Mrs. Balfame: A Novel

"Mrs. Balfame: A Novel" by Gertrude Franklin Horn Atherton is a story set in the early 1900s about Enid Balfame, a woman of high class who lives in Elsinore and finds herself increasingly unhappy with her husband, David, who is a heavy drinker and doesn't seem to care about much. The story looks at what society expects from people, especially women, and the hidden problems that can occur in families as Mrs. Balfame deals with strong feelings of anger and even considers the idea of murder. At the start of the book, Mrs. Balfame is at a Friday Club meeting when she first thinks about killing her husband because she has been angry at him for so long. As she talks to the other members and thinks about what's happening, the reader can see how she is struggling with what society wants from her and her own desires to be independent and respected. As she is figuring out how to kill her husband, the story shows how determined and complex she is, making the reader feel sorry for her while also realizing she is about to make some extremely bad decisions. The strong emotions and intense atmosphere create a compelling beginning to the drama in her life.