadlacksthevarianceandwildlyRomanticqualitiesthatWharton
soappreciatedabouttheBeauvaiscathedral.Sheisdisgustedbythe“sordid”and
unendingcountryroads.
EventheirarrivaltoRouenechoesthisdistasteforthemodern,wherethe
townitselfisfullof“crowdedtram‐linedquays”andonemustpass“betweenthe
noisyunloadingofshipsandtheclatterofinnumerablecafés…”58Whartonfindsno
reassuringqualitiesoftheGothicspiritthatshesorecentlywitnessedatBeauvais.
Instead,she“feelsthattheoldGothictownoneusedtoknowcannotreallyexistany
more”and“musthavebeenelbowedoutofplacebythesespreadingcommercial
activities.”59Heraccountdoesnottakeapositiveturnuntilshecatchessightofthe
Rouencathedral.SherecognizestheGothicspiritlurking“there,afterall,holding
almostintact,behindthedullmaskofmodernstreets,thesurpriseofitsrich
mediævalism.”60Here,WhartoncanfinallyappreciateRouenforits“surprise”of
thishistoricallymagnificentGothiccathedralthatsowonderfullyrepresentsthe
adventure,spontaneity,andsymbolismofthepast—astatusthe“long,”“same,”and
“interminable”roadscouldneverreach.
56Wharton,AMotor‐FlightThroughFrance,17–18.
57Ibid.,18.
58Ibid.
59Ibid.,18–19.
60Ibid.,19.
18
WhetherenteringintothetownofRouenorBeauvais,orleavingeitherof
themforthatmatter,Whartonclearlyexpresseslittleappreciationforthese
momentsofridinginthemotor‐caralongthesestraight,longroads.Ifherapathetic
andrathernegativewordchoicesurroundingthesemechanicalelementsoftravel,
suchas“sordid”and“interminable,”doesnotalreadyprovideclarityonher
interpretationofthemotor‐caranditsroads,thenherjuxtaposingandengaging
descriptionoftheBeauvaiscathedralcertainlydoes.HowcouldWhartoncreditthe
“motor‐car”asrestoringthe“romanceoftravel”whensheclearlydoesnotdepict
enjoymentorasenseofromanceintheactualactoftraveling?Instead,this
spontaneous,imaginative,uniquesenseofromancethatsheseeksoutsodiligently
iseasilydiscoveredintheRomanticandGothicspiritofthecathedralofSaint‐Pierre
inBeauvais.Inherappreciationforthebrokenbeautyofthiscathedral,Wharton’s
searchforthe“romanceoftravel”isthatmuchclosertocompletion.Byvaluingthe
uniqueness,history,andspiritofGothicarchitecture,andespeciallytheBeauvais
cathedral,Whartonindicateswhatherperceptionofthe“romanceoftravel”really
lookslike.
19
THEROUTEDEPARIS&LESANDELYS
AfterleavingRouen,Whartonbeginsanewchapter,whichistitled“From
RouentoFontainebleau.”AsthetravelersjourneytowardsFontainebleau,they
encounterfrustrationswiththerathernewly‐inventedmotor‐carandits
industrializedcounterpart,theautoroute.In1906,theinfrastructureforthese
comparativelyfast‐movingvehicleswasjustbecomingsolidified.Mainroadswere
builttoconnectmanymajorcitiesinFranceandmaketravelbetweenthemas
effectiveaspossible.Interestinglyenough,Whartonappearstobeuninterestedin
thesupposedefficacyofsuchstraight‐linedroads.Instead,shesearchesforan
alternateandmorecomfortingmeansofguidance,thewindingbendsoftheSeine
River.Infact,inthispassageshedivertsfromthemainroadandforcesthemotor‐
cartofollowtheSeine,whoseadventurouscurvesandhistoryeventuallyhelpher
reachthelegendaryChâteauGaillard.
Figure6‐MapofFrancefrom1840Highlightingthe“RoutedeParis”
20
Thisperiodmap(Figure6)helpstoilluminatethesurprisingdiversionthat
Whartonandherfellowtravelerschoose.InFigure6,theroadsarenotclearly
markedbutaccordingtothelegend,themainroadsareindicatedusingtwothin
blacklineswithablankspacebetweenthem.61Whilethismapdoesdatefrom1840,
itshouldstillgreatlyreflecttheareaofFrancethatWhartonwastravelingin1906.
