Foxglove
55 pages • 1-hour read
Adalyn GraceFoxglove
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Themes
Fate Versus Free Will
Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of gender discrimination and sexual content.
The question of which aspects of their lives humans control and which ones fate decides is an important one for the human characters in Foxglove. From the Prologue, Grace makes it clear that fate is real in the world of the series, personifying the concept in the character of Fate, who has control over human lives. Yet the author also creates a slight division between fate, the concept, and Fate, the character, noting that Fate is guided as he weaves his tapestries by a song that comes from somewhere else. When Fate sees the two changing tapestries in the Prologue, the narrator notes that “Whatever these monstrosities were, he had not created them” (13), demonstrating that he cannot completely control certain lives. When Signa learns of Fate’s powers, she balks at them, not wanting to let him have all the credit for her achievements. After her first meeting with Fate, the narrator observes that Signa does not like being referred to as a “creation” of Fate’s. She feels that the description removed her agency and suggests that she has not earned her success. This idea challenges Fate’s belief in his total control over humans, suggesting that Signa has free will to make her own decisions in life.
Despite Fate’s beliefs, Signa, Death, and particularly Blythe continually avoid the destiny Fate plans for them. Though he seems to have significant control over their lives, there are certain things beyond his reach, especially when it comes to other supernatural beings. For example, he was incapable of preventing Life’s death, and Signa and Death outmaneuver him at times, as when they influence the game of croquet. The narrator makes a point of noting all of the times Blythe has cheated Fate—something no other human has done—which add up to four by the end of the novel.
The narrative emphasizes the question of whether or not Fate’s control is absolute. For example, the revelation at the end of the novel that Blythe is the reincarnation of Life raises questions on whether Fate’s control only extends to human beings. When Death discovers that Blythe is the reincarnation of Life, he tells Signa that “fate always has a way of working itself out in the end” (358), despite the fact that Fate is convinced that Signa is Life. This contradiction complicates the idea of free will. While Grace provides evidence for both sides of the debate, the novel offers no clear answers to the question of whether humans have free will over their lives or they are preordained by fate.
The Power of Familial and Romantic Love
Love, both romantic and familial, greatly influences characters throughout the Belladonna series, and the novels often highlight this theme. The end of Belladonna emphasizes Signa’s blossoming love for Death, which continues to grow in Foxglove. However, the novel tests Signa’s love for Death with the introduction of another possible love interest. As Fate attempts to woo her and loosen memories of her previous life, Signa begins to question whether she has Life’s powers and have memories of a past life. Still, she prioritizes her love for Death and believes they are meant to be together, putting off her decision to be Fate’s wife so she can spend more time with Death. Even when she agrees to marry Fate, she does so believing that she can be with Death forever once she dies. Death, too, is unwilling to part with Signa unless she tells him to, and he is willing to risk everything to keep Fate from her. Along with Death and Signa’s love for one another, Fate’s love for Life drives the plot of Foxglove, motivating all of his decisions. The plot of the novel, for example, is set in motion by Fate’s broken heart and his conviction that the love of his life has reincarnated.
The novel suggests that romantic love and familial love sometimes conflict with each other. For example, the centuries-long rift between him and Death originates with Fate’s anger at her death of Life. Further, Signa’s willingness to sacrifice her love for Death to make Blythe happy inspires Blythe to make a similar sacrifice for Signa, prioritizing Signa’s romantic love and Elijah’s freedom over her own happiness.
In Belladonna, Signa makes many of her most impactful decisions for the sake of her family, particularly Blythe. Her love for her cousin carries on into Foxglove, where she puts Blythe’s needs and wants above her own and offers to sacrifice herself so that Elijah may be free. Though Signa agrees to let Fate court her so she can be closer to Death, she also makes a dangerous bargain with him to ensure that he will not harm Blythe. Signa tells Blythe about her powers and what she did to Percy because she cannot bear to see Blythe sad and scared of her. She also relinquishes her happy life at Thorn Grove because Blythe asks her to. Signa is even willing to marry Fate and leave the love of her life if it means freeing Elijah, knowing that she inadvertently caused the duke’s death, continuing to bear the brunt of making sacrifices for her family. Only recognizing Signa’s sacrifices in the final chapters of the novel, Blythe flips the script by making a major sacrifice for Signa’s freedom when she makes the blood oath that binds her to Fate. When Signa asks why Blythe did something she was fully prepared to do on her own, Blythe reminds her that she helped Blythe, showing the reciprocity of the love between the cousins. In this way, the love of both cousins for one another leads them to make personal sacrifices for the other’s happiness.
The Effects of Gossip and Rumors
Gossip and rumors often function as plot devices within Foxglove, relating important information to the characters and pushing them to make drastic choices. A false rumor catalyzes the plot of the novel when Fate accuses Elijah of murder. Fate claims this rumor only set in motion what was already fated, the fact that he spreads this information through whispers in a crowd alone shows the impact of gossip on the outside world.
The narrative often derides characters who spread gossip and rumors, with Blythe frequently calling characters like Eliza and Diana “vultures.” Yet Blythe also knows the importance of gossip when it comes to learning information and securing a good reputation. When she is investigating Julius’s murder, she invites the gossipy Charlotte, Eliza, And Diana over for tea, suspecting that they have vital information. Gossip leads to Blythe’s discovery that someone is poisoning Eliza and to the truth about Julius’s murder. Though often informative, gossip and rumor also have detrimental effects on various characters. The rumors that surround Signa and Elijah make people wary of the Hawthornes, leading Charlotte to suspect Signa has something to do with Percy’s disappearance. Charlotte’s suspicions lead to the rift between Signa and Blythe.
Rumors and gossip often proved fatal to a person’s reputation, and in the Victorian era a good reputation was paramount. The narrative illustrates this in several ways. For example, even before Elijah’s conviction, many of the Hawthornes’ friends turn from them for fear of being associated with a potential murderer. Signa and Blythe have to be particularly careful of their reputation, as a woman’s reputation was especially under scrutiny in the Victorian era. Blythe’s willingness to buck social propriety suggests she is both brave and determined. This willingness is evidenced by her confronting Fate, who was then a stranger to her, after he suggested that Elijah poisoned Julius. Throughout the novel, Blythe continues to toe the line of propriety by speaking out of turn, investigating the murder, and visiting Prince Aris’s home on her own—an action that could have ruined her reputation and future prospects. The narrative situated Byron as Blythe’s counterpart on this subject, showing him to be especially concerned about how women present themselves in society. For example, he tells Blythe and Signa to focus on building the family’s reputation, as “all ladies your age are meant to” (48). Further illustrating the importance of reputation and sowing positive rumors, the Hawthornes agree that their reputation is key to determining Elijah’s fate. This agreement leads to their decision to court Prince Aris’s good graces. Though gossip and rumor ruin lives and reputations, this dynamic also suggests that the same means can restore them.
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