Picture Credits - Spoken Realms
“Make it a rule of life never to regret and never to look back. Regret is an appalling waste of energy; you can’t build on it; it’s only good for wallowing in.”
- Katherine Mansfield
A story of just a few hours, ‘Bliss’ s a literary masterpiece. Its intricately woven web of emotions and feelings is something remarkable. A satire on the lives of the bourgeoisie, ‘Bliss’ carefully presents the fact that things are never how they seem.
Bertha Young has a perfect husband, a beautiful child, a well enough house and a good life seemingly. It is only after reading the story that one realises how she has been blind to her own reality.
Introduction
Story’s name - Bliss
Writer’s name - Katherine Mansfield
Genre - Modernist Short Story
Language - English
Synopsis - Spoiler Alert!
Bertha Young is a young wife and mother, who loves to entertain. She is throwing a party at her house and invites her friends the Norman Knights, Eddie Warren and the beautiful Miss Pearl Fulton. As she makes the preparations for the party, Bertha has this intense feeling of joy that makes her want to dance and leap- this peculiar bliss.
As the party goes on Bertha feels the feeling growing and a special bond forming between Miss Fulton and herself and she is thrilled about it. But her world falls apart as the party comes to an end and she sees something that will change her life forever.
About the Writer
Picture Credits - Pinterest
Born Kathleen Mansfield on the 14th of October, 1888, she was one of the most prominent Modernist writers. She wrote many poems and short stories under the pen-name Katherine Mansfield. Leaving her home New Zealand at the young age of nineteen, she went on to settle in England and became well-acquainted with the Bloomsbury Group, especially Virginia Woolf.
Katherine Mansfield’s notable works include ‘In a German Pension’, ‘Bliss and Other Stories’, ‘The Doves’ Nest’, ‘The Garden Party and Other Stories, etc. She was diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis in 1917 and died at the age of thirty-four in France.
About the Story
‘Bliss’ starts on a fine afternoon with Bertha Young, our protagonist feeling this extremely intense feeling of nervous happiness and cannot possibly make any meaning of it. Bertha is planning on throwing a dinner party the same evening and is seen to be preparing for the same.
Lost in the thoughts of how she isn’t allowed to showcase any outer signs of emotions, be it excitement or her unknown bliss, she enters her home at dusk.
She then goes on to check on her child who the writer calls Little B and we see how the nanny sort of bars her from showing any affection towards her own child and she is only able to do so when the nanny leaves to draw the kid a bath.
Bertha then proceeds towards making preparations for the party and as she is admiring the fruit presentation on the table in the drawing room, she stares at the peach tree in her garden and how it is beautiful and full, just like her own life.
The party begins and is attended by the lovely couple called the Normal Knights, the young artist Eddie Warren and of course the young and beautiful Miss Pearl Fulton. The dinner goes on smoothly. They have meaningful conversations and Harry, Bertha’s husband, is being a perfect host. So much so, that Bertha feels this growing affection for her husband that she hasn’t really ever felt before.
The night comes to an end after a delightful dinner and conversations and as they are at the door saying their goodbyes, Bertha sees something that opens her eyes and makes her see how Harry has been unfaithful to her.
As Harry is putting on Pearl’s coat, he stops and caresses the nape of Pearl’s neck and they have a moment together. Bertha goes back to the drawing room to look at the garden; at the peach tree and wonders what the future is going to be like.
Themes Involved
Initially, the theme that presents itself is that of the position of women in a typical Victorian society. She has nothing of her own, even her own child. The autonomy of her own body is curbed by societal norms. So, she cannot dance, jump and leap as she wishes. So she cannot laugh too much or cry too much without the risk of being declared hysterical.
The second theme may be that of perception and reality. In the beginning of the story, we see how Bertha has the perfect life. She has a devoted and loving husband, a beautiful child and a wonderful home.
She has friends and is capable of hosting people, which was a big thing at the time. But as we proceed and come towards the end of the story, we get to know the reality of her life and how empty it really is.
Famous Quotes
“How idiotic civilisation is! Why be given a body if you have to keep it shut up in a case like a rare, rare fiddle?”
“How absurd it was. Why have a baby if it has to be kept- not in a case like a rare, rare fiddle- but in another woman’s arms?”
“But the pear tree was as lovely as ever and as full of flowers and as still.”
The Bottom Line
Bliss is a great short story for anyone who wants to dive into the intricately written and subtle literary pieces. It is written in very easy words and yet you need a sharp eye to really absorb the significant meaning behind those plain words. I suggest reading the story just for the beautiful literary experience of Katherine Mansfield’s work.
My ratings for the story - 5 on 5
Find the story right here - Bliss
Written By - Sakshi Singh
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