The Upstart
Summary
The Upstart unveils a fascinating study in moral absolutism and its inevitable collision with human frailty. Coventry Petmore, a self-appointed crusader against the perceived social decay of loveless unions, abandons his own domestic sphere to champion an idealized form of marital bliss. His odyssey leads him to the stately, yet emotionally arid, residence of Judge Mitchell, a microcosm where the minister son's austere, affection-averse marriage to Beatrice languishes. Witnessing Beatrice's burgeoning enchantment with her chauffeur, Larry Price, Petmore intervenes with a meticulously choreographed, albeit presumptuous, scheme. He orchestrates Beatrice's feigned elopement, simultaneously coaching the minister on a grand, conciliatory gesture designed to rekindle their bond. Yet, the intricate machinations of Petmore's philosophy unravel spectacularly. Only a providential downpour and mechanical failure prevent Beatrice's genuine departure with Price. The judge, discerning Petmore's ill-advised meddling, swiftly expels him. Returning to his forsaken home, Petmore confronts the searing irony of his wife's own disappearance with her chauffeur, a mirror image of the very crisis he sought to avert. Despite this devastating personal refutation, his unwavering conviction in his abstract theories remains remarkably, perhaps tragically, intact.
Synopsis
One day Coventry Petmore leaves his wife and child to go out in the world and fight the social evils of divorce and loveless marriage. Circumstances lead him to the home of Judge Mitchell, where the judge's son, a minister, and his wife Beatrice reside. The minister does not believe in expressing affection to his wife, and Beatrice becomes enamored of her chauffeur Larry Price. Petmore encourages Beatrice to tell the minister that she is running away with Price, then surreptitiously coaches the minister to give a response that Petmore believes will win Beatrice back. The plan backfires, however, and only a rainstorm and car trouble prevent Beatrice and Price from running off. Getting wind of Petmore's role in the affair, the judge has him ejected from the household, and Petmore returns home to discover that his wife has run away with her chauffeur. Petmore's conviction in his theories remains unshaken, however.