Twowell‐knowncities,ParisandRouen,areconnectedviaaroadcalledthe“route
deParis.”Highlightedinredonthemap,itrunsdirectlysoutheastfromRouento
ParisinFigure6andiswhereWharton’sjourneytoLesAndelysbegins.
WhilethereappearstobevariousroadsinFrancetitledthe“routedeParis,”
thisparticularonecorrespondswiththemoderndayroutenationale14(RN14orN
14)accordingtothesimilaritiesfoundbetweenthedirectnatureoftheroadin
Figure6comparedtotheN14inFigure7.Upuntilthe1950s,andduringWharton’s
Figure7–PresentDayMapIncludingRouen,LesAndelys,andParis
61(“mainroads”translatedfrom“granderoute”)
21
travels,thisnationalrouteranallthewaybetweenParisandacoastaltownin
NormandycalledLeHavre.62Afterthemid‐twentiethcentury,theroutenationale
14wasmodifiedtorunonlybetweenParisandRouen.Additionalrecent
classificationshavedividedtherouteintodepartmentalsections,includingthe
D6014andtheD14,asseeninthemoderndayrepresentationofFigure7.
Historically,theroutenationale14containspartsoftheancientromanroad
calledtheChausséeJulesCésar.63In1824,thisroutebecameknownasthemodern‐
dayroutenationale14,whichiswhyitisacceptabletolabeltheroutedeParisinthe
1840mapofFigure6asthe“routenationale14.”Whiletherouteextendedallthe
waytothecoastduringWharton’stime,today,theroutenationale14spansabout
125kilometers,or77miles.64Theroute,especiallythelatterhalfbetweenPontoise
andRouen,isratherlinearandcanbeseeninFigure6.65Withanorthwestdirection
fromParis,theroutedeParisislocatednorthoftheSeineRiver,whichisidentified
inblackinFigure6andinblueinFigure7,andrunsparalleltothisgeographical
landmark.Ofcourse,theSeineisfullofriverbendsandturnsthatvarygreatlyfrom
thelinearnatureoftheman‐maderoutenationale14.
InaspectacularpassageinMotor‐Flight,Whartondetailstheirtravels
involvingtheroutedeParis.ThetravelersareleavingfromRouenandheading
southeasttowardsthesmalltownofLesAndelysandtheChâteauGaillardthatrests
62“Routenationale14(France),”Wikipédia,May20,2014,
http://fr.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Route_nationale_14_(France)&oldid=92
662777.
63Ibid.
64Ibid.
65“RouteNationale14,”Wikipedia,theFreeEncyclopedia,May7,2014,
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Route_nationale_14&oldid=542415347.
22
there.Whartonisunimpressedwiththeroutenationale14andfindsit,aswellas
theothernearbyroads,ratherimpractical.Accordingtoher,“Franceunderstands
andenjoysandliveswithherrivers,”notitsroads.66Thisiswhy,intheirattemptto
travelbetweenRouenandLesAndelys,they“continuallycheckedtheflightofthe
motor”byleavingtheroutedeParistoconfirmtheirdesiredtrajectoryagainstthe
trustworthySeine.67ToWharton,thisage‐oldwaterwayprovestobemuchless
confusingthanthenewlyconstructedroadsofFrance.
ThebenefitofsimplicitythattheroutedeParisprovidesislostonWharton,
asitdoesnotresultintheirdestination.Asamainroad,onemaytraveldirectly
fromRouentoParis,butduetothelinearpatternoftheroute,LesAndelysisnot
includedinthepathofroutenationale14.Infact,LesAndelysissituatedinbetween
theroutedeParisandtheSeine,althoughitdoeslieclosertotheSeinethanthe
mainroute.Sothisiswhyshedescribestheriverinsuchbeautifultermsandprefers
thattheriver,“bythesweetestcurves,”drawthemalongtoLesAndelys.68Wharton
feelsthattheSeine,“withhergreatpast…haspartlyceasedtolive”becauseaskas
theymay,theywerenotableto“learnthewaytoKingRichard’sChâteauGaillard.”69
Whartonfeltthatsincethechâteauislocatedjust“afewmilesoff”fromtheSeine,
thatthelocalFrenchpeopleoughttohaveknownhowtodirectthemtothecastle
locatedinLesAndelys.Feelingfrustratedthat“everyturnfromtheroutedeParis
seemedtoleadstraightintotheunknown,”andtheirarrivalseemedcontinually
66Wharton,AMotor‐FlightThroughFrance,24.
