The Reader and the Writer

Welcome to this final episode of The Constant Nymph, by Margaret Kennedy. In this episode, Shari and Rhea discuss Tessa as the constant nymph, Kennedy’s dark motif of “belonging” (death by possession), and all the ways she uses famous poetry to enliven these ideas. And then there is the Othello connection: the Shakespearean tragedy of destructive jealousy, perceived love-triangles, and the devastating spiral of a soul. Finally, they discuss one fellow reader’s excellent question that connects The Constant Nymph to Middlemarch, and those themes of romance, realism, bohemianism, and those circumstances (lifestyles) that stunt the actualization of a human into full being.
Here is the outline for this episode (This is the last week the outlines will be available for free):
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Welcome back to The Constant Nymph by Margaret Kennedy. In this episode, Shari and Rhea talk about the character Rhea loves to hate and Shari hates that she loves (not really… for either of us). They compare the new married couples of the story: how they are alike, how they differ; what drives them together and may ultimately drive them apart. They talk extensively of the artist’s muse: Who is Lewis’s muse? Who might Lewis unknowingly be the muse for? And they talk about sacred things: art, beauty, and what makes the beautiful life? Is art its own justification? Or is always in service of the “business of living beautifully”? Is chaos necessary to make the muse? Are beauty and danger inseparable?
What do you think??
Below is this week’s outline complete with discussion questions for using in a group, or for your own musing. Just a reminder, starting in September all our outlines will be available behind a paywall. You can learn more about our new subscription options in this post.

Thanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you’re loving The Constant Nymph as much as we are, show it some ❤️, and share it with an artist you know.

The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our literary efforts, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.



Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to our close reading of The Constant Nymph by Margaret Kennedy! In this episode, Shari and Rhea introduce the story, give a short background of its evolution and success, then dive into the narrative. They talk about Kennedy’s wicked talent with characterization, and how she is able to create characters that are both vividly real and also “types” for her satirical purposes. They discuss the wild Sanger children and those adults in their lives—who they are drawn to, who they aren’t. They wonder whose point(s) of view will rise to the top; who the story will ultimately be about. They notice the bubbling up of the sacred and wonder how it will develop as a theme as the story continues.
Be sure to check out Rhea’s Reading Guide for The Constant Nymph.
Below you will find a PDF of this episode’s outline. For more information on future subscription access to our episode outlines (as discussed at the beginning of today’s episode), read the beginning of this post.
Thanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you enjoyed this episode, please ❤️ it and share it with others.

The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our literary work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.



Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Book 7 of Middlemarch, by George Eliot. In this episode, Rhea and Shari discuss character arcs, compassion and pity, fate and freewill, duty and desire. They consider the way Eliot developed each character and how this has affected our personal feelings of different characters. And they wonder what the “two temptations” really are, both at the story level and meta level.
Only one more book to go!
Here is the show outline with questions for discussion:
If you’re interested in learning more about R&W’s new subscription options beginning in September, read the beginning of this essay:
Thanks for listening to this podcast episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you liked this episode, ❤️ it and share it with other Middlemarch loving friends!

The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our literary work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.



Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to our last episode of A History of the Island. In this episode, Rhea and Shari consider questions like: What is the final significance of the Publisher’s Note at the beginning of the novel? Is this novel an allegory for Ecclesiastes? Can we ever fully understand the past on this side of eternity? What do we make of Jean-Marie’s shift in his design for his film? What role does fate and freewill each play in the making of history? And more.
Below you will find our outline for this final episode. If you love having outlines to the books we discuss, we will be making these available every week behind a paywall beginning in September. (They will be available for all during the month of August for your perusal.) Outlines are great for reading with others, or as a study guide if using for self-study or in a class setting.
If you’d like to learn more about our paid subscription options, read the beginning of this post:
Our next close read is The Constant Nymph, by Margaret Kennedy. This is R&W’s second Kennedy novel. We read (and loved!) The Feast in 2025.
Here is the reading schedule:
* Episode 1 | Aug 11: Chapters 1-8
* Episode 2 | Aug 18: Chapters 9-16
* Episode 3 | Aug 25: Chapters 17-24
Thanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you like this episode, ❤️ it and share it!

The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our literary work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.



Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe