The Victorian Challenge 2012

I normally shy away from reading challenges because I don't like to feel hemmed in.  Too many conditions can make it all feel a bit like hard work for this discipline adverse reader.   But I have found two that I think will add to the reading fun for me this year, as they represent areas that I read anyway, and would like to read more.

So, I have signed up for The Victorian Challenge 2012 over at Laura's Reviews.  Of course if you are interested you can check out all of the details at Laura's beautiful blog.  But basically all you have to do is read, watch or listen to between 2 and 6 novels or films based on novels etc from the Victorian era.  I am kicking off the year reading a Dickens novel Our Mutual Friend, and I would like to re-read Jayne Eyre this year too, as I read it as a teenager and don't think I really appreciated it back then.

Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy

When I finished Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy, one of my first thoughts was that this novel must be approaching the high end of what can be achieved by the art form. This is the second novel I have read by Hardy, the first being Tess of the d'Urbervilles which I read as a teenager, and remember being very moved by the plight of Tess. 

It is of course quite difficult to review these esteemed classics as I am sure there are numerous literary scholars who can, and have, done a better job at dissecting all of the authors intentions and contexts etc.  So I will limit this review to a very sketchy description of the plot and my general impressions, and of course what I liked about it.

Jude the Obscure is Hardy's last novel and was  published in 1896.  My understanding is that there was quite a furore after the publication, because of Hardy's frank treatment of issues around sex, marriage and religious themes in the novel.  The novel also slams the exclusivity of the higher learning institutions of England at the time.

The story begins with Jude as a young boy who is reluctantly taken in by his great aunt, who is a baker in a small town in west England, after both his parents die from illness.  Jude works hard, and becomes a stone mason, but his real passion is for classic learning and he teaches himself as much as he can get his hands on, forever hoping that if he just saves enough money, he will be able to attend one of the illustrious universities of a nearby town.  Jude marries early in the novel to the sensual and pragmatic Arabella, but quickly comes to regret this decision after falling in love with his cousin Susanna, who is quite the opposite to Arabella, being ethereal and intellectual.  Jude and Susanna's disastrous efforts to be together drive the rest of the narrative.

There are numerous themes and layers to the novel.  A few immediately jump out and the other really juicy ones, crept up on me, and aren't fully realised until the final conclusion.  From the outset it is very clear that Hardy is making a statement about the barriers to a man of humble means bettering himself with a higher education, if that is his passion.  One of the moments of most poignancy for me in the novel was a scene towards the end, when the reader learns that throughout his whole blighted life, Jude has carried around with him, his much loved texts, even after his dream of being admitted to university has long faded. 

Then there are the unusually frank themes of marriage and sex, both inside and outside of marriage.  Hardy goes where I am sure no one had gone before in laying bare what marriage meant for the various characters, including from the religious and sexual perspective.  All very extraordinary I am sure for a novel of that era.

And then, there are of course the characters themselves, and the amazingly self-destructive nature of Jude and Susanna's relationship.  I do wonder if other readers of this novel grew to be genuinely irritated by Sue (the ethereal, and intellectual one)?  My take on her is that she is self absorbed to the point of narcissism and that the strongest point in the whole novel is really Jude's unwillingness to tear himself from her, even when the scales are removed from his eyes and he acknowledges to himself, that she is awful and his pursuit of her has caused him nothing but frustration and loneliness.

Arabella, Jude's early wife on the other hand, was a far more likable character, even though Hardy goes to great lengths to paint her as a wanton woman of very dubious morals.  Unlike Jude and his cousin Sue, Arabella demonstrates far more common sense, and even wisdom, when it comes to matters of human relations, than Jude and Sue combined.

The novel is a sweeping and gorgeously realised portrait of a man who is indeed thwarted by the social conventions and limitations of the time, but ultimately, it is his own inner conflicts and self delusion that undoes him.  All of the characters in the novel represent something about him, it is very clever.


Hardy is an expert in exploring the inner workings of his characters, much more so than his use of spoken dialogue.  About half way through the novel I noticed that the characters, especially Jude, were forever walking around, and between, the villages and towns where the story takes place, in every sort of weather.  The walking not only allows for the characters to reflect on what is happening, but of itself, creates this amazing sense of restlessness: the pacing and exertion and not being able to settle and relax.  Jane Austen and her genteel parlours, this is not.

I guess what I am saying is that I became involved with the characters, especially Jude, more than I expected, to the extent that in the last couple of days, when life kept me from finishing the final chapters, I found myself thinking of the novel often and wanted to sneak away to find out what happened.  I don't know about you but, but nineteenth century literature normally does not grip me like that.  So of course, I would recommend this to all; it is one of those books that feels like a priviledge to read, and I also thoroughly enjoyed it.