67Ibid.
68Ibid.
69Ibid.
23
distant,theonlydirectionsthetravelerswereabletoreceivewasthe“invariable
answer”of“‘butit’sjuststraightaheadforParis.”70
ThissimplisticanswertoWharton’ssearchforLesAndelyswasnot
satisfactory.Itisunknowninwhatwayorexactlyinwhichwordsthegroupasked
fordirections,butthisresponselikelyindicatesaculturalstereotypingor
misunderstanding.InsteadofaddressingthedesireddestinationofLesAndelys,this
instructioniscentralizedtowardsFrance’scapitalmetropolis:Paris.Thisstatement
assumesWhartonandcompanyarenotsearchingforasmallandrarelyvisited
villagebutratherthattheyareinsearchofthelargestcityandmajortourist
destinationinFrance,asiftheyareincapableoffindingitthemselveseventhough
theyareonthe“routedeParis.”
Whartonmayhavealsoseenthisresponseasadyingmomentforthe
majesticSeinesincethisanswerinvolvedphrasingsuchas“straightahead”which
wouldimmediatelyindicatetheuseoftheindustrializedroutedeParisandnotthe
windingbendsoftheSeine.Inthatcase,thereisatotallackofregardfortheSeine
anditslongstandinghistory.Additionally,theseinstructionsgiventothetravelers
arefocusedonthegeneraldirectionthatthegroupwasinterestedinanddonot
utilizethemanypossiblegeographicalmarkersorroadnamesofthesurrounding
area.ThismeansthateventhelocalFrenchpeoplewereeithernotaccustomedto
theever‐expandingroadwaysoftheirareaortheyfeltthatspecificswouldnotbe
usefultoagroupofAmericanstravelingbymotor‐car.Inanycase,Wharton
70Ibid.(“butit’sjuststraightaheadforParis”translatedfrom“maisc’esttoutdroit
pourParis”)
24
practicallymournsforthelocalpeople’sdisregardfortheriverintheirattemptto
arriveatLesAndelys.
Thereasonforthesesimplifieddirectionsmatterslittle,though,comparedto
thegeneralideathatitwasdifficultforthetravelerstofindtheirwaytoLes
Andelys,likelymakingthisjauntoftheirtravelsconfusingandmoredifficultthan
necessary.Giventhegroup’sdesiretovisitLesAndelys,andthetown’sclose
proximitytotheSeine,itseemsoddthattheywouldhaveutilizedtheroutedeParis
tobeginwith.Itisquitepossiblethatthethreeofthemendeduponthisroute
becauseofinstructionsfoundinatravelguideoftheregion.Forexample,attheend
ofthepreviouschapter,Whartonalludes,rathersarcastically,to“Baedeker”ina
passageconcerningapaintingthat“onetrembleslestitshouldceasetoshineinits
owntwilightheavenwhenithasbecomeastarinBaedeker...”71Here,Baedeker
referstoacommonbrandoftravelguidebooks,yetherreferenceindicatesthat
therewouldbeanegativeeffectifthepaintingweretoenterthetourist‐focused
Baedekertravelguide.InWharton’seyes,itwouldloseits“intrinsicbeauty”andno
longerbekept“amongthemysteries”ofthe“emptyroomoftheRouengallery”once
hoardsoftouristscametoseeit.72
Verypopularduringthenineteenthandtwentiethcenturies,thefirmbegan
withKarlBaedeker,whowasoneofthefirstpeopletoproducetravelguidesinthe
nineteenthcentury,andwascontinuedbyhissonswhohelped“bringBaedeker
71Ibid.,23.
72Ibid.
