Page "Harvest Home (novel)" Paragraph 9

The Constantines ' marriage has begun to unravel again.

Beth had hoped to have another child, but Ned learns that he is sterile.

Beth, aware of Tamar's designs on him, grows distrustful of Ned.

Ned dislikes and distrusts the rapacious Tamar, but finally has sex with her in which she dominates him, symbolizing the ancient homage that men are forced to pay to the earth goddess.

Robert Dodd explains to Ned the matriarchal pagan fertility religions of antiquity, and advises Ned to steer clear of Harvest Home at all costs: previous discovery of the secrets of these rites by any man has always resulted in dire consequences, which Dodd has suffered himself.

Dodd removes his dark glasses showing that his blindness is the result of his eyes having been gouged out in retaliation for observing the sacred ritual, but Ned disregards his warnings.