The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens

Does a Dickens novel need an introduction?  Well I will say that I am pleased with myself for having read this 1841 classic as it is the first proper classic that I have read all year.

The novel begins with little Nell and her grandfather as they lose the Old Curiosity Shop, due to the grandfather's gambling debts and are forced to flee onto the roads of England.  The story follows their progress, and the progress of the "saints and sinners" who either love and have aided little Nell and her grandfather, or have contributed to their downfall.

Many years ago, I read A Tale of Two Cities by Dickens and found myself completely mesmerized by that novel.  I enjoyed The Old Curiosity Shop very much, but am finding it difficult to think of ways to describe it.  There are also aspects to the novel the I found quite irritating. 

One of aspects of the novel that I found fascinating is that it reads like something that was serialized, which of course it was, as it was published in weekly instalments in one of Dickens's serial publications.  I found it quite nostalgic (in a good way) to be reading chapter after chapter and imagining English folk, back in 1840, eagerly anticipating the next part of the story.

I also enjoyed Dickens's description of the places Nell and her grandfather pass through.  He is the absolute master of capturing the poverty and struggle of the working classes of the time.  As they pass through one of the northern industrialised cities, the reader experiences all of the darkness, noise, filth and scurrying humanity of those streets.  A painting could not say as much.  Poverty is explored in many different contexts in the novel.  The archetypal "baddies" that Dickens does to perfection, while not materially poor, are certainly morally bankrupt, and often quite funny I found.  I think what could be exasperating to the modern reading palette is that most of the characters don't have any sort of moral ambiguity; they are either pure, wholesome and without fault, or they are sinister and forever plotting evil deeds.  I say it could be exasperating, because I actually found this quite fun; a bit like a fairy tale for adults. 

There is also something quite fresh and completely recognisable about many of the interactions and dialogue between the characters.  The cast of characters is epic.  I am not sure, but suspect that The Old Curiosity Shop of the title refers to the ensemble collection of people in the novel, as much as the bricks and mortar shop at the beginning.  The characters are all certainly memorable, often because of their extreme nature, unusual, occupation or physical characteristics, but as a complete volume, I am not sure that it all ties together as well as some of his other work.  And perhaps it is unfair to compare it to his other novels, as it was not originally published as a novel.  While I risk stating the bleeding obvious, I think my enjoyment of the novel suffered a bit from differences between our eras.  Some of the scenes that were emotionally loaded seemed a bit overblown to me.

One of the themes that Dickens explores throughout is the neglect and mistreatment  of children in the Victorian era.  I found one of the most evocative and poignant examples of the cheapness of childrens' lives at the time, is a young female servant character who has no name at all.

My major peeve with the novel is the character of Nell's grandfather.  I wanted to shake him, right up until the end in fact.  I guess this could be a tribute to Dickens's wonderful characterisation, but I just found him completely annoying and pathetic.   In fairness, I am sure the grandfather was meant to be broken and pathetic, and I have not read a better account of a gambling addiction, ever.  It amazed me, that Dickens's portrayal of the itch and compulsion associated with gambling, resonates just as strongly in the western society of today.  

Overall, the suspense of the novel builds very nicely, and true to form, Dickens had me cheering for the oppressed and eagerly awaiting the downfall of the conniving oppressors. While not my favourite by this literary giant, it is great story telling, and I am very pleased I took the time to read it.  I would love to know what others think of this novel and Dickens's work generally.  Which are your favourites?

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

To my surprise, I found these stories thoroughly delightful.  I don't know what I was expecting, but perhaps dull comes to mind.  Holmes is an absolute hoot.  In his own words:

"It saved me from ennui," he answered yawning.   "Alas! I already feel it closing in upon me.  My life is spent in one long effort to escape from the commonplace of existence . These little problems help me to do so." p.58

Indeed, from page one we learn of Holmes habit of injecting cocaine.  So he does in fact go to some great lengths to escape life's ennui!  I am now dying to watch Robert Downing Jr's movie version.  My understanding is, that while the film was not wholly popular, enthusiasts of the books, found the remake true to the character of Holmes.

The book is comprised of twelve stand alone tales, all told from the view point of Holmes long enduring friend, Dr Watson.  The stories cover an array of weird and perplexing scenarios.  Holmes assists princes and common men and woman a like.  Holmes is by no means a snob, his whole focus is the thrill of untangling delicate and intractable problems.  Once the problem is solved he loses all interest in the good folk he has assisted.  Thank goodness he has Watson, who continues to put up with him.

