Editha By William Dean Howells

In the short story,” Editha” by William Dean Howells, we witness two lovers and their conflicting views on war take place. Editha feels it is a man’s duty to defend his country and the rights of its citizens. Her lover, George, has a different opinion of war, which is due somewhat to his father losing an arm during a prior war. Editha will stop at nothing to persuade George to enlist and is willing to let him go if he want see things her way. In,” Editha” two sides and viewpoints to war is visible, we see Editha’s romanticism with the thought of war, and we see George’s and his mother’s disgust with war and the death and pain it brings to all involved. Editha has a romantic notion in regards to war, she is in love with the idea of it. She visualizes George going off and them exchanging …show more content…
She asks George what is wrong to which he replies,” It’s war” and her response is, “How glorious!” to which he says again almost in disbelief, “It’s war” (Howell, 376). Her response also shows just how unstable and sick she may be. At this moment, her mind starts spinning and conspiring on how to get George to join the cause. The problem is for her fantasy to be perfect it must be his idea and not hers. She starts her quest by bringing him so ice cold lemonade to drink while she tries to hypnotize him with her words. “She seized his hand in her two hands, and poured her soul from her eyes into his. “Don’t you think so?” she entreated him (Howells, 377). It’s as if she loves the war more than George. George rejects Editha’s ideas,” It isn’t this war alone; though this seems peculiarly wanton and needless; but it’s every war- so stupid; it makes me sick” (Howells, 378). “In the moral convictions he opposes to Editha’s blind, sentimental belief in the war, George reflects what is best in the American character” ( Humma, “Howells’s ‘Editha’; An American