25
handbooksaworldwidereputation.”73Theseguidebooks,similartothoseofthe
presentday,wereveryexplicitandutilizeddetailedroadmapsandtexttohelp
travelersseethegrandtouristsites.WhartonherselfownedseveralBaedeker
guidessuchasSouthernFrance,IncludingCorsica.74GiventhismentionofBaedeker
inMotor‐Flight,itisquitelikelythatWhartonandherfellowtravelershadacopy
withthemduringtheirtravels.ThispresentsthepossibilitythattheroutedeParis
wasoriginallyrecommendedbyaguidebooksimilartoaBaedeker.Yet,considering
Wharton’srathernegativeviewpointofthepopularizedandroutinetravelguidance
providedinaBaedekerguide,itisnosurpriseshewasnotinclinedtofollowthese
instructions.Allinall,thestraightforwardandpopularizedmannerofthetravel
handbook,thelocalFrenchcommunity’sdirections,andtheroutedePariswould
notsufficeforWhartonastheywouldnotbringhertotheirdesireddestination
whereherneedforadventureandromancewouldbemet.
WithachoicebetweentheroutedeParisandtheSeine,Whartonmovespast
thecompetitionbetweenthesetwomeansoforientationandchoosestheSeinefor
itsbeautyandreliability.She“knewthatif[they]clungtothewindingsoftheSeine,”
thosewindings“mustlead…withinafewmiles,totheplace[they]sought.”75Here,it
istheriver,nottheman‐maderoads,thatcanfinallyleadthemtotheromantic
châteauthattheyhavebeenseeking.Yet,thetransitionawayfromthemainroad
towardstheirdestinationisnotaneasyone.Similartotherestoftheconfusionand
73“Baedeker’sOldGuideBooks,”accessedMay26,2014,
http://contueor.com/baedeker/history/.
74GeorgeRamsden,ed.,EdithWharton’sLibrary(Settrington,York:StoneTrough
Books,1999),6.
75Wharton,AMotor‐FlightThroughFrance,25.
26
difficultiesduringtheirtriptoChâteauGaillard,thetravelersfinally“havingwith
difficultydisentangled[themselves]fromtheroutedeParis…pushedon,byquiet
by‐roadsandunknownvillages.”76Whartonhighlightsthecaptivequalityofthe
straight‐linedroutedeParisbyclaimingthatonemust“disentangle”oneselffromit,
yetthisactionisdone“withdifficulty”andonemust“pushon”inordertoescape
theinutilityoftheroutenationale14.Thechallengeofremovingthecarfromthe
roadpresentsadirectoppositiontotheideaofautomotiveinfrastructurebeing
romantic.
Afterescapingtheconfinementsoftheoverlysimplifiedroadways,the
travelersareabletofindcomfortinfollowingtheSeine,whichisamuchmore
historicallysignificantmeansoftravelanddirectionality.Thetravelersappreciate
thisphysicalrepresentationoftheirprogressivetravelstowardsLesAndelys,rather
thantheconfusingunknownqualitiesofthelandsurroundingtheroutedeParis.
WiththeSeineastheirguide,theirmotor‐flightbecomesmuchmorerelaxedasthe
river“takesamajesticbendtowardtheLittleAndelyinthebayofthecliffs,andthen
sweepsoutbelowtheheightonwhichCœur‐de‐Lionplantedhissubtlycalculated
bastions.”77
Byleavingthestandardizedmainroadsandattuningthemselvestowards
France’sinstinctualwayofliving“withherrivers,”theyfinallyreachthemuch‐
anticipatedChâteauGaillard.Whiletheactoftravelingmayhavebeendifficult,the
endresultprovidesthedeeplysoughtromanceofthegroup’stravelefforts.
Whartonbelievesthat“theLittleandGreatAndely”are“twoofthequaintesttowns
76Ibid.
77Ibid.,25–26.
27
ofFrance…surmountedbyafortressmarkinganepochinmilitaryarchitecture,and
associatedwiththefortunesofoneofthemostromanticfiguresinhistory.”78Inthis
passage,Whartonimplementstheromanticallywindingqualityshelovesintoher
ownnarrativeconstruction.Whileshepreviouslymentioned“KingRichard’s
ChâteauGaillard,”shelatermentionsthis“fortress”andexpectsherreadersto
makethenon‐linearconnectionthatthesetwophrasesrefertothesameplace.With
someresearch,itiscleartheyareoneandthesame.
Builtbetween1196and1198,thisfortress,theChâteauGaillard,reflectsthe
medievalhistoryoftheregionsurroundingLesAndelys.KingRichardtheLionheart
(RichardI),theKingofEnglandandtheDukeofNormandyatthetime,constructed
thisfortressinarathershorttimeperiodtoprotectRouenandtherestof
Normandyfrom
FrenchKingPhilip
Augustus.79
Typically,ittook
seventotwelve
yearstobuilda
castle.80Whartonis
likelyimpressed
Figure8–Wharton’sImageofChâteauGaillard&theSeineRiver
78Ibid.,25.
