Why do you think Victoria was so vengeful toward Lady Flora?
Created: 01/11/17
Replies: 21
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I don't think it was so much that she didn't like Lady Flora as much as it was she didn't like Conroy. I think she thought ff she could prove that Conroy fathered Lady Flora's child then her mother would no longer be under his influence.
Join Date: 05/08/11
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I think she was a teenager in a snit who was feeling she finally had some power and was eager to use it. SHe felt that Lady Flora was on the same side as her mother and Conroy. She was trying to "get back" at them for perceived wrongs.
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Victoria grouped Lady Flora with Conroy and her mother, whom Victoria knew were trying to control her and gain power. Conroy was the real culprit, and her mother was being used, buy Victoria saw them all as one. She acted rashly against Lady Flora and it hurt her standing with the people. It was indeed a vengeful act.
Join Date: 02/23/14
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In some ways I think it was a misplaced, vindictive dig at her mother. Given that Lady Flora had something (the appearance of a pregnancy) that Victoria could more easily chase on moral grounds (however misplaced) allowed her to grind at the shadow of her feelings toward her mother by attacking someone close to her.
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Did anyone else think that Flora ended up dying from the complications of an abortion? The passages about Flora didn't specify that she was being examined and then I feel like she just went downhill from there. I thought she was actually pregnant, had it taken care of before her examination by the doctors, and then died of the complications. Did anyone else read the scenes that way?
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I thought possibly ovarian cancer. Never crossed my mind that there could have been an abortion or that Conroy was involved. The timeliness of Victoria's decision for an examination seemed unreasonable. I wonder if that has any verification with actual history, or if it was the author's decision.
Join Date: 04/25/12
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I agree with most of the comments above. I believe Victoria grouped Lady Flora with her mother and Conroy. She highly resented her mother's attachment to Conroy and Conroy's attempt to dictate her actions. Consequently, she rejected any attempt by Lady Flora to give her advice and also resented her intrusions. I also felt that Victoria was a bit naive and strait-laced when it came to morals and this too fed her attack on Flora.
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Davina is right, the historical record shows it was liver cancer (there was a postmortem, according to four different major biographers). The novel made clear, I thought, that the two doctors agreed it was a tumor and she was gravely ill. I think there is never just one motive for such strong feelings as Victoria had toward Lady Flora in the novel. Goodwin to her credit shows us several: Victoria not only resents Lady Flora's collusion with her mother and Conroy in the system of isolated upbringing that kept her a prisoner (that is historical fact), she also has had ample lectures and little "digs" from Flora (like the remark about picking out ladies in waiting who were "not above average height"). And finally, in the novel at least, she has misleading information from a trusted source, Lehzen, someone with her own set of grievances on Victoria's behalf.
Join Date: 10/25/12
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This whole scenario was based on gossip with tragic outcomes. Times really don't change. Victoria just needed that little bit of doubt to set up a situation that could have rid her of Lady Flora, Conroy, and possibly her mother's dominance in one fell swoop. Victoria was looking to break away from all of their dominating demands. However, had she heeded Lord Melbourne's advise, her reputation would not have been in question. Her young age, her emotional thinking and impetuous decision had negative consequences for her personally.
Join Date: 10/09/14
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While the answers posted above are probably true, I think another possible reason for Victoria's reaction to the rumor of Flora's pregnancy was that in her own family many of her male ancestors had been involved with mistresses and scandal. Victoria became well known in later life for her strict sense of morals and correct behavior. This inclination may have been an essential part of her personality, even in childhood, and caused her to react with such disgust to any hint of scandal in her household.
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I am sorry how she treated Lady Flora. She felt that all three, her mother, Sir John Conroy and Lady Flora were in charge of her during her childhood and she now blamed all three for her isolated upbringing. She wanted Conroy and Lady Flora out of her life.
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