‘The Villager’ is a compelling short story penned by the American author Shirley Jackson (1916-1965). This narrative delves into profound themes such as identity, longing, and the innate human desire to escape from the confines of reality. The story revolves around a woman who relocates to New York with aspirations of becoming a professional dancer. However, her visit to an apartment to purchase furniture leads her to briefly adopt the identity of another woman.
Summary
Miss Clarence, a woman in her mid-thirties, resides in Greenwich Village, New York City. Twelve years prior, she arrived in the city filled with dreams of a dancing career, yet her ambitions never materialized. Instead, she finds herself working as a stenographer for a coal company, now serving as a private secretary. Though she possesses her own apartment, her life feels mundane and deeply unsatisfying.
Responding to an advertisement in the Villager (a local newspaper in Greenwich Village), she decides to visit an apartment to inquire about purchasing furniture from its owners, Mr. and Mrs. Roberts. Upon her arrival, she discovers a note on the door indicating that Mrs. Roberts has stepped out briefly but will return by three-thirty. The note grants Miss Clarence permission to browse the furniture until her return.
As Miss Clarence explores the apartment, she deduces various things about the couple living there. Although she has already resolved not to buy any furniture, an inexplicable urge compels her to linger and investigate further. Initially dismissive of the apartment, she gradually recognizes that Mr. Roberts is an artist, while a book of dance photographs hints that Mrs. Roberts is a dancer, echoing Miss Clarence’s own unfulfilled dreams. Attempting a dance posture, she realizes it is not as effortless as it once was, resulting in a painful ache in her shoulders.
When the telephone rings, Miss Clarence answers and speaks to Mr. Roberts—whom she learns is affectionately called ‘Artie’. He expresses his excitement about an opportunity to go to Paris, presumably to advance his artistic career, which is the reason behind their decision to sell the furniture. It becomes increasingly apparent that the couple may be on the verge of separation, as Mrs. Roberts chooses not to accompany her husband to Paris but instead plans to return to her parents’ home.
Shortly thereafter, a young man named Harris arrives at the apartment, also interested in the furniture for sale. Mistaking Miss Clarence for Mrs. Roberts, she seizes the moment and pretends to be the homeowner, introducing herself as a dancer and referring to ‘her’ husband as ‘Artie’ to lend credibility to her deception.
Harris confides in her about his aspirations to become a writer, but after examining the furniture, he departs without making a purchase. Miss Clarence ultimately leaves the apartment just five minutes before Mrs. Roberts is scheduled to return, leaving a note claiming she remained until three-thirty. She returns to her own apartment, her shoulder aching from the dance move she attempted in the Roberts’ home.
Analysis
Jackson’s narrative deftly navigates several thought-provoking themes, particularly the yearning to escape from an ordinary, unremarkable existence and the pain of unfulfilled aspirations. Although Miss Clarence has no intention of purchasing Mrs. Roberts’ furniture, she seizes the opportunity to briefly inhabit the life of another woman, presenting herself as Mrs. Roberts to Mr. Harris.
However, Jackson layers her story with intricate ironies and subtle details that resonate thematically. Notably, Harris’s casual remark to Miss Clarence—that he is searching for a wife—carries weight when directed at a woman masquerading as someone whose marriage, it seems, is nearing its end. Just as Mr. Roberts has found success as an artist, aided by the support of a wife to nurture his talent and maintain their home, Mr. Harris seeks the same.
The irony lies in Miss Clarence’s failure to recognize that the woman whose identity she temporarily adopts, believing it to be more glamorous and successful than her own, is herself grappling with failure: Mrs. Roberts is on the brink of returning to her parents’ home, with only furniture remaining in the hollow shell of what was once a marital home.
Moreover, a seemingly minor detail merits attention: as Miss Clarence explores the Roberts’ apartment, she observes that the stove remains uncleaned, indicating a lack of cooking, and that Mrs. Roberts does not prepare coffee for her husband in the mornings. This neglect might be a contributing factor to the dissolution of their domestic life: her artist husband desires a wife who caters to his needs, while the aspiring dancer, Mrs. Roberts, is reluctant to take on the role of a traditional stay-at-home spouse.
In essence, while Miss Clarence envies the other woman’s perceived success as a dancer and her married life, the story subtly suggests that both of these so-called triumphs are hollow and deceptive—much like Miss Clarence’s own fleeting pretense as Mrs. Roberts.
The Character of Miss Clarence
Miss Clarence is portrayed as a multifaceted character within the succinct pages of this narrative, showcasing Shirley Jackson’s adeptness at characterization. Initially, she appears dismissive of the Roberts’ apartment and their furnishings; however, her perception shifts dramatically upon realizing that the woman in question is a dancer, similar to the aspirations Miss Clarence once held.
This rapid shift in perspective—transitioning from a sense of smug superiority to a yearning to inhabit the life of another—reveals a woman deeply dissatisfied with her current existence, constantly searching for validation and avenues of escape. Although she hesitates before answering the telephone in the Roberts’ apartment, she ultimately chooses to do so, signaling her initial desire to step into the role of the woman of the house.
Notably, it is Arthur Roberts, not Mr. Harris, who first confuses her with Nancy Roberts when he answers the phone: ‘When she said hello, a man’s voice said, “Nancy?”’ This moment serves as a subtle foreshadowing of Miss Clarence’s later actions, hinting at her subconscious longing to adopt the identity of another.
In a sense, from the very beginning, she is already on the path of assuming the role of Mrs. Roberts. These nuances reveal that Miss Clarence is not merely a passive character but an individual grappling with her own desires and the complexities of identity.