79“Château‐Gaillard,”accessedMay17,2014,http://www.lesandelys‐
tourisme.fr/decouverte/chateau‐gaillard/.
80“CastleFAQ‐FrequentlyAskedQuestions,”accessedJune11,2014,
http://www.medieval‐
castles.org/index.php/castle_faq_frequently_asked_questions.
28
thatthisfortress,whichwasbuiltwithinonlytwoyears,isstillstanding.Theimage
ofChâteauGaillardincludedinhertravelogue,Figure8,emphasizesthe
withstandingnatureofthismedievalfortress.Thisquicklybuiltcastlefromthe
legendarymedievalperiodprovidesWhartonwiththeromanticthrillsheso
adamantlyseeksthroughouthertravels.
ThesameneedforconceptualconnectionisrequiredwhenconsideringKing
Richard,who,byassociationwithWharton’sintertwinedintroductiontothiscastle,
isthoughtbyWhartontobe“oneofthemostromanticfiguresinhistory.”Hewasa
celebratedmilitaryleaderandcrusaderinthelatetwelfthcenturywhodied“while
besiegingthecastleofChâlusincentralFrance.”81Whartonseesthesemilitary
anecdotesfromKingRichard’smedievallifeasromanticduetohiscontinued
historicalimportance.Thisking“remainsoneofthefewKingsofEngland
rememberedbyhisepithet,andisanenduring,iconicfigureinEngland”andthis
quality,justlikethehistoricallyrichSeine,impressesWharton.82Mostinterestingly,
WhartonandRichardtheLionheartsharetheircommitmenttoandlovefortravel.
Justas“EuropebecamesocompletelyWharton’shomethatfrom1910untilher
deathin1937shetraveledtotheUnitedStatesonlythreetimes,”KingRichard,
“duringhis10‐yearreign…spentonlysixmonthsinEngland.”83Thisconnection
runsevendeeperconsideringthatbothofthesefiguresspentthelatterpartoftheir
81“BBC‐History‐KingRichardI,”accessedMay25,2014,
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/richard_i_king.shtml.
82“Fontevraud:BurialPlaceofRaymondVIIofToulouse,HenryIIKingofEngland,
RichardIDukeofAquitaine,EleanorDuchessofAquitaine,andQueenIsabelle,”
accessedMay25,2014,http://www.languedoc‐
france.info/190202_fontevraud.htm#richardi.
83Schriber,“Introduction,”xxxvii;“BBC‐History‐KingRichardI.”
29
livesinFrance.KingRichardwassocommittedtoFrancethathis“heartwasburied
atRoueninNormandy,hisbrainatPoitouandhisbodynexttohisfatherHenryIIat
Fontevrault”and“EnglandgotnosouvenirofRichardtobury…”84Byclaimingthat
KingRichardisoneofthemostromanticfiguresinhistory,Whartonidealizesthis
kindofdeep‐seatedloveforFrance,justhassheeventuallydoesherselfbyliving
outtherestofherlifethere.
AtChâteauGaillard,Whartoncomesascloseaspossibletoapastversionof
France,wherethephysicalwallsofthefortressrepresentallthatsheadmiresabout
KingRichardandmedievalFrance.Nomatterhowtryingitwastoreachthisplace
filledwith“eloquence,”Whartonstepsbacktoobservethechâteauandhowit“lies
indeedjustthere—initstelling[them]sodiscursively,soplaintively,thewhole
storyofthecenturies.”85Shemovesbeyondtherecentpastofthedifficultiesoftheir
owntravelsandinsteadmarvelsatthedistanthistoryofthefortressand“howlong
ithasstood,howmuchithasseen,”andmostimportantly,“howfartheworldhas
travelledsincethen.”86Here,Wharton’sromanticidealisrevealed.Thismedieval
fortressthathasstayedintactwhiletheworldaroundit“travels”towards
modernityiswhatWhartontrulyseeksinherowntravels.Thisdestination,reached
bytheguidanceofthebeautifulSeine,remindsWhartonofthelegendaryand
romantichistorythatprecedesthefast‐movingandstructuredmoderncultureshe
livesin.
