Benches by the river (The Pretext)

The two benches by the river are the setting to which Guy Dawnish leads Mrs. Margaret Ransom after her sudden feeling of faintness and where he probably wants to confess his feelings to her but is stopped by his female companion. The spot is located south of the university campus behind the bronze statue of a patriot and can be reached by a path which leads through some bushes (Lewis, 1968, p. 641). In front of the two benches is a river which goes around a curve and, with another few hundred meters in between, separates Wentworth University and South Wentworth and Smedden. This simulates “the leisurely pace of an ancient university stream” (Lewis, 1968, p. 641). Further, there are willows on the bank of the river and a “stretch of turf extending from the grounds of Hamblin Hall to the boathouses at the farther bend.” (Lewis, 1968, p. 641). This spot seems to be a peaceful place not belonging to the setting of the story and a scene to escape the monotonous daily life at Wentworth. This could be a reason why Guy Dawnish choses this exact spot to go to with Mrs. Margaret Ransom.

Source:

Lewis, R. W. B. (1968). The Collected Short Stories of Edith Wharton. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.