Elsie Venner  

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Elsie Venner: A Romance of Destiny is an 1861 novel by American author and physician Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. Later dubbed the first of his "medicated novels", it tells the story of a young woman whose mother was bitten by a rattlesnake while pregnant, which imbued the child with some characteristics of the reptile. Bernard Langdon, who takes a teaching job at Elsie's school, becomes curious about her, even as he slightly fears her.

The novel explores themes of original sin and human nature. Its title character may have been inspired by a woman that Oliver Wendell Holmes knew while living in western Massachusetts. Holmes began serializing the novel, his first, in 1859. Along with two other books, Holmes termed Elsie Venner one of his "medicated novels" because of his attempts to "diagnose" medical problems inherent in human nature.

Plot summary

The novel is narrated by an unnamed medical professor. One of his students, Bernard Langdon, had to interrupt his medical studies to earn money as a teacher, first at a public school, then at the Apollinean Female Institute. The schoolmistress of the institute is Miss Helen Darley, who is literally working herself to death. One of Langdon's students is the 17-year-old Elsie Venner, who purposely sits apart from the other students. She is known for being strange and quick to anger. She is only close to her father Dudley Venner, whom she calls "Dudley"; to her governess, Old Sophy; and to the town physician, Dr. Kittredge.

Elsie's half-Spanish cousin Richard "Dick" Venner pays a visit at the Venner estate. Like Elsie, his mother died when he was a child and the two cousins were playmates in their childhood. Elsie, however, was rough on her cousin and once bit him hard enough to leave a permanent scar. Dick has become a skilled horse-rider and a bit of a trouble-maker, though stories of his escapades are unclear. Rumors abound that Dick has come to town to ask his cousin Elsie to marry him; in fact, he intends to marry her so that he can inherit his uncle's estate.

Langdon is surprised to find a gift stuck in the pages of a book by Virgil on his desk at school. Pressed inside is an exotic-looking flower, known to be the type Elsie collects. Frightened yet intrigued that the girl has taken an interest in him, he resolves to climb the mountain and find her secret hiding-place. After climbing several precipitous rock formations, Langdon finds the source of the exotic flower. Investigating a cavern where he thinks Elsie hides out, Langdon is instead encounters a rattlesnake poised to strike. However, at that moment Elsie appears and calms the snake merely by looking at it.

Intrigued, Langdon researches snakes, poisons, and the "evil eye". He captures some snakes and contacts his old professor for information. Doctor Kittredge recognizes the mutual interest between Langdon and Elsie, and recommends the former begin practicing with a pistol. In the meantime, Dick Venner continues cultivating a relationship with Elsie, and is jealous of Langdon. He also worries that Elsie's father might marry Miss Darley (and thus interrupt the expected pattern of inheritance). One night, Dick attacks Langdon with his lasso. Langdon shoots his pistol and kills Dick's horse but is injured in the melee. Dr. Kittredge's assistant appears, having been ordered to follow Dick and, after he publicizes the incident, Dick is run out of town.

Elsie soon confesses her romantic interest in Langdon. Though he admits he is concerned about her as a friend, she is devastated by his rejection, and falls sick. During her illness, she calls for Miss Darley to attend to her. Miss Darley finally asks Old Sophy how Elsie's mother died, and it is implied that she was poisoned by a snake bite shortly before Elsie was born. During her illness, Elsie slowly loses her mysterious nature and softens enough to tell her father that she loves him. She dies shortly after.




Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Elsie Venner" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.

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