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Norman Mailer's Stabbing of Adele Morales: Difference between revisions
Norman Mailer's Stabbing of Adele Morales (view source)
Revision as of 11:47, 12 October 2022
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Mailer had decided to run for Mayor of New York. On November 19th, 1960, in an effort to boost voters a campaign party was hosted. The attendees of this event, however would be a clear insight on Mailer's mental status at the time, as it was reported that alongside the formal guests, there were many individuals who had come straight from the streets. As the hours passed, many of the guests including Mailer had become heavily intoxicated, and quarrels broke out. An argument between Mailer and his sister regarding the campaign came up, resulting in him hitting her and breaking a glass, following with the Mailer couple themselves getting into an argument when Adele tried to defend her. Mailer had begun physically fighting off his guests and had then left to fight those who were not involved with the party. When he had returned at around 4:30 a.m., witnesses say that Adele taunted his masculinity and literary talents. Guest recalls her saying he was not as good as Fydor Dostoyevsky. with anger, he stabbed her by the heart, in her upper abdomen, and in the back, both by a penknife. As she lay there, hemorrhaging, a man at the party came to assist her and Mailer snapped, saying "Get away from her. Let the bitch die."{{sfn|The Ind.|2007|}} She was not taken to the hospital until three hours after he stabbed her. When arrived at the hospital, she said that she was at a party and fell onto glass, though doctors were skeptical. She told the police after that "He didn't say anything. He just looked at me. He didn't say a word. He just stabbed me". Morales never made a full recovery. She developed pleurisy and found herself coughing up black phlegm several times throughout the day. Several years later, she fell into poverty and became an alcoholic. | Mailer had decided to run for Mayor of New York. On November 19th, 1960, in an effort to boost voters a campaign party was hosted. The attendees of this event, however would be a clear insight on Mailer's mental status at the time, as it was reported that alongside the formal guests, there were many individuals who had come straight from the streets. As the hours passed, many of the guests including Mailer had become heavily intoxicated, and quarrels broke out. An argument between Mailer and his sister regarding the campaign came up, resulting in him hitting her and breaking a glass, following with the Mailer couple themselves getting into an argument when Adele tried to defend her. Mailer had begun physically fighting off his guests and had then left to fight those who were not involved with the party. When he had returned at around 4:30 a.m., witnesses say that Adele taunted his masculinity and literary talents. Guest recalls her saying he was not as good as Fydor Dostoyevsky. with anger, he stabbed her by the heart, in her upper abdomen, and in the back, both by a penknife. As she lay there, hemorrhaging, a man at the party came to assist her and Mailer snapped, saying "Get away from her. Let the bitch die."{{sfn|The Ind.|2007|}} She was not taken to the hospital until three hours after he stabbed her. When arrived at the hospital, she said that she was at a party and fell onto glass, though doctors were skeptical. She told the police after that "He didn't say anything. He just looked at me. He didn't say a word. He just stabbed me". Morales never made a full recovery. She developed pleurisy and found herself coughing up black phlegm several times throughout the day. Several years later, she fell into poverty and became an alcoholic. | ||
== The Aftermath== | == The Aftermath== | ||
Mailer was arrested at the hospital around 10 pm. Initially, Mailer pleaded “not guilty,” but later changed his plea to “guilty” to avoid harmful publicity for his family.{{sfn|Lennon|2013|p=269}} | Mailer was arrested at the hospital around 10 pm. Initially, Mailer pleaded “not guilty,” but later changed his plea to “guilty” to avoid harmful publicity for his family. {{sfn|Lennon|2013|p=269}} | ||
After the stabbing, Mailer was committed to Bellevue Mental Hospital. "I was very upset | After the stabbing, Mailer was committed to Bellevue Mental Hospital. "I was very upset because my feeling was I committed a crime." His criminal lawyer had suggested he go to the hospital. "He was thinking like a criminal lawyer" Mailer spoke. They used the mental hospital as a way to save him if his wife did end up dying from the injuries inflicted upon her. Mailer hated this, he felt he would go crazy if he'd be there any longer. {{sfn|Legs|2020|p=51}} | ||
Not wanting to separate a father from his children and with some hopes their marriage could be reconciled, Adele pressed no charges.{{sfn|Mailer|2019|p=80}} | |||
Instead, He was confined to the Bellevue Mental Hospital for seventeen days as a result.{{sfn|Merill|1978|p=23}} | |||
This incident wasn't well received in the public eye. They weren't amused by Mailer's published poem in 1962 indirectly poking at the stabbing. "So long as you use a knife, there's some love left."{{sfn|Mailer|1962}} | This incident wasn't well received in the public eye. They weren't amused by Mailer's published poem in 1962 indirectly poking at the stabbing. "So long as you use a knife, there's some love left."{{sfn|Mailer|1962}} | ||