84“BBC‐NottinghamFeatures‐DidRobinHoodEverMeetKingRichard?,”accessed
May25,2014,
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/features/2004/03/did_robin_hood_ever_meet_
king_richard.shtml.
85Wharton,AMotor‐FlightThroughFrance,26.
86Ibid.,26.
30
CONCLUSION
AscanbeseenthroughoutPartIofWharton’sMotor‐Flight,themotor‐caris
certainlynotaromanticmeansoftravel.Shedeclares,onceagain,inachaptertitled
“TheLoireandtheIndre,”thatthemotor‐carisdissatisfactory.Afterleaving
Fontainebleau,anothersmallcitythatforthetravelers,“belongedtothefamiliar,
thealready‐experiencedpartof[their]itinerary,”theyfindtheir“wheelswerestill
onbeatentracks.”87ThisisratherdisappointingtoWhartonsincetheir“morning’s
flightacrosscountrytoOrléanswasmeanttogive[them]aglimpseofanew
region.”88Insteadoffindingtheroadinterestingorthedriveenjoyable,Whartoncan
onlycommentthat“theplainstretchedoninterminably,andthefartheritstretched
theharderthewindracedus…”Bythetimethey“beat[their]way,spentand
wheezing,”theonlythingthatmatteredwasfinding“aninnwhere[they]mightat
lastfindshelter.”89NotonlydidWhartonfindtheroadsandsurroundingfieldsto
stretchon“interminably,”buttheirrideinthemotor‐carwasmarkedbythethe
discomfort,tiredness,anddifficultythatsheassociateswithtravelinginthemotor‐
car.
Followingthisaccount,Whartonbeginshernextparagraphwiththebold
confessionthat“theabovewhollyinadequatedescriptionofaninterestingpartof
Francewillhaveconvincedanyrationalbeingthatmotoringisnowaytoseethe
87Ibid.,34.
88Ibid.
89Ibid.,35.
31
country.”90ItisherethatWharton’soriginal“bold”statementthat“themotor‐car
hasrestoredtheromanceoftravel”iscompletelyderailed,sotospeak.Inthiscase,
their“flight”wassotryinganduninterestingthatthegroupwasunabletoeven
enjoythenormally“venerablecity”ofOrléans.91
Soitisneithertheactoftravelingnorthemotor‐carthathas“restoredthe
romanceoftravel,”butratherthelegendarycastles,cathedrals,andriversofFrance
thathavesubvertedmodernrestorationandremainasaglimpseintowhatWharton
considersamostromantictime.92Thereisnoneedtorestoreromancewhen,at
leasttoWharton,theromanceoftheseplacesneverdeclinedeveninthemidstof
theconstantlychanginglandscapesandmoderninventionsoftheearlytwentieth
century.HerappreciationforChâteauGaillardisagreatexampleofthis.Whilethe
Figure9‐‐ChâteauGaillardin1906 (left) &PresentDay (right)
foliageandinfrastructureofLesAndelyshavechangedsince1906,andcertainly
sincetheMiddleAges,thechâteaustillcontinuestorepresenttheromantichistory
andnarrativeofthelocalarea,asseeninFigure9.
90Ibid.
91Ibid.
92Ibid.,1.
32
ForWharton,the“romanceoftravel”doesn’tequatetothemotor‐caratall,
eventhoughsheoriginallysuggeststhisattheopeningofhertravelogue.The
questionmaybe,whydidWhartonproposethis“bold”openingstatementtobegin
with?Perhapshergoalwassimplytoattractmorereadershipinacontinually
modernworld,eventhoughsheherselfsoughtouttheromanticpastinsteadofthe
up‐and‐comingmodernaspectsoflife.Forfuturestudy,itmaybeinterestingto
considerthisopeningsentenceagainsttherestofhertravelogue,PartsIIandIII,
eventhoughthesewerewrittenatalaterdate.Yet,theseclosereadingsfromPartI
clearlyshowastrongcontrastbetweenthe“romanceoftravel”andthemotor‐car—
oneisfoundinthehistoricallyuniqueplacesofFrancewhiletheotherisamodern
technologythatshefindstoouncomfortable,disengaging,andlineartomatchher
romanticideals.
33
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