The Intruder: Analysis of Major Characters
"The Intruder: Analysis of Major Characters" delves into the complex dynamics between various characters in a tense familial setting. Central to the narrative is The Grandfather, a blind figure whose intuitive insights challenge the prevailing rationality of those around him. Despite his frailty, he embodies a relentless pursuit of truth, often revealing the deeper emotional currents within the family. The Father, a conventional patriarch, struggles with anxiety over his ailing wife and displays a dismissive attitude toward The Grandfather's inquiries, indicating a conflict between reason and intuition. The Uncle, portrayed as an urbanite, represents a pragmatic viewpoint but often fails to grasp the emotional depth of the situation, critiquing The Grandfather's concerns while exhibiting his own discomfort. The Three Daughters—Gertrude, Geneviève, and Ursula—act as a collective unit, displaying sensitivity to the family’s turmoil while adhering to the familial hierarchy. Finally, the Sister of Charity serves as a silent caretaker, her eventual appearance marking a pivotal moment of loss, while the bold Maid-Servant adds a layer of defiance and complexity to the unfolding drama, hinting at the presence of unseen tensions within the household. This exploration of characters highlights the interplay between reason and intuition, showcasing the emotional landscape of a family grappling with fear and uncertainty.
The Intruder: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Maurice Maeterlinck
First published: L'Intruse, 1890 (English translation, 1891)
Genre: Play
Locale: A dark room in an old château
Plot: Tragedy
Time: Early twentieth century
The Grandfather, who, like the prophets in the works of Homer and Sophocles, is blind but sees the truth more clearly than the younger people around him. He says exactly what he discerns. His persistent questions about who is in the garden and the sitting room or why the lamp burns less brightly and his accusations that his family is keeping important information from him show him to be, despite his frailty from living nearly eighty years, a seeker of truth on all levels—rational, emotional, and intuitive. The Father remembers that before he became blind he was as reasonable as the others and “never said anything extraordinary.” The Father blames Ursula, the eldest daughter, for encouraging The Grandfather too much by answering all of his questions.
The Father, who only once is called Paul by The Grandfather. He is worried about his sickly wife and wishes that his eldest sister, a nun who never arrives, would appear and end his anxious waiting. He is worn out from his wife's childbirth and subsequent illness. At one point, he even blames the child for her difficulties, although his ever reasonable brother points out that it is not the little boy's fault. He becomes irritated by his father-in-law's questions and anxieties, sometimes suggesting to The Uncle that The Grandfather is insane. The Father represents the patriarchal voice of reason that has little time for emotions and intuitions. The fulfillment of The Grandfather's premonitions reflects how limited The Father's viewpoint really is.
The Uncle, who only once is called Oliver by The Grandfather. He appears to be an urban man, a bit uneasy in the rural environment and in the stressful circumstances caused by a very ill sister-in-law and her newborn baby, who never cries. He tries to continue the insipid conversation of the evening, but he probably would rather be somewhere other than this gloomy setting. He criticizes The Grandfather for always worrying too much and for not listening to reason, although he understands that the old man's age permits him to be a little strange. He prefers to believe the doctors and other voices of reason, perceiving that the blind old man has too much time to reflect. He shows how harsh reasonableness can be when he remarks that it is time for his brother to get rid of the stout, ailing Maid-Servant, for soon she will be a burden. In a play that provides speeches generally of one line, The Uncle occasionally speaks more than a single line, although never as many as The Grandfather. Maurice Maeterlinck believed that intuition must always be combined with reason, and The Uncle's reasonableness interacts with The Grandfather's intuitiveness.
The Three Daughters, Gertrude, Geneviève, and Ursula, who often act as a unit. For example, all go to check on the silent infant. The Daughters appear to be young and obedient to the men of the household. Their acute sensitivity cannot, at times, keep them from showing their anxiety through paleness and trembling. Ursula receives the most orders—to open and close windows, describe the weather, and tell the truth to The Grandfather when he is convinced that all the others lie to him.
The Sister of Charity, who serves offstage in the ailing mother's room. She is a silent presence whose caretaking permits the rest of the family to sit discussing together both their fears and mundane topics while they await the doctor. The Sister of Charity makes her only appearance at the end of the play, when her gestures announce that the mother has died. Her silence does not communicate to The Grandfather, who is abandoned in confusion while the others enter the dead woman's chamber.
The Maid-Servant, a feisty woman who insists that she did not leave open the door to the house, tramp too loudly on the steps, or try to barge into the sitting room. She refuses to accept blame for the sounds the nervous men hear, and she does not hesitate to defend herself before The Father. Her outspokenness suggests that the noises were made by The Intruder, because no rational explanation for them is provided by The Maid-Servant.