A Devotee: An Episode in the Life of a Butterfly

By Mary Cholmondeley

(3.5 stars) • 10 reviews

Torn between longing and societal constraints, a young heiress risks everything to declare her love for an older man, only to face the harsh realities of their vastly different worlds.

Genres

Culture/Civilization/Society Literature Fiction

Released

2012-08-04

Formats

epub

mobi

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Summary

"A Devotee: An Episode in the Life of a Butterfly" by Mary Cholmondeley is a tale from the late 1800s that follows Sibyl Carruthers, a wealthy and delicate young woman wrestling with powerful emotions for the older Mr. Loftus, who carries a shadowed history. The story explores Sibyl's intense longing contrasted against the rigid expectations of her world and the sacrifices she might make. The story starts with emotional music in a grand church, and quickly moves to Sibyl confessing love to Mr. Loftus, despite not knowing if he feels the same way; their interactions highlight differences in the age and how each views life and love, and this contrast establishes themes of unreturned affection with the stress of society's views as a prominent element.