The Weather in the Streets: Analysis of Major Characters
"The Weather in the Streets" explores the complex interpersonal dynamics between its major characters, centering on Olivia Curtis, a 27-year-old woman navigating life after separation from her husband, Ivor Craig. Living a semi-bohemian existence in London, Olivia is drawn into an affair with Rollo Spencer, a charming and affluent man who is married to a fragile woman, Nicola Maude. Their relationship unfolds in secretive settings, highlighting the tension between Olivia's yearning for genuine connection and the constraints of societal expectations. The narrative also delves into Olivia's strained relationship with her family, particularly her mother, Mrs. Curtis, whose conventional views starkly contrast with Olivia's independent spirit. Lady Spencer, Rollo's mother, serves as a pivotal figure, initially supportive yet ultimately pushing Olivia toward the difficult realization that her love may not be reciprocated in the same way. The story culminates in a poignant moment following Rollo’s car accident, where themes of love, loyalty, and the burdens of social propriety come to the forefront. This intricate exploration of character relationships paints a vivid picture of personal struggles against the backdrop of societal norms.
The Weather in the Streets: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Rosamond Lehmann
First published: 1936
Genre: Novel
Locale: London, the British countryside, and Austria
Plot: Psychological realism
Time: The early 1930's
Olivia Curtis, a twenty-seven-year-old woman separated from her husband, Ivor Craig. Olivia leads an impoverished semi-bohemian life in London, where she shares a small house with her flighty cousin Etty Somers and works part-time for a pittance in the studio of a photographer and painter named Anna, one of a circle of artists and writers who form Olivia's present world. Called home by the serious illness of her father, Olivia takes a train to Tulverton, where the older Curtises live. In the dining car, she meets Rollo Spencer, whom she has not seen for ten years; they had met briefly at his sister Marigold's coming-out party and later at her wedding. Olivia is immediately and again attracted to Rollo and senses his fascination with her even though he cannot remember her name. The next day, Olivia is invited to attend a small dinner party at the Spencers', after which Rollo drives her home. The beginnings of what is to be an eight-month affair are evident.
Rollo Spencer, the handsome, self-assured, and prosperous son of Sir John and Lady Spencer, in his thirties. He also is the husband of Nicola Maude, a sickly and nervous woman, almost an invalid. Rollo is loving and generous with Olivia. He buys her flowers and jewelry, but they can never go to places where he might be seen and recognized, so their times together are spent in out-of-the-way pubs and small inns in country towns. A few times, Rollo meets some of Olivia's friends and enjoys them; he has a great capacity for pleasure.
Mrs. Curtis, Olivia's mother. Through Mrs. Curtis' questions and remarks, details of Olivia's life and personality are revealed. The reasons that Olivia cannot share her troubles with her mother and her sister Kate, married and with four children, are clear: The gulf between Olivia and her family is seen to be unbridgeable. Their conventional, kindly, superficial, and domestic outlook is in sharp contrast to Olivia's reserved, independent, and proud nature.
Lady Spencer, Rollo's mother, a woman whom Olivia has always loved and admired because of a sense of congeniality of temperament and values. The older woman has always been fond of Olivia, whom she regards as her daughter Marigold's friend, but this relationship changes when Lady Spencer confronts Olivia, having learned from a very discreet source that Rollo and Olivia were seen together in Austria. Lady Spencer is instrumental in making Olivia perceive that the affair must end, yet the older woman also reveals that she is still fond of Olivia and concerned about her. The two lovers do meet again, but the thought of Lady Spencer, implacable and stern in her determination that her son's marriage to Nicola be preserved, helps Olivia in her anguished realization that Rollo's ability to play the double game is in direct contrast to her own single-minded and jealous love. Shortly afterward, Rollo is seriously hurt in a car crash, and Lady Spencer shows her kindness to Olivia by calling her to tell her about the accident and later to arrange a short and final visit to Rollo's house, where he is recuperating, the family being away for a few hours.