Byatt’s Possession is mostly about the affair of Christabel LaMotte and Randolph Henry Ash and the research of Maud Bailey and Roland Michell; Blanche Glover and Val are minor characters, only there to support the main story. Both of these women are victim of the affair, it caused their own relationships to end. Splitting up has different consequences for Blanche and Val due to society, dependence and love.
Val is able to move on quickly after splitting up with Roland because she has already noticed that they were growing apart. She starts working temping jobs because Roland can not find a paid job as a literary scholar. This causes Val to be moody and she is a totally different personality at home than at work, which can be assumed from the following extract.
Val believes it is Roland’s fault that she has changed into this moody and unhappy woman. While Roland is away doing research, she decides to leave him and move …show more content…
In the case of Blanche and Christabel a man is not even in the picture. Christabel makes a living by writing poetry and Blanche tries to earn some money by selling paintings, but that is not nearly enough to live off. This means that Blanche is almost entirely dependent on the money Christabel makes. Without Christabel Blanche would have had no money. Therefor she has very little possibilities to start over. In the 20th century women started to fight for their rights; they wanted to be equal to men. Birth control rights made women start to have children at an older age and therefor they were able to get better education than before; and with that better jobs and more welfare (Pezzini 208). This is why Val can be the breadwinner while she lives with Roland and also why she can leave him. She has the money and a steady income to live on her own. Val is financially independent, while Blanche is
Val is able to move on quickly after splitting up with Roland because she has already noticed that they were growing apart. She starts working temping jobs because Roland can not find a paid job as a literary scholar. This causes Val to be moody and she is a totally different personality at home than at work, which can be assumed from the following extract.
Val believes it is Roland’s fault that she has changed into this moody and unhappy woman. While Roland is away doing research, she decides to leave him and move …show more content…
In the case of Blanche and Christabel a man is not even in the picture. Christabel makes a living by writing poetry and Blanche tries to earn some money by selling paintings, but that is not nearly enough to live off. This means that Blanche is almost entirely dependent on the money Christabel makes. Without Christabel Blanche would have had no money. Therefor she has very little possibilities to start over. In the 20th century women started to fight for their rights; they wanted to be equal to men. Birth control rights made women start to have children at an older age and therefor they were able to get better education than before; and with that better jobs and more welfare (Pezzini 208). This is why Val can be the breadwinner while she lives with Roland and also why she can leave him. She has the money and a steady income to live on her own. Val is financially independent, while Blanche is