Godwin’s story pf St. Leon raised many questions for me but I will narrow it down to just a couple. Is the death of Marguerite St. Leon an allusion to the death of Mary Wollstonecraft, wife of William Godwin? There is a distinct possibility that could have been a contributing factor to the way the story proceeds. Mary Wollstonecraft died of sepsis, a condition which can be caused from either an infection or some type of shock. Marguerite died after delivery a dead baby prematurely. The new shock of the death of Hector, along with the rioting and mobbing according to the book was the cause of her delivering the baby early. Once she got to Barcelona, I believe she had had enough and chose to give up.

Professor Canuel’s discussion with us in class raised another question: Is Marguerite an angel or did she have some other reason for doing the wonderful things for her husband? As a new wife, she was happy but I believe her father gave her in marriage to help guide him into making better decision and being a more rounded husband. When the children came along as a mother, Marguerite has a new incentive for her actions. She tries to be sure that her family was fed, clothed, and nurtured. By doing this, perhaps she was worried that if her children saw any antagonistic actions between their parents, it could cause them troubles. All in all, I still feel that Marguerite, after guessing her husband’s secret, felt that magic or whatever it might have been was a poor way to create wealth. I’m not sure if she understood that her husband would live forever. One thing is certain after reading the book, Reginald St. Leon found out too late that he messed up badly when he accepted the secret from the stranger. (I don’t use his given name here because I can’t pronounce or spell it).

Professor Canuel’s discussion was very enlightening and I hope that Dr. Gates will pass on my regards and thanks to him for our private discussion of St. Leon.