Conrad and Masculinity

Vision, Power and Homosocial Exchange 165
I don’t know whether I really felt that I wanted a change, change
in my imagination, in my vision and in my mental attitude.
(‘Author’s Note’, SA, ix)
In a manner testifying to the clearness of my vision and the correctness
of my judgement.
(‘Author’s Note’, UWE, vii)
These notes also represent the creative process in terms of Conrad’s
ability to see his characters, but here a gendered distinction is apparent.
Conrad presents his heroines as objects of his enquiring or loving
gaze:
That’s why I long sometimes for another glimpse of the ‘beautiful
Antonia’ (or can it be the Other?).
(‘Author’s Note’, N, xiv)
Slowly the dawning conviction of Mrs. Verloc’s maternal passion
grew up to a flame between me and that background, tingeing it
with its secret ardour and receiving from it in exchange some of its
own sombre colouring.
(‘Author’s Note’, SA, xii)
It was at her, whom I call Lena, that I have looked the longest and
with a most sustained attention.
(‘Author’s Note’, V, xv)
His heroes, however, he presents rather as collaborators, as sustainers
of the creative impulse, as fellow watchers, seers, actors. So he
describes his wish to glimpse Antonia Avellanos once more as ‘the
idlest of dreams’ since ‘I did understand perfectly well ... that the
moment the breath left the body of the Magnificent Capataz ... there
was nothing more for me to do in Sulaco’ (‘Author’s Note’, N, xiv–xv).
The male protagonist authorizes Conrad’s presence, while the female
motivates his creative desire. Similarly he confesses that ‘I have lived
longest with Heyst’ (‘Author’s Note’, V, xv), and that ‘I let her [Lena]
go with Heyst, I won’t say without a pang but certainly without
misgivings’ (xvii). The language-teacher of Under Western Eyes is
described as an essential ‘eye-witness’ since otherwise Miss Haldin
‘would have had no one to whom she could give a glimpse of her
idealistic faith, of her great heart, and of her simple emotions’