theEscapismofDensherintheWingsoftheDove

1.IntroductionThe wings of the Dove is a famous movie directed by lan Softley.It was first released in theUnited States in November 7,1997.According to the novel of the same name by American writerHenry James,the film tells that Kate and Morton are truly devoted men and women,but they wantto cheat Millie's story in order to achieve the combination of two people.Kate Croy and Merton Densher are two betrothed Londoners who desperately want to marrybut have very little money.Kate is constantly put upon by family troubles,and is now living withher domineering aunt,Maud Lowder.Into their world comes Milly Theale,an enormously richyoung American woman who had previously met and fallen in love with Densher,although shehas never revealed her feelings.Her travelling companion and confidante,Mrs.Stringham,is anold friend of Maud.Kate and Aunt Maud welcome Milly to London,and the American heiressenjoys great social success.With Kate as a companion,Milly goes to see an eminent physician,Sir Luke Strett,becauseshe worries that she is suffering from an incurable disease.The doctor is noncommittal but Millyfears the worst.Kate suspects that Milly is deathly ill.After the trip to America where he had metMilly,Densher returns to find the heiress in London.Kate wants Densher to pay as much attentionas possible to Milly,though at first he doesn't quite know why.Kate has been careful to concealfrom Milly (and everybody else)that she and Densher are engaged.With the threat of serious illness hanging over her,Milly decides to travel to Venice with Mrs.Stringham.Aunt Maud,Kate and Densher follow her.At a party Milly gives in her Venice palazzo(the older Palazzo Barbaro,called "Palazzo Leporelli"in the novel),Kate finally reveals hercomplete plan to Densher:he is to marry Milly so that,after her presumably soon-to-occur death,he will inherit the money they can marry on.Densher had suspected this was Kate's idea,and hedemands that she consummate their affair before he will go along with her plan.Aunt Maud and Kate return to London while Densher remains with Milly.Unfortunately,thedying girl leams from a former suitor of Kate's about the plot to get her money.She withdrawsfrom Densher and her condition deteriorates.Densher sees her one last time before he leaves forLondon,where he eventually receives news of Milly's death.Milly does leave him a large amountof money despite everything.But Densher does not accept the money,and he will not marry Kateunless she also refuses the bequest.Conversely,if Kate chooses the money instead of him,Densher offers to make the bequest over to her in full.The lovers part on the novel's final pagewith a cryptic exclamation from Kate:"We shall never be again as we were!"2.Summary of EscapismGenerally,escapism meas not to be confused with Escapology,the art of escaping physicalmeans of restraint.Escapism is the avoidance of unpleasant,boring,arduous,scary,or banalaspects of daily life.It can also be used as a term to define the actions people