My real surprise, I think, is that Holmes is a delightfully fleshed out character in these stories, at least I think so.   From reading the book I can fully understand why Conan Doyle's character Sherlock Holmes has endured.  Holmes has a peculiar droll genius, is reclusive, patronising, self destructive at times and narcissistic, but he  also demonstrates real concern and compassion at others.  The stories are quirky, fun and easy to read.  I look forward to reading the other books in the series.

Dracula by Bram Stoker

Dracula, written by Irish author Bram Stoker, was first published in 1897.  This is the novel that I believe we have to thank or curse for the original inspiration behind the modern wave of vampire fiction.

I really enjoyed this novel.  It loses some momentum about two thirds of the way through and becomes a bit tedious and repetitive but overall it is a well spun tale of good versus evil.

Basically the story is about how a band of friends have to defeat the evil  Count Dracula to save the soul of a woman they all in different ways love. 

There is some wonderful imagery in the novel especially at the beginning when solicitor Jonathan Harker is on his way to first meet the mysterious Count Dracula at his remote castle in the creepy Carpathian mountains of Transylvania.

The story is told from multiple perspectives entirely through the writings (letters and journal entries) of the main characters.  I think this type of narrative device can be difficult to pull off but Stoker combines the different perspectives seamlessly and the narrative continues to flow.  The action moves from the Transylvania mountains to Whitby in Yorkshire to London and then back to Transylvania as Jonathan Harker ably assisted by vampire expert Van Helsing and other friends chase count Dracula to ground.  And as we all know these vampires are well and truly difficult to kill:

The nosferatu do not die like the bee when he sting once.  He is only stronger; and being stronger have only more power to work evil.  p. 223 (Mina Harker's journal)

I can imagine this novel would have been seen as quite shocking and ground breaking at the time.  Now it seems quite restrained.  It does seem to take an interminable number of pages (at least half the book) before the characters are prepared to openly acknowledge to each other that they might in fact be dealing with the supernatural.

Dracula has everything you would hope for in a book about the Un-Dead.  Dracula himself is mercurial and strangely arresting.  He is also ably assisted in his evil making by a team of voluptuous and beguiling female vampires.  Dracula and his vamps can take multiple forms, from wolves to bats to tiny specks of dust in the moonlight.  I now know everything I could ever want to know about vampires and how to protect myself from them.

I suspect that some devotees of the modern Vampire stories might be a little disappointed with the original.  And perhaps I am also voicing my own disappointment here when I say there is a very patronising tone to the treatment of the female characters.  Not the female vampires for they have real flair and are truly fabulous.  The fallen women always seem to have more fun don't they?   It is more the damsels in distress approach to Lucy and Mina.  Chivalry is certainly not dead in this book, and actually becomes one of the major themes of the story.  It grated on me a tad. But I suspect Stoker is trying to say something about the role of women and how female sexuality was viewed in Victorian society.  It is just a bit frustrating, but on reflection interesting on a social commentary level.  If one wants to explore the social commentary aspects of a vampire novel that is.

Dracula takes some getting through but I do recommend it because while entertaining in its own right, it also provides some interesting context and insight into readers' seemingly endless fascination with Gothic themes and the supernatural.  I will give Professor Van Helsing the last word:

Do you not think that there are things which you can not understand, and yet which are: that some people see things that others can not?......Ah it is the fault of our science that it wants to explain all; and if it explain not, then it says there is nothing to explain.  p. 182

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

It is not often that I arrive at the end of a lengthy novel from the Victorian era regretting that I have come to its conclusion all too soon.  North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell is such a book. 

First published in 1855, North and South encompasses many themes and introduces the reader to a host of truly memorable characters.  As so often seems to be the case with me, I suspect some of my enjoyment of the story came from knowing so little about it and having few expectations.  In keeping with this I will not give too much of the story away here. 

The North and South of the title refers to the north and south of England where culture, lifestyle, occupations and expectations were very different during the nineteenth century and I suspect, remain somewhat  different to this day. Our heroine Margaret Hale and her family are forced to move from the relatively genteel setting of a village in the south of England to a smog filled city in the industrialised north.

There is of course a "will they or won't they" love story at the heart of this novel.  I was struck while reading North and South that it  reads a bit like a Charles Dickens version of Pride and Prejudice.  I know you might think me mad for making such a comparison, but to my mind Gaskell out does both Austen and Dickens with North and South because while there are swoons a plenty and romantic intrigue, this is at its core a novel that makes a strong social statement about class struggle.  For mine, it really has all one could wish for.

Margaret Hale as a character is direct, adaptable, compassionate and not prone to over analyzing her feelings and motives, which I think certainly helps keeps the pace of the novel swift.  We come to know Margaret very much through her actions and conversations.   Margaret who grew up in a quiet country village and spent some years living with her wealthy cousin in London is flung into a world of dirt and hardship.  She is forced to grow up very quickly.  Part of the real enjoyment of the novel comes from following her bumpy journey to understanding and independence.

