Elsie Venner
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''Elsie Venner: A Romance of Destiny'' is an 1861 novel by American author and physician Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. Later dubbed the first of his "medicated novels", it tells the story of a young woman whose mother was bitten by a rattlesnake while pregnant, which imbued the child with some characteristics of the reptile. Bernard Langdon, who takes a teaching job at Elsie's school, becomes curious about her, even as he slightly fears her. The novel explores themes of
original sin Original sin () in Christian theology refers to the condition of sinfulness that all humans share, which is inherited from Adam and Eve due to the Fall of man, Fall, involving the loss of original righteousness and the distortion of the Image ...
and human nature. Its title character may have been inspired by a woman that Oliver Wendell Holmes knew while living in western Massachusetts. Holmes began serializing the novel, his first, in 1859. Along with two other books, Holmes termed ''Elsie Venner'' one of his "medicated novels" because of his attempts to "diagnose" medical problems inherent in human nature.


Plot summary

The novel is narrated by an unnamed medical professor. One of his students, Bernard Langdon, had to interrupt his medical studies to earn money as a teacher, first at a public school, then at the Apollinean Female Institute. The schoolmistress of the institute is Miss Helen Darley, who is literally working herself to death. One of Langdon's students is the 17-year-old Elsie Venner, who purposely sits apart from the other students. She is known for being strange and quick to anger. She is only close to her father Dudley Venner, whom she calls "Dudley"; to her governess, Old Sophy; and to the town physician, Dr. Kittredge. Elsie's half-Spanish cousin Richard "Dick" Venner pays a visit at the Venner estate. Like Elsie, his mother died when he was a child and the two cousins were playmates in their childhood. Elsie, however, was rough on her cousin and once bit him hard enough to leave a permanent scar. Dick has become a skilled horse-rider and a bit of a trouble-maker, though stories of his escapades are unclear. Rumors abound that Dick has come to town to ask his cousin Elsie to marry him; in fact, he intends to marry her so that he can inherit his uncle's estate. Langdon is surprised to find a gift stuck in the pages of a book by
Virgil Publius Vergilius Maro (; 15 October 70 BC21 September 19 BC), usually called Virgil or Vergil ( ) in English, was an ancient Rome, ancient Roman poet of the Augustan literature (ancient Rome), Augustan period. He composed three of the most fa ...
on his desk at school. Pressed inside is an exotic-looking flower, known to be the type Elsie collects. Frightened yet intrigued that the girl has taken an interest in him, he resolves to climb the mountain and find her secret hiding-place. After climbing several precipitous rock formations, Langdon finds the source of the exotic flower. Investigating a cavern where he thinks Elsie hides out, Langdon is instead encounters a
rattlesnake Rattlesnakes are venomous snakes that form the genus, genera ''Crotalus'' and ''Sistrurus'' of the subfamily Crotalinae (the pit vipers). All rattlesnakes are vipers. Rattlesnakes are predators that live in a wide array of habitats, hunting sm ...
poised to strike. However, at that moment Elsie appears and calms the snake merely by looking at it. Intrigued, Langdon researches snakes, poisons, and the "evil eye". He captures some snakes and contacts his old professor for information. Doctor Kittredge recognizes the mutual interest between Langdon and Elsie, and recommends the former begin practicing with a pistol. In the meantime, Dick Venner continues cultivating a relationship with Elsie, and is jealous of Langdon. He also worries that Elsie's father might marry Miss Darley (and thus interrupt the expected pattern of inheritance). One night, Dick attacks Langdon with his lasso. Langdon shoots his pistol and kills Dick's horse but is injured in the melee. Dr. Kittredge's assistant appears, having been ordered to follow Dick and, after he publicizes the incident, Dick is run out of town. Elsie soon confesses her romantic interest in Langdon. Though he admits he is concerned about her as a friend, she is devastated by his rejection, and falls sick. During her illness, she calls for Miss Darley to attend to her. Miss Darley finally asks Old Sophy how Elsie's mother died, and it is implied that she was poisoned by a snake bite shortly before Elsie was born. During her illness, Elsie slowly loses her mysterious nature and softens enough to tell her father that she loves him. She dies shortly after.


