Mrs Light’s selfish desires, nonetheless, are too simplistic an interpretation for the nuances of James’s literary creation, yet when viewed from a different perspective: one can also see that James depicts her actions to be well intended – bordering on an act of maternal love. If the prince were hypothetically poor like Roderick, then for what other reasons would the elder woman push her daughter into marrying the nobleman? The answer to which James is suggesting is that Mrs Light does not want the personal misfortunes of her family history to repeat itself – that is precisely what she fears may be the case if Christina were to marry Roderick. Throughout Roderick Hudson, James recounts stories in which a frustrated artist is either a physical abuser or a…show more content… Mrs Light may be shrewd enough to realise that Roderick’s artistic genius is on the wane, and accordingly will be reduced to the unexceptional. When viewed from this perspective, one can see Mrs Light’s need to protect Christina from such dangers as selfless.
There is, however, a slight flaw in this viewpoint, as this error will become self-evident to the reader later on, when Mrs Light paradoxically confesses to Rowland, “She didn’t care a button for Hudson. I almost wish she did; then perhaps one might understand it.” (175) Furthermore, Mrs Light’s about-face indicates that she understands Christina’s attraction for Roderick, and because of that, she almost wishes her daughter reciprocated Hudson’s love. Why would she say such a thing? The answer that James is alluding to is essentially the pursuit for wealth and aristocratic titles has gradually transformed the mother into a self-centred creature; moreover, the elder woman is, to some extent, ashamed in addition to feeling a little guilt for the way with which she has inculcated Christina to treat
