Nostromo: A Tale of the Seaboard

Sulaco is ruled by a wealthy elite of self-interested capitalists who extract profit from the labor of others. The inherent cynicism of this milieu makes the humanity and warmth of Emilia Gould all the more apparent. Her character is defined by contrasts, particularly the contrast between herself and her husband, Charles. As the only Englishwoman in Sulaco, she is somewhat unique. In spite of her status as a foreigner, however, she is well-liked by the rich and poor alike. She is not considered to be an outsider, but an essential part of the social fabric of Sulaco. Whereas Charles Gould is often considered to be cold and distant, Mrs. Gould’s reputation for jovial hospitality is known across the country. She is “highly gifted in the art of human Intercourse [conversation]” (36), which makes her an important part of the local social scene. Whereas Charles obsesses over his business concerns and hopes that the success of his mine will bring stability to the region, Emilia Gould exercises her own version of diplomatic soft power. She is a host and an entertainer, able to charm everyone who comes to Sulaco, from representatives of the railway company to local politicians. Whereas Charles is respected, Emilia is loved. This is made even more evident during times of turmoil. Mrs. Gould tends to the wounded and sets up a makeshift field hospital in the Gould house, helping anyone who has been hurt in the fighting. She is adored by Giorgio Viola, who praises her for going out of her way to help him. From visiting dignitaries to retired revolutionaries, everyone in Sulaco appreciates Emilia Gould.

Foremost among Emilia’s admirers is Dr. Monygham, who quietly loves Mrs. Gould her human qualities. She recognizes the “cruel dangers” (363) that the doctor has suffered in his life and she offers him a shot at redemption. Whereas other people in the town hate the doctor or distrust him, Mrs. Gould shows an immense reserve of sympathy by offering Monygham the chance at redemption. Her relationship with Dr. Monygham is also important as it helps to reveal the quiet tragedy of Mrs. Gould’s narrative arc. In the early chapters, her marriage to Charles Gould is shown to be built on mutual respect and affection. They meet abroad, and he brings Emilia back to Sulaco; she shares his determination to make the mine a success. Over time, however, Charles becomes increasingly obsessed with the mine. Mrs. Gould does not recognize the extent to which her husband has drifted away from her. From the perspective of outsiders such as Decoud and Monygham, however, the reader sees that the marriage between Charles and Emilia is not as it once was. Amid the chaos of the revolution, as the social fabric of Sulaco begins to unravel, Emilia is brought face-to-face with this reality. She can no longer deny that their marriage has changed. She loses her husband to the mine. Even after the revolution, after they have taken an extended vacation, Charles returns to Sulaco and immediately returns to the mine. Mrs. Gould remains married to Charles, but she must reckon with her emotional isolation. The Goulds may have kept hold of the mine during the revolution, but Mrs. Gould is left feeling as though she has lost her husband.

Martin Decoud is a young journalist swept up by the turmoil in Sulaco against his better judgement. Decoud’s youthful experience in Paris leads him to disparage his homeland and its recurring revolutions. In spite of Decoud’s stated distaste for Sulaco, he finds himself trapped in the country after falling in love with Antonia. He is appointed editor of a national newspaper, where his role requires that he publish frequent anti-Montero screeds, involving himself in a political conflict he long sought to avoid. Decoud’s own intellect makes him painfully aware of the irony and hypocrisy of the situation, in which he has spent years diminishing his countrymen as obsessed with revolution, only to find himself right in the center of a revolution that he cannot escape. 

Decoud loves Antonia but cannot hope to lure her away from Sulaco until the political situation is resolved. He hopes to solve the political crisis by encouraging Sulaco’s secession from the republic of Costaguana. To marry Antonia, he must split his country apart. Added to this, he knows that if Montero’s revolution succeeds, the inflammatory articles he has published will lead to his execution. Decoud, the former critic of his country’s obsession with revolutions, decides to start a revolution of his own. To fund his secessionist movement, he helps Nostromo to get the silver out of Sulaco. Left alone on the island with the treasure, however, the complexity and the contradictions of his situation begin to corrode his sense of identity. Alone with his thoughts, Decoud loses his sense of self and decides to take his own life. Decoud’s worst enemy is, as ever, himself. Rather than succeeding in splitting apart his country and forming a new nation, Decoud splits apart his own identity. Ironically, Decoud’s plan succeeds posthumously. The Occidental Republic splits from Sulaco and brings relative peace to the region, thanks to the silver mine and industry, just as Decoud predicted. Decoud becomes a hero of a revolution that he never truly wanted and which he did not see through to completion. The reluctant revolutionary is overrun by his own contradictions until he takes his own life, unable to recognize himself.

To the people of Sulaco, Dr. Monygham seems like a “a bitter, eccentric character” (35). Though he works for the mine and offers his important services to many of the local people, few ever warm to him. The only person who seems to have any kind of warm or empathetic relationship with Dr. Monygham is Mrs. Gould. The wealthy English woman is one of the few people who can sympathize with that the doctor has endured: during an earlier revolution, he was caught and tortured for information. Monygham blames himself for giving up information under extreme torture; he considers himself weak and a coward, a negative view fueled by the distrust of the community, even though the information he shared was useless to the torturers. The doctor knows himself to be flawed, while unable even to benefit from the credit due to a person who protected his friends. His isolation and cynicism are outward manifestations of self-loathing. Mrs. Gould alone understands the “cruel dangers” (363) that the doctor has endured, as well as the intensity of his loyalty toward the mine and toward the Goulds. Through his position at the mine, through his relationship with Mrs. Gould, he has been given a second chance at life. He may not be able to forgive himself for giving up information under torture, but he loves Mrs. Gould for offering him a chance at redemption, even if he does not view himself as worthy.

The doctor’s loyalty toward the Goulds motivates his actions during the revolution. He distracts Solito with the suggestion that the silver may be located in the harbor, creating a situation where Solito is too distracted by this possible wealth to do any more damage. Amid this situation, however, he comes into contact with Nostromo. The doctor does not like Nostromo, though he does work closely with him. They share a common anti-revolutionary goal, even if they come from different socio-economic backgrounds. Nostromo may resent the doctor for his closeness to the wealthy elite, but the doctor resents Nostromo for possessing the charisma and leadership he himself will never possess. Dr. Monygham ends the novel with the slightest of rewards. His trauma is not resolved, nor does he elevate himself in society. He makes few new friends, yet his relationship with Mrs. Gould is reaffirmed. He continues to love her from afar, a faint glimmer of human fondness which is all he will allow himself and all that he deems himself worthy of enjoying.