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nini23 's review for:
Killing Stella
by Marlen Haushofer
Translated from German to English by Shaun Whiteside.
Another outstanding work by Marlen Haushofer, this short novelette(?) preceding The Wall. This one wrestles with the complicity of silence; we are once again caught in the internal inward world of a woman and her spiralling thoughts. While it could be a domestic 'horror,' this commonplace situation of an older established man seducing a young inexperienced girl happens in many settings, like universities, offices, politics etc. I am probably in the minority when expressing the opinion that the wife Anna should not shoulder blame over what happened. Women tear themselves up in guilt, in shame over things they have little control over. Replaying the same events over and over, wondering how they could have done better. In this instance, the rapacious lustful unfaithful husband is the problem and of course, he is not losing any sleep with guilt or self-blame. He's a lawyer who helps other sleazy men get out of paying alimony! Sadly, this situation and dynamic is quite familiar even in this modern age (MeToo). The system is rigged that allow men sitting on the top echelons of power to get away with assault, rape and murder. What could Anna have said to Stella to warn her? Would Stella have listened? Even with the upbringing she had, did Stella not comprehend that she was accessory to destroying a marriage for a couple that had taken her in? Is Stella really an apt comparison to the helpless little bird that fell out of a nest? That being said, relationships with a wide power differential and significant age gap may benefit from an opportune word of warning to the disadvantaged party whose life could be ruined by the experience.
Eminently readable, Haushofer once again stirs up emotion and raises questions for me about the unfair strictures of a sexist society. Ultimately, it's akin to a trap with no real answers until the system changes.
Another outstanding work by Marlen Haushofer, this short novelette(?) preceding The Wall. This one wrestles with the complicity of silence; we are once again caught in the internal inward world of a woman and her spiralling thoughts. While it could be a domestic 'horror,' this commonplace situation of an older established man seducing a young inexperienced girl happens in many settings, like universities, offices, politics etc. I am probably in the minority when expressing the opinion that the wife Anna should not shoulder blame over what happened. Women tear themselves up in guilt, in shame over things they have little control over. Replaying the same events over and over, wondering how they could have done better. In this instance, the rapacious lustful unfaithful husband is the problem and of course, he is not losing any sleep with guilt or self-blame. He's a lawyer who helps other sleazy men get out of paying alimony! Sadly, this situation and dynamic is quite familiar even in this modern age (MeToo). The system is rigged that allow men sitting on the top echelons of power to get away with assault, rape and murder. What could Anna have said to Stella to warn her? Would Stella have listened? Even with the upbringing she had, did Stella not comprehend that she was accessory to destroying a marriage for a couple that had taken her in? Is Stella really an apt comparison to the helpless little bird that fell out of a nest? That being said, relationships with a wide power differential and significant age gap may benefit from an opportune word of warning to the disadvantaged party whose life could be ruined by the experience.
Eminently readable, Haushofer once again stirs up emotion and raises questions for me about the unfair strictures of a sexist society. Ultimately, it's akin to a trap with no real answers until the system changes.