Composition and publication

Holmes's medical background—he had studied medicine in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
when he was young and was a professor at
Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School (HMS) is the medical school of Harvard University and is located in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area, Longwood Medical Area in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1782, HMS is the third oldest medical school in the Un ...
when the novel was published—was an important influence on the novel's storyline, as well as its overriding themes. Two literary historians— Michael Rogin and
Michael Shelden Michael Shelden (born 1951) is an American biographer and teacher, notable for his authorized biography of George Orwell, his history of Cyril Connolly's ''Horizon'' magazine, his controversial biography of Graham Greene, and his study of the las ...
—have argued that the character of Elsie was inspired by Holmes's friendship with his summer neighbor in
Pittsfield, Massachusetts Pittsfield is the most populous city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Pittsfi ...
, the poet Sarah Morewood, whose mansion closely resembles the description of the house where Elsie lives. Alternatively, the character of Elsie Venner may have been modeled on the famous feminist pioneer
Margaret Fuller Sarah Margaret Fuller (May 23, 1810 – July 19, 1850), sometimes referred to as Margaret Fuller Ossoli, was an American journalist, editor, critic, translator, and women's rights advocate associated with the American transcendentalism movemen ...
, whom Holmes knew from his school days in Cambridge. ''Elsie Venner'' was Holmes's first novel, originally published serially in ''
The Atlantic Monthly ''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher based in Washington, D.C. It features articles on politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science. It was founded in 1857 ...
'' beginning in December 1859 as "The Professor's Story". It was first published as a stand-alone novel in 1861. It was republished in 1883 and 1891, each time with a new preface from the author.


Analysis

Holmes wrote in the second preface to ''Elsie Venner'' that his aim was "to test the doctrine of '
original sin Original sin () in Christian theology refers to the condition of sinfulness that all humans share, which is inherited from Adam and Eve due to the Fall of man, Fall, involving the loss of original righteousness and the distortion of the Image ...
' and human responsibility for the distorted violation coming under that technical denomination". The novel explores medical complexities, psychology, the origins of behavior and the certainties of religion. Scholars have identified various themes that might be the "grave scientific doctrine" Holmes purported to be exploring in the book, including early psychiatry, nervous disorders, contagiousness of disease, childbed fever, and more. Scholar Jonathan B. Imber notes that the novel also addresses contemporary tensions in what the public views as authority. According to Imler, Holmes was aware of the rising need for medical professionals during a period of declining influence from religious authority as people sought answers for their troubles and illnesses. Holmes personally rejected much of the conservative orthodoxy of his father's religion while also spending much of his life calling for doctors to recognize their own limitations. In the novel, Elsie is incapable of feeling true human emotions and exists in a sort of anesthetized state while causing strange emotional responses in people around her. She confesses to her governess later in the novel, "I cannot love anybody. What is love, Sophy?" The novel bears a resemblance to
Nathaniel Hawthorne Nathaniel Hawthorne (né Hathorne; July 4, 1804 – May 19, 1864) was an American novelist and short story writer. His works often focus on history, morality, and religion. He was born in 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts, from a family long associat ...
's short story " Rappaccini's Daughter", a tale which explored original sin several years before ''Elsie Venner'' was published. It is also often compared to Hawthorne's ''
The Marble Faun ''The Marble Faun: Or, The Romance of Monte Beni'', also known by the British title ''Transformation'', was the last of the four major romances by Nathaniel Hawthorne, and was published in 1860. ''The Marble Faun'', written on the eve of the Ame ...
'' (1860) in that both works discuss moral-theological questions in terms of psychology. Holmes himself referred to ''Elsie Venner'' as one of his "medicated novels", along with ''The Guardian Angel'' (1867) and ''A Mortal Antipathy'' (1885), because of the characters' health or mental problems which are "diagnosed" in the text.


Influence

It was in ''Elsie Venner'' that Holmes first coined the term
Boston Brahmin The Boston Brahmins are members of Boston's historic upper class. From the late 19th century through the mid-20th century, they were often associated with a cultivated New England accent, Harvard University, Anglicanism, and traditional Britis ...
, originally referred to as "the Brahmin caste of New England... the harmless, inoffensive, untitled aristocracy". Holmes used the term to describe Bernard Langdon who, while a resident of Boston, was also described as being from one of the lesser Ports. The novel was adapted into a 1914 silent film.


References


External links


''Elsie Venner'' at Project Gutenberg
* {{librivox book , title=Elsie Venner, author=Holmes 1861 American novels Medical novels Works by Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. American novels adapted into films 1861 debut novels