London and "The Romance of a Shop"

          The first stop on the tour focuses on the eldest of the Lorimer sisters, Fanny. Fanny is often described as the most traditional out of the sisters. In the novel, there is a strong sense of a conflict between the concept of a “new woman” and an “old woman”. Fanny, as a character, represents the classic, traditional “old woman” stereotype of this time period. It is noted that, “Frances Lorimer was behind the age. She was an anachronism, belonging by rights to the period when young ladies played the harp, wore ringlets, and went into hysterics.” (Levy ch. I…

This second stop focuses on Gertrude, and her lifelong pursuits within the literary arts. This second-eldest sister’s true passion is writing, although she often finds herself either unable to sell her work, or discarding it, such as when the novel describes how, when discussing her work Charlotte Corday; a tragedy in five acts, “its fate seemed uncertain; but it found its way ultimately to the basket.” (Levy ch. II). Nonetheless, Gertrude makes “frequent and fruitless visits to the region of Paternoster Row” (Levy ch. II) in hopes of selling her work.

This leads to the…

The third stop focuses on Lucy Lorimer. Lucy seems to be very practical, but she also seems to be the most determined. Specifically, in relation to themes surrounding feminism, Lucy epitomizes the idea of a “new woman”, generally acting as a woman ahead of her time. She is referred to as “a young girl of about twenty years of age; fair, slight, upright as a dart, with a glance at once alert and serene.” (Levy ch. I). Eventually, she finds herself getting married to Frank, who is highly compatible regarding her and the rest of her sisters’ endeavors. This leads to the third stop: St. Columb…

The fourth stop focuses on Phyllis, and her journey throughout the story. Phyllis was young and beautiful, and the focus of many men’s affection. She was young and wanted to be loved, so she was easily preyed upon by an older married man. The fourth stop of the tour is located at The Sycamores in St. John’s Wood. The Sycamores was a studio that belonged to Sidney Darrell, a wealthy married man. The significance of this location comes from the events surrounding Phyllis and Sidney Darrell. Phyllis has decided to run away with Darrell, so Gertrude and Lord Watergate went to the studio to…

The last stop of the tour focuses on all the Lorimer sisters, in their connections to one another. Throughout the novel the relationship of the sisters proves to run deep in their personalities and bonds. The women find a distinction among themselves with their roles in the family, “...Gertrude may be the cleverest, and Phyllis the prettiest, but Lucy is far and away the nicest of the Lorimer girls"(Levy ch. VI). In this sense the sisters inhabit their struggles and loneliness into a strength to depend on the predictability of one another. This sense is particularly seen near the beginning…