The Captain’s Doll

"The future is like a big tangle of black thread. Every morning, you begin to untangle one loose end—and that's your day. And every evening you break off and throw away what you've untangled and the heap is so much less: just one thread less. One day less" (84). To Captain Hepburn, this is all the future is. After considering this statement, I find some truth in it. Each person has to find a purpose to his existence and work towards making some sort of meaning with his life. But, it is rather depressing if your purpose does not advance your situation or that of any one else. The relationships we have with others give our lives meaning. I suppose that since Captain Hepburn was emotionally detached from all those around him, he could never see any more substance to his life simply because it did not exist. Lawrence also focuses upon reminding his audience that there is a finite amount of time in life. Each person much decide which threads he will work upon untangling: hopefully, at the end of the day he will be able to sleep at night with a clear conscience.

Once a widow, Captain Hepburn developed some strange ideas about marriage. He determined it would be best for his next wife to honor and obey him. In return, he would "love" her as a wife, but he would not love her as a man should love a woman. In considering Hepburn's new idea on the concept of marriage, I was reminded of Margaret Fuller's ideas on marriage in "The Great Lawsuit" and four types of marriages. 1) The household partnership, 2) Intellectual companionship, 3) Mutual idolatry, and 4) Religious or journey to a common goal. Fuller's descriptions of marriage seem right on the money. Captain Hepburn's first marriage seemed to be one of mutual idolatry (his only goal was to make her happy). He found this marriage unfulfilling, so he hopes his second marriage will be a household partnership. But the Countess knows that this type of marriage is not the ideal so she is hesitant to attach herself to him.

The subject of the doll must be addressed to some degree: Hepburn was controlled like a puppet by his wife. After her death, he was controlled by the false roles he assumed a man should take in a marriage.