The Lady's Maid's Bell, A Story by Edith Wharton

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  • čas přidán 26. 06. 2024
  • In Edith Wharton's "The Lady's Maid's Bell," the story follows Alice Hartley, a maid who takes a job at the isolated and eerie Brympton Place. Alice is hired to serve the ailing Mrs. Brympton, but soon she starts encountering strange occurrences, including the ghostly figure of the previous maid, Emma Saxon, who had died under mysterious circumstances. The household is filled with tension, particularly due to the intimidating presence of Mr. Brympton and the sinister atmosphere. Alice learns that Emma's spirit is still lingering in the house, trying to......
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Komentáře • 45

  • @annetteholtzhausen809
    @annetteholtzhausen809 Před 7 dny +21

    The ending is as if the author just grew tired of the story.

  • @BlueButterfly-wk9dl
    @BlueButterfly-wk9dl Před 7 dny +9

    Thank you so very much for this beautifully told story

  • @emcarver8983
    @emcarver8983 Před 7 dny +15

    This is incomplete!!

    • @neuralsurfer
      @neuralsurfer  Před 6 dny

      That is the whole story as written Edith Wharton

  • @mariajanejuarez5626
    @mariajanejuarez5626 Před 7 dny +8

    I can't understand hahahah where's the ending?

  • @shadowlouise
    @shadowlouise Před 2 dny +2

    It's an engaging mystery, but if you're the sort that wants answers, this one is NOT for you.

  • @LilouViviKiani
    @LilouViviKiani Před 7 dny +6

    Wonderful story❤. Love Edith Wharton.

    • @user-qj6wj5kz3x
      @user-qj6wj5kz3x Před 2 dny +1

      Can you
      Explain it then, please thanks in advance👍

    • @LilouViviKiani
      @LilouViviKiani Před 2 dny

      @@user-qj6wj5kz3x with pleasure ❤️. I also subscribe to Tony Walker’s podcast because after he reads the story, he gives the listener a lot of historical and cultural context, as well as background information on the author that might have influenced the themes and characters in their story.
      1 . Edith Wharton is known for being vague but the readers of her time -1902 would’ve read between the lines and identified the real horror of this story :
      A. Marital abuse- the husband was a predator. He possibly could’ve killed the former lady’s maid, preyed on pretty servants. Remember, that the current maid was warned to keep out of his way and the physical effects of her I’ll was protected her from abuse.
      B. The wife was having some type of affair with the neighbor (emotional/ physical)
      C. The ghost of the former lady’s maid wanted to rectify a wrong. She was the facilitator of an affair between her mistress and neighbor. Wanted to protect the mistress and tell her secret to the current one. The bell is probably a reminder of past trauma (abortion/ abuse). All the household knows and that’s why it was not rung.
      D. The wife’s weakened state could be due to ongoing abuse, marital rape, and perhaps an abortion that took place ( abortion also facility aged by former lady’s maid- remember, the trip to the chemist)
      E. Ghost lead present housemaid to burial site of baby (under the tree of the neighbor). I read that ghost appearing at a site is a tool that refers to something/ someone buried
      F. On the last night the wife and lover were to meet, the bell rung because the present lady’s maid is called to help her mistress. The ghost appears to protect lover/ mistress and give him a chance to escape by appearing to husband.
      G. Lover shows up to church with a cane- probably jumped out the window from the dressing room, on the night the lady died.

    • @LilouViviKiani
      @LilouViviKiani Před 2 dny +1

      @@user-qj6wj5kz3x this is just one of many explanations. I’m sure there’s more digging to do. That’s the fun of it 😄.

  • @leahwalker7852
    @leahwalker7852 Před 7 dny +6

    The ending didn’t make sense …..

  • @lightningbug276
    @lightningbug276 Před 7 dny +15

    I don’t get it.

  • @sheilahay3370
    @sheilahay3370 Před 7 dny +23

    It was a lovely story but a crap ending

  • @Sassafras30
    @Sassafras30 Před 3 dny +1

    Great story and contrary to what some thought, the ending was perfect.

    • @shadowlouise
      @shadowlouise Před 2 dny +2

      Only if you like unsolved mysteries. I felt disappointed. I followed the ghost, only to be left with NO answers.

