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In The Good Soldier, weak hearts represent moral failure, particularly regarding infidelity. At the beginning of the novel, John tells the reader that Florence and Edward both suffer from heart conditions, which is why they must spend several months of the year relaxing in Nauheim. At this point in the story, Florence and Edward’s weak hearts are nothing more than physical conditions. However, as the novel develops and John reveals that Florence and Edward are having an affair with each other, the symbolic significance of their weak hearts deepens. Traditionally, the heart is the organ most associated with love and passion, and the novel builds on these associations. Because Florence and Edward’s hearts are weak, they are willing to abandon John and Leonora in favor of each other. Eventually, John reveals that neither Florence nor Edward has a genuine heart condition—both faked their conditions for their own benefit. As such, by the end of the story, the symbol of the week heart loses its literal significance in favor of pure metaphor. Although Florence and Edward do not have hearts that are literally weak, they do have hearts that are symbolically weak. Their weak hearts lead to both the destruction of their marriages and the termination of their own lives (both characters eventually die by suicide).
Weak Hearts Quotes in The Good Soldier
The The Good Soldier quotes below all refer to the symbol of Weak Hearts. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Part 1, Chapter 3
Quotes
Yes, that is how I most exactly remember her, in that dress, in that hat, looking over her shoulder at me so that the eyes flashed very blue—dark pebble blue...
And, what the devil! For whose benefit did she do it? For that of the bath attendant? of the passers-by? I don't know. Anyhow, it can't have been for me, for never, in all the years of her life, never on any possible occasion, or in any other place did she so smile to me, mockingly, invitingly. Ah, she was a riddle; but then, all other women are riddles.
Related Characters:
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Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire The Good Soldier LitChart as a printable PDF.
Weak Hearts Symbol Timeline in The Good Soldier
The timeline below shows where the symbol Weak Hearts appears in The Good Soldier. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Part 1, Chapter 1
Both Florence and Edward Ashburnham have heart problems. Florence’s issues are the result of a difficult sea voyage, while Edward’s came from...
(full context)
Part 1, Chapter 2
...feels differently, John thinks it is his duty to keep Florence happy so that her heart stays healthy; as such, he always does as Florence says. Additionally, John ensures that he...
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...that his family had money. After being told by his doctor that he had a heart condition, Uncle John retired from his factory and spent the rest of his life traveling...
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...days prior to Florence herself. However, as it turns out, he did not have a heart condition. In the wake of these two deaths, John travels back to the United States...
(full context)
Part 1, Chapter 3
...strange look the first night they met, as though he was the one with the heart condition and not Florence. Nonetheless, he insists that he loves Leonora and would happily give...
(full context)
Part 1, Chapter 5
John thinks that his mission in life is to care for Florence and ensure her heart stays healthy. He constantly optimizes their travel plans around Florence’s health. Although Florence and John...
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Part 1, Chapter 6
...mistress. Upon realizing this, Maisie decided to leave immediately. However, while packing, she had a heart attack, died, and fell into her open trunk. Leonora found her body and showed it...
(full context)
Part 2, Chapter 1
Only after their marriage did Florence mention her heart condition to John. At the time, John assumes that Florence’s weak heart is why her...
(full context)
...employed. Together, Jimmy and Florence schemed ways to keep up the ruse of Florence’s delicate heart. Although previously John thought that Florence was never out of his sight, he realizes now...
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Part 2, Chapter 2
...affair heats up, even though Florence still can’t travel to England because of her fake heart condition. Due to the distance between them, Florence becomes jealous of Edward and constantly instructs...
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...Florence runs through the hotel door with a pale face and her hand on her heart. She sees John with Bagshawe, and the sight of them only upsets her further as...
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Part 3, Chapter 1
...suicide, which is also news to him. Previously, John assumed Florence died because of her heart condition. John admits that he is completely unbothered by Florence’s death. He does not feel...
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Part 4, Chapter 2
...Florence’s uncle wanted his money to go toward funding a treatment center for people with heart conditions because he thought suffered from one himself. However, in the aftermath of his death,...
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