As I was reading through Rappacino's daughter, I couldn't help but think about Poison Ivy from Batman. Both have to incorporate poison and flowers. Both girls love to be in a garden. If I remember correctly Poison Ivy has a greenhouse. Beatrice has a garden.
But that's not what really got me thinking about this connection. It was the immunity to poison. Beatrice could be around all that as could Poison Ivy. I won't lie the ending caught me off guard because I really felt as if this was somewhat of a precursor for Batman.
But she died and as I thought about it, I saw no reason that Beatrice couldn't have been the original Poison Ivy. It was just that she wasn't a villain or a Nature activist that was killing to save the ecosystem. Beatrice was a very kind hearted young woman who fell in love with Giovanni and then he too became poisonous. Not the same idea as Poison Ivy but it really has the same basis. The only thing different is that Poison Ivy kills with her kiss while it seemed Beatrice made Giovanni immune to poison with hers. I honestly can't remember if Giovanni and Beatrice kissed, I just assumed so.
Now I have to admit that it made me cry when Beatrice was killed but it was suppose to help her. I don't know how Poison Ivy died so I can't compare the two.
I love your comparison between the two and your right she could have been the first Poison Ivy. It is kind of funny because I am a huge comic book fan and I kind of thought the same thing but was too shy to mention it I guess.
ReplyDeleteLove the comparison between a modern-day character and Hawthorne's Beatrice.
ReplyDeleteYou point out that you can almost see how Beatrice could be deemed the original Poison Ivy, despite the fact their differences. I can follow that train of thought easily, and I find it to be rather insightful.
Although Beatrice did not proactively seek to harm others, I think we can make a case for what may have happened if her life had continued.
Often times, people reach a limit to what they are willing to endure before finally retaliating. Perhaps, if she had lived, she would have come to resent her father and her own poisonous nature. In an effort to silence her emotions, it seems plausible to me that Beatrice may have turned to a darker side of her personality. This could have resulted in a mentality that closely resembles that of Poison Ivy.
What a wonderfully imaginative and thoughtful post!
Thanks so much for sharing it...