  • @judywalton2658
    @judywalton2658 Před 7 dny +5

    Lovely

  • @phyllislovelace8151
    @phyllislovelace8151 Před 4 dny +2

    Thank you for this although for some reason youtube won't let me give you a thumbs up

  • @JudeNance
    @JudeNance Před 7 dny +2

    Dignity, lovely story ❤️

  • @joeylee2891
    @joeylee2891 Před dnem

    She won the Pulitzer for The Age of Innocence. Was very well loved in her time. Nicknamed Pussy Jones growing up (did I just type that??) Divorced. Included with great American literature. But no one mentioned this short story. Maybe not one of her most notable.

  • @robinyurrita7609
    @robinyurrita7609 Před 3 dny +4

    Not that ending was crap. THERE WAS NO ENDING. Very unsatisfactory .. but excellent reader.

    • @opheliahamlet3508
      @opheliahamlet3508 Před 12 hodinami +1

      I got suckered in again. Listen closely, it's an AI generated narration. Puts a good voice actor out of work.
      It took me a couple of listens before I realized that this youtuber uses AI. Absolutely ruined Somerset Maugham for me. I unsubscribed

  • @phyllislovelace8151
    @phyllislovelace8151 Před 4 dny

    Lovely! Thank you

  • @Lorena-qn3rg
    @Lorena-qn3rg Před 6 dny +3

    Hmmm, what is everyones thoughts on what this was about. Was there an affair? Was the dead maid keeping an eye on her mistress? Not sure why though, the hubby had no interest in her. What was the story really about?

    • @sugarfalls1
      @sugarfalls1 Před 4 dny +2

      I'm wondering the same thing. Maybe there's a synopsis of the story on wikipedia or something. There's another story you might want to listen to called The Bunner Sisters by her that's really good and full of symbolism. I couldn't find a synopsis of this short story. The Bunner Sisters was read by someone from LibraVox who read stories as volunteers. I've never done so, but the story was really good. It should still be on youtube - that's where I found it.

    • @Lorena-qn3rg
      @Lorena-qn3rg Před 4 dny +1

      @sugarfalls1 Thanks for the tip, I'll go look for it now, I need something to fall to sleep to lol 😆

    • @HestiaBHN1
      @HestiaBHN1 Před dnem

      I suppose that Ranford WAS her lover. And that the husband had raped Anna the former maid, who had, whereupon, committed suicide.
      His lechery towards subsequent maids caused them to leave suddenly...as did the ghostly appearances.
      The wife dying, upon hearing, once again that the maids bell had rung, when she had not rung it, tipped her over the edge.
      Thats plausible, I guess, as we were told early on her paleness was likely due to a heart condition.
      But I still find the story inconclusive and dissatisfying.

  • @annfoster465
    @annfoster465 Před 5 dny

    Is this the first part of this story, is there a second part? Beautifully read.

  • @HestiaBHN1
    @HestiaBHN1 Před dnem

    About half way through I began to feel that tge story had gone on long enough. She had layed fown much foreshadowing. Now I wanted a conclusion.
    But she went on, and on...and on.... Endless foreshadowing of...what? Nothing. No satisfying resolution.

  • @mauricesavel5110
    @mauricesavel5110 Před 6 dny +1

    I listened twice, don't get it?

  • @emcarver8983
    @emcarver8983 Před 7 dny +9

    This is only the ending of chapter 4. The story is incomplete.

    • @neuralsurfer
      @neuralsurfer  Před 6 dny +1

      That is the whole story as written by Edith Wharton

  • @heidiflintoff1105
    @heidiflintoff1105 Před dnem

    Won't listen because of the comments...😢

  • @philomena3529
    @philomena3529 Před 8 hodinami

    Is it being read by AI

  • @jacquelinedeacon8119
    @jacquelinedeacon8119 Před 2 dny +1

    What happened?

  • @redwawst3258
    @redwawst3258 Před 5 dny

  • @tonyawedgeworth514
    @tonyawedgeworth514 Před 2 dny +1

    Well crap.

  • @robinyurrita7609
    @robinyurrita7609 Před 3 dny

    I unsuscribed and will avoid nueralsurfer from now on.