Nitty Gritty: Edward

Continuing in our discussion of the characters and controversy of the Twilight series, let us consider:

In my opinion, Edward is certainly the hero of the series. Some would disagree. If he isn't, then who is? Jacob? Hmm...

Edward is certainly where a lot of the controversy regarding the series lies. The most common claim, of course, is that Edward is abusive. Some of the actions cited:

1. He grabs her by her jacket collar to prevent her from driving herself home after she fainted in Biology (Twilight)

2. He sabatoges her car, follows her, has Alice take her, etc. to keep her from Jacob (Eclipse)

3. He withholds sex from her as a punishment (Eclipse)

4. When they finally do become physically intimate, he is so rough with her it leaves her severely bruised (Breaking Dawn)

I find most of these criticisms ridiculous, because I believe those who espouse them are holding Edward to a double standard. They expect him to behave like he's a wise, mature, experienced being (like a 110-year-old vampire) while also expecting him to have comparable behavior to a typical teenager. In other words, when he behaves like a vampire, the criticism is based on him not being exactly like human 17-year-old boys, but when he behaves like a human 17-year-old boy, he's criticized for behaving like a vampire.

One of the things I love about Edward's character is this very dichotomy. He has been frozen, emotionally, at a stage in which he had not experienced a serious relationship. Emotionally, he is just as inexperienced as Bella. He makes mistakes, the same mistakes a guy in high school would make in his first relationship.

Take the first example: he grabs her by the jacket collar to prevent her from leaving. I don't want to go into too much detail, but I had several male friends in high school that would have (and did, frankly) treat me just like that. It was playful. It was flirtation. Sometimes it was annoying, but we were all learning how to behave like men and women. Why can't Edward experience this?

The "stalking" in Eclipse is very realistic, to me. The intensity of a first love often prompts people to behave irrationally. The fact that Edward recognizes his mistake, admits it, and changes his behavior despite his continuing jealousy says volumes.

I have to say, I believe that Edward is being victimized by the extreme hypersensitivity of today's society. Think about characters in some of the "classics" of romantic literature: Mr. Darcy, Mr. Rochester, Heathcliff, Romeo...by today's standards, are any of them truly admirable men? I don't think so. Some of the very criticisms leveled at Edward apply to these classic characters, but because we are able to view them through the lens of their time, we excuse their flaws. I think Edward needs the same consideration: one cannot judge Edward's actions and motivations unless one accepts Edward's reality.

I love Edward. I think he's a good person. And a fine hero.

The Vampire Bella

One of the things I really liked about Breaking Dawn was the ending section, after Bella becomes a vampire. I've understood that Bella's unique affinity for vampire life and her special power have become a source of criticism for some readers, who believe her ease in adjusting to vampire life was too "pat" and made for less drama then they wanted from the end of the saga.

I have to say, the main thing I loved about Breaking Dawn was the transformation of Bella. I think her strength and power was foreshadowed throughout the series, so I have no problem with her being an amazingly strong shield. I also didn't have a problem with her self-control; she was the only one of all of them who was prepared for her life as a vampire beforehand, so she was able to temper her natural instincts with thought.

I think Bella was always destined to become a vampire. Edward was 100% wrong: he wasn't some aberration who showed up and ruined her life, he was the one who was destined to bring her into the life she was always meant for.

I'm interested to see what others think.

Regarding Edward

Certainly one of the most polarizing figures in the series is Edward.  People seem to either really love him or view him as an abusive monster.

I love Edward.  For me, he evokes many of the dark, troubled heroes in some of fiction's greatest works.  I think he's got a little of Mr. Rochester, Mr. Darcy, Romeo, and Rhett Butler, as well as others.  What I like about Edward is that, although he is perfect for Bella, he is far from perfect, and he knows it.

Rob Pattinson's take on Edward was this: Edward has been in emotional cold storage since his transformation.  When he falls in love with Bella, it causes him to start feeling again, which makes all of his emotions intense, even painful.  I think a lot of Edward's actions, particularly in Twilight, make perfect sense when viewed through this lens.  His hot-and-cold treatment of Bella, his possessiveness, even his sneaking into Bella's house become, if not acceptable, understandable.

So what does everyone else think of Edward?

-Deb