Gone with the Wind
question
What does it mean? Rhett is in love with Melanie? He really appreciated her, at the end of the book there was this conversation.
Cyril
Oct 27, 2018 10:45AM
In an impulsive rush of feeling, she said: “Scarlett’s lucky to have a husband who’s so nice to her!”
“You think so? I’m afraid she wouldn’t agree with you, if she could hear you. Besides, I want to be nice to you too, Miss Melly. I’m giving you more than I’m giving Scarlett.”
“Me!” she questioned, puzzled. “Oh, you mean for Beau.”
He picked up his hat and rose. He stood for a moment looking down at the plain, heart-shaped face with its long widow’s peak and serious dark eyes. Such an unworldly face, a face with no defenses against life.
“No, not Beau. I’m trying to give you something more than Beau, if you can imagine that.”
“No, I can’t,” she said, bewildered again. “There’s nothing in the world more precious to me than Beau except Ash — except Mr. Wilkes.”
Rhett said nothing and looked down at her, his dark face still.
“You’re mighty nice to want to do things for me, Captain Butler, but really, I’m so lucky. I have everything in the world any woman could want.”
“That’s fine,” said Rhett, suddenly grim. “And I intend to see that you keep them.”
“You think so? I’m afraid she wouldn’t agree with you, if she could hear you. Besides, I want to be nice to you too, Miss Melly. I’m giving you more than I’m giving Scarlett.”
“Me!” she questioned, puzzled. “Oh, you mean for Beau.”
He picked up his hat and rose. He stood for a moment looking down at the plain, heart-shaped face with its long widow’s peak and serious dark eyes. Such an unworldly face, a face with no defenses against life.
“No, not Beau. I’m trying to give you something more than Beau, if you can imagine that.”
“No, I can’t,” she said, bewildered again. “There’s nothing in the world more precious to me than Beau except Ash — except Mr. Wilkes.”
Rhett said nothing and looked down at her, his dark face still.
“You’re mighty nice to want to do things for me, Captain Butler, but really, I’m so lucky. I have everything in the world any woman could want.”
“That’s fine,” said Rhett, suddenly grim. “And I intend to see that you keep them.”
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No, Rhett is not "in love" with Melanie. However, he does greatly admire and respect her. He is very contemptuous of the woman who hold to the old south traditions, but Melanie shows him how a true southern woman of quality can be. It is more like a mother/son or sister/brother relationship. The gift he is giving her is the maintenance of her innocence and happiness - he is determined that she not be impacted at all by the tawdriness of the behaviour shown by Scarlett, Ashley and himself.
Melanie always brings out the best in Rhett.
Melanie always brings out the best in Rhett.
Rhett would have loved to "have been in love with" Melanie. He adored her. But he fell for women like Scarlet, at least as much as his fickle heart permitted.
Not at at all. Rhett wasn't in love with Melanie. He greatly admired and respected her, though.
No, He loved Scarlett only and always. His love of Melanie was not that of a man for a woman.
Rhett respected Melanie greatly, for her grace and unselfish ways. I think Melanie felt like a motherly figure to him, since his mother/family was estranged for most of the book. There was love, but not the same type of love as he had/has for Scarlett.
Melanie is by far the purest character in the novel and I think Rhett's admiration for her is a little like worshipping a saint walking among mere mortals. I see nothing even remotely resembling romantic love on his part.
“That’s fine,” said Rhett, suddenly grim. “And I intend to see that you keep them.”
I think he was thinking of her keeping Ashley. He wanted Ashley to own the mill so Scarlett wouldn't have an easy excuse to visit Ashley there all the time. That was his main reason for giving Ashley the money (anonymously).
I think he was thinking of her keeping Ashley. He wanted Ashley to own the mill so Scarlett wouldn't have an easy excuse to visit Ashley there all the time. That was his main reason for giving Ashley the money (anonymously).
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