Blue Angel

Based on a 1930 film of the same name, but taking place in contemporary society, American writer and critic Francine Prose’s novel Blue Angel (2000) follows a classic femme fatale who exploits an older professor. The novel’s central irony is the obliviousness of its protagonist, Ted Swenson, to his imminent ruin at the hands of his student, Angela Argo, who charms him with the intent of leaving him in the dust. The novel was acclaimed for the subtle power dynamics and mistruths by which its characters’ fates are ultimately determined.

At the novel’s opening, Swenson, a creative writing professor in his late forties, starts a new semester at his small liberal arts school in Vermont. His class is only nine students, one of whom is Angela Argo. Though she seems typical, perhaps even stereotypical for a creative writing student, one of her submissions, an excerpt from a novel she is working on, titled “Eggs,” engrosses Swenson. Angela asks Swenson to speak about her work during his office hours. He earnestly praises it, giving her some constructive feedback. Later, he gets lunch with another professor, Magda. Swenson brings up Angela and his approval of her work, which shocks Magda, who once had Angela as a student and thought her work was low quality and deranged. Swenson refuses to believe that Magda has the name of the student right.

In the coming weeks, Swenson grows more obsessed with Angela’s work. He starts to read it in one-on-one sessions with Angela, breaking his normal class rules, which demand that all work is read as a group. He starts to take her work home, breaking another one of his conventions. Then, he starts to call her regarding her work. Angela continues to write, and her work becomes progressively more explicit and referential to real life. Swenson internalizes the writing’s vulgarity so fully that his interactions with other people begin to change. At a faculty dinner hosted by the Dean, he lashes out at the school’s sexual harassment policy; by this point, it is implied that he is obsessed with Angela in a romantic way.



Though Swenson is still in love with his wife, Sherrie, he finds his marriage and domestic life unexciting. His daughter Ruby resents him for opposing her infatuation with a local playboy, and for that reason, chose to attend a college outside of town. Swenson speaks less and less to his wife as his obsession with Angela and his perception of her creative passion grows. He becomes reckless and impulsive, doing such things as bringing her shopping off campus for a new computer, and visiting her dorm room. Finally, he and Angela have sex. Though it was seemingly spontaneous and innocent enough, when they are done, Swenson realizes that Angela had the foresight to lock her dorm room door. He ignores the red flag and continues to see her.

Angela convinces Swenson to take one of her manuscripts to his agent in New York City. His agent sees through him, immediately questioning him about his relationship to her. He denies that he has slept with Angela; ignoring him, his agent says that the relationship could ruin his career. Swenson returns to Vermont and asks Angela to meet. He relates that the agent was not interested in it. Angela responds with anger and skepticism about whether he ever went to the agent at all. She mocks his weakness, telling him that she only had sex with him so that he would help further her career. Devastated and angry, Swenson makes her leave his office. Without his knowledge, Angela has recorded their conversation; she sends it to the dean, who immediately asks for Swenson’s resignation. Ted begs the dean to understand that he was lured into this situation, but the dean dismisses his argument.

Swenson meets with Sherrie to preempt the news story about his scandal and infidelity. When he tells her about his relationship with Angela, she is not remotely surprised. She tells him that it has been obvious for years that he has felt strong sexual feelings towards his students, and that she always feared he would succumb to them. Bitter and defeated, she tells him that she hopes his career is destroyed. After trying briefly and unsuccessfully to remain at the house to keep things seeming normal, she leaves.



At the university, a hearing occurs in which statements are given before a committee. Many witnesses appear to corroborate Angela’s sexual misconduct claim. In contrast, Swenson has no witnesses on his side. Angela’s plan has carried itself out into full fruition. Swenson regrets that he ever tried to make a living through the university system, an environment he was not made for – but forgives himself for forgoing his dream of becoming a novelist to survive in the real world.