Captain+Barfoot

Who is Captain Barfoot, anyway? I realize that he is a member of the Royal Navy, and that he is currently stationed in Scarborough. He is more confusing, though, when you consider him in reference to his relationship with Mrs. Flanders. She writes "many-paged, tear-stained" letters to him, which strongly implies that they're in a romantic relationship. He's also not a little-known being in her home, as the Archer was worried about the steamer sinking. She assured him by saying that "the Captain's in bed long ago." If her children know who he is, clearly it's more personal and permanent than a passing relationship. Does anyone have any thoughts on how close the two really are?1199817428

I won't lie, I began to read chapter 2. The very first part of chapter 2 is a discussion of some sort between the townsladies, I presume. They are talking about Mrs. Flanders and Captain Barfoot and one of the ladies says that he comes every Wednesday "'as regular as clockwork, and never brings his wife.'" We also know that Mrs. Flanders is a widow, so I presume that they have some sort of close relationship. The fact that she becomes so emotional over his letters makes me think that he means a lot to her, and NVa's point about the children knowing Captain Barfoot well is very true. I wonder to what extent their relationship is because there may be the possibility of remarriage. I am not sure. I guess the more we read will, the more we will learn. 1199818545

I thought that it is possible that the captian is a close family friend who possibly sailed with the late Mr. Flanders. He could have been like an uncle to the kids, which is why they were worried about him. Also, Mrs. Flanders would write to him because he would share her sense of great loss. 1199818931

Yea I had the same idea as you NVa after I read the first chapter. The emotion she showed while writing the letter would seem to indicate a romantic relationship. However, knowing what PTr said I would now say that Barfoot is probably a friend of Mr. Flanders. I just can't see Mrs. Flanders being in an extra-marital relationship with the married Barfoot and then being open about it with her kids. Although the Flanders family being maybe a second family for Barfoot to his own in Scarborough would be good for an interesting plotline. 1199822374

I also was confused about Cpt. Barfoot, since nothing in terms of background about his relationship with Mrs. Flanders was revealed in chapter one. However, I think it is safe to conclude that Mrs. Flanders has a hard life taking care of her boys and is probably lonely, especially given the thoughts of the rector's wife that Mrs. Flanders is unprotected by the fortress of marriage. Judging from her letter, it seems that Mrs. Flanders was recently forced to move and is now living in a boarding house of some sort, and I think it is natural that she would want some sort of adult companionship. She lacks any other understanding outlet for her feelings, and thus she would pour out all of her problems in those "many-paged, tear-stained" (p. 1) letters to Barfoot. And, as Patrick said that Barfoot comes to visit her every week, this must be a pretty deep, committed relationship, given that "Scarborough is seven hundred miles from Cornwall: Captain Barfoot is in Scarborough: Seabrook is dead." (p. 1).

However, I have a question, and perhaps it can shed some light on this subject: Who/what is Seabrook? 1199836691

I agree with Karich that they are not in a romantic affair. I hardly think it likely that the children would approve of their widow mother having a fling with the married captain. My take on it is different. At the moment, the two are "just friends." Mrs. Barfoot does not approve even of this, and therefore does not come along. However, Mrs. Flanders deeply admires the captain, and wants to tell him just how highly she thinks of him. but she can't. Thus the tears. I think that Mrs. Flanders wants to be more than friends with barfoot, but she knows that this cannot happen. Thus, again, the tears.1199846671

Lsi- Seabrook was Mrs. Flanders's husband. He is dead and now she is a widow. As far as Barfoot goes, I think that the relationship between him and Mrs. Flanders is definitely more than friends. Like PTr said, in the very beginning of Chapter Two, we see some gossiping from I can only presume village ladies. Their speech gives the impression that Mrs. Flanders and Captain Barfoot have an intimate relationship. We now know that Mrs. Flanders has been a widow for two years, the women think that it is odd that she hasn't married but the reason is Barfoot. It seems like she is involved with him, so obviously she wouldn't want to marry someone else. We also get more background information about Barfoot in Chapter two. From the women's comments ("But that's Ellen Barfoot's fault. she doesn't put herself out for no one." page 8) it seems that Barfoot and his wife do not have a very intimate relationship. Mrs. Barfoot is in a wheelchair. We also learn that Barfoot does not have a son. I think that there is quite a bit of evidence that Barfoot and Mrs. Flanders are more than friends. 1199916290

I wouldn't say that Mrs. Flanders and Captain Barfoot are in a romantic relationship but I think they both want to be romantically involved. There could be many reasons for them not being involved: Mrs. Barfoot, the still recent death of Seabrook, Mrs. Flanders' children, the gossiping neighbors, Cpt. Barfoot's involvement in the navy and therefore possible relocation. It seems that although the two are interested in one another, they are holidng back because many factors are working against them. I believe that they try to display their relationship as close friends so that people don't wonder or gossip about their involvement, and of course the children know that he comes to visit and that he writes their mother letter so she can't very well deny their relationship but it seems it would be easiest if it stayed a friendship. 1199935010

I agree with dru because they are not in a romantic relationship, but I am not sure that they are holding back because they are worried about town gossip. Yes, many factors are working against them, most significantly, the immense distance they must travel to see eachother between Scarborough and Corwall. I can understand your point about gossip as Betty lives on Dodds Hill, which the whole community sees and gossips about, but Woolf provides no evidence to support that Betty and Barfoot actually care about potential gossip. Instead, all one can infer from the circumstances is that both need some sort of higher level companionship. As of the end of chapter 2, Woolf has also not provided enough evidence for the reader to see that Betty and Barfoot are in a romantic relationship. Betty does shed tears when she writes her letters, as the beginning of chapter 1 points out, but we simply do not have evidence to believe that these tears are solely for wanting to engage more fully in a romantic relationship. A number of things are bugging Betty at this point such as her status as a widow. Betty sees Barfoot as a refuge of sanity amidst her sorrowful and busy, kids cause busyness, lifestyle. But that is all we have evidence for: we cannot yet determine possible romance or the effect that gossip has upon their relationship. 1200012342

As I said before, they are not in a romantic relationship. I also said earlier that I believed Mrs. Flanders wanted more than just friendship with the Captain. I'm now thinking that the captain has the same desire. I mean, think about it. He travels hundreds of miles, every week, to visit Mrs. Flanders. Only someone in love would do something that crazy. furthermore, the captain conspicuously does not tell his wife where he is going. There have been a multitude of takes on this, but I think that the captain does this because he does not want his wife to feel avoided and thus become suspicious. She is an invalid, and therefore I think that the Captain would rather be with someone who was healthy. But this will never blossom into a romance. Mrs. Flanders is still haunted, perhaps excessively, by the memory of her dead husband.1200019302 oh, bro tom. thanks for reminding me. But the fact that he DID make the journey, numerous times, still confirms my point.

JHe, I think you're assuming that Mrs. Flanders is still in Cornwall. That ended in Ch. 1. From Ch. 2 on, she is in Scarborough - the same town Barfoot is in. So he's not traveling far at all.1200024002

I do not think that Mrs. Flanders and Captain Barfoot are in a romantic relationship because at that time Mrs. Flanders having a romantic relationship with a married man would be greatly looked down upon by society. Perhaps Mrs. Flanders is trying to protect her reputation and the reputation of her children. She seems like a caring person and I think she would think about her children who have their whole lives ahed of them before she thinks about herself. However, because her husband is dead and Barfoot's wife is an invalid I think that they are both lonely and are both benefitting from a close friendship. I think they both have a certain emptiness in their lives that can only be filled by the opposite sex.1200150368

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