Silence vs. Expression

In class on Tuesday we touched on the idea of silence in the film Romance in a Minor Key, so I found it interesting that Silberman addresses this theme as well, especially since he adds in the theme of expression throughout the film as well. As Silberman points out, the Madeleine is characterized by her silence throughout the film, as she is oppressed and unable to fully express herself except through her affair with Michael. As we noted, her husband is always speaking at her and to her but never with her, for he never asks her questions to which she could respond. Furthermore, he is always assigning tasks to her, yet all the while making her feel respected and loved through his adoration of her, which only serves to further her guilt and her silence. Her inevitable silence is even seen in some of her moments with Michael, particularly in the scene when she will not answer his question about coming back to visit him, and also, as Silberman points out, in the scene in the countryside when she refuses to talk about what she is feeling for fear that it will then disappear if she says it aloud. This scene is very representative of Madeleine’s insecurities concerning her own ability to express herself, and her own sense of oppression and inferiority in terms of her social status as both a woman and a member of the middle class. Silberman notes that it is her fear that speaking her dreams aloud will only further remind her of their impossibility.

On the contrary, however, there is Michael, who as Silberman points out is the embodiment of “expression” due to the fact that he is an artist, and furthermore a composer, therefore it is job to always express his emotions. In fact, it is this sheer need to express something that initially leads him to Madeleine and her enigmatic smile. His effusive and dramatic personality plays off of Madeleine’s silence, for since she is “passive,” as Silberman describes, it is easy for Michael to project all of his emotions and inferences onto her. Overall, it seems that Kautner may be making a statement in the film about the erotic desire attached to women who appear passive and unthreatening, and the dire consequences that can result from projecting an image onto someone that they did not warrant.