If We Were Villains

James, more than any other character in the novel, is a chameleon of an actor. Thus, being cast as Edmund draws out his dark side. His personality begins to change. James also begins to display shades of Lear as his guilt, his frustration over Oliver and Meredith’s romance, and his method acting drive him towards madness. Lear is known for the raving speeches of its title character; James, too, begins to enter a heightened state. He throws out disjointed quotes, embodying not just Edmund, but the spirit of the play itself. James’s habit of speaking in quotes is reminiscent of Richard. It also shows that he feels most comfortable playing a part, unlike Oliver. James tells Oliver he is no longer himself; it is now easier for him to be “Romeo, or Macbeth, or Brutus, or Edmund. Someone else” (338).

It is not just James who is shattering; Alexander’s overdose shows that the group’s secrets over Richard’s death are no longer tenable. Like the Ghost of Caesar in Julius Caesar and Banquo’s ghost in Macbeth, Richard’s ghost—representing the guilt of the group—haunts them to the point of madness or dissolution. Oliver experiences this guilt as well, as is evident in his dreams about Richard. Richard’s absence itself becomes a presence, as “he was more than a vacant bedroom, an unoccupied space in the library” (314).

The loose threads of the plot begin to converge towards their final act, or denouement. Oliver’s discovery of the burnt, blood-stained fabric indicates the impending reveal of Richard’s attacker. The dark undercroft where he hides the fabric is a metaphor for the collective subconscious of the group, crammed with memories of their actions. In hiding the fabric, Oliver shows that the group’s loyalty towards each other is still unwavering. He would rather hide evidence than get anyone in trouble.

The motif of the sparrow returns. By comparing James to a sparrow, Oliver is pointing to his elusiveness and fragility. Inhabiting various roles has left James himself difficult to pin down. The conflation of James and Richard further illustrates their similarities and hints that James, just like Richard, is heading down a dangerous and tragic path. Like the scene in which James hits OIiver, the scene of their reconciliation too is charged with intensity and fervor. The episode marks a watershed moment for Oliver, whose very intensity for James is a proclamation of love.