And then there are the suitors.  Firstly we have Mr Lennox who is a young barrister and whose brother, a captain in the military, is married to Margaret's cousin Edith who she grew up with like a sister.  The other leading man is Mr Thornton.  Mr Thornton is a wealthy factory owner in Milton (the town the Hales move to in the north).  Initially Margaret finds Mr Thornton brutish and coarse (aren't they the best kind of leading men!) and doesn't want to have anything whatsoever to do with him.  For his part Mr Thornton, while arrested by Miss Hale's striking appearance, believes her to be unendurably uppity:

'A more proud, disagreeable girl I never saw.  Even her great beauty is blotted out of one's memory by her scornful ways.'    (p.80)

There are a multitude of well drawn characters in this novel.  Gaskell's writing does remind me of Dickens in terms of the characters.  The story is bursting with a wide variety of characters, that deliberately encompass a full sweep of society.  Gaskell's expert use of dialogue brings this large host of characters to life.

The story is interesting.  The theme of industrial unrest and the differences and conflicts between business owners and workers eerily resonates with our modern world some 150 since this book was written.   I also loved how the relationship between parents and adult children is highlighted and explored.  Nearly all of the characters can be clustered into family groupings where the relationship between parents and their children form a central part of the fabric of the story.  Very memorable to this end is Mrs Thornton, our hero's stern faced and indomitable mother, whose opinion of Miss Margaret Hale, and anyone haling from the south, is far from welcoming. 

North and South is the first of Elizabeth Gaskell's novels I have read, and I look forward to reading more of her work.  I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with these characters who are at times proud, warm, dramatic, funny but most of all very human.  All in all a very engaging and enjoyable story.

Daisy Miller by Henry James

Daisy Miller is a novella by Henry James and was first published in 1878.  I thank Mel U at The Reading Life for recommending it to me as one of the more easily digestible of James's works.

Daisy Miller is a bright, lively and enjoyable read.  Daisy is a  wealthy American young lady holidayimg in Europe with her younger brother and mother.  She comes across Winterbourne, a more cultured compatriot while holidaying in the Swiss resort town of Vevey.  It is Vevey, on the shores of Lake Geneva that is depicted on this very sweet book cover, by the way. 

Winterbourne is introduced to Daisy by her younger brother Rudolph who is nine and quite adorable.  Winterbourne is instantly captivated by her beauty, freshness and apparent lack of guile or affectation.  When Winterbourne learns that Daisy and her family will be passing the winter in Rome he makes sure his plans also take him to Rome.  When Winterbourne arrives in Rome he learns that Daisy has been getting about with all and sundry and generally scandalising the other Americans with her carefree behaviour.

Even though the tone of the novel is largely bright and breezy, I do feel that James is trying to make some serious comment about the stifling social morays and expectations of the times, especially with regard to   what was deemed acceptable behaviour for young unmarried women.   The snobbish character of Winterbourne's aunt, Mrs Costello is priceless as she condemns Daisy and her family: 

"They are very common," Mrs Costello declared.  "They are the sort of Americans that one does one's duty by not - not accepting." p.19  And later

"They are hopelessly vulgar, " said Mrs Costello.  "Whether or no being hopelessly vulgar is being 'bad' is a question for the metaphysicians.  They are bad enough to dislike, at any rate; and for this short life that is quite enough." p41

So you see, poor free spirited Daisy Miller does not stand much of a chance in this social environ. 

The novella is loaded with wonderfully drawn characters.  From the well meaning social matrons who endeavor to save Daisy's honour by unceremoniously turning their backs on her, to the handsome Italian suitor that also catches her eye.  Daisy's mother is an insipid hypochondriac, while Winterbourne whose perspective we largely see the story from, is sophisticated, well meaning, but also lacks a certain type of courage.  And then there is Daisy herself.  She grew on me as the novel went along. The main tension in the narrative derives from the question of her character. 

Daisy Miller is delightfully readable, there is none of that convoluted prose that seems to be a hallmark of James's later work, and the characters are wonderful. I definitely recommended it.

Henry James "The Turn of the Screw"

The Turn of the Screw is a novella by Henry James first published in 1898.  This is the first work by James I have read.  The shorter length allows a good introduction to the author's work without becoming too overwhelmed by his challenging style.

The plot is ostensibly a rather sophisticated ghost story.  I say ostensibly because the plot itself is ambiguous.  If anything Henry James's The Turn of the Screw is one of the most reviewed and debated fictitious works you could think of.  The story begins at a Christmas house party where tales involving the appearance of apparitions are being discussed.  It is suggested that when such reports involve an apparition appearing to a child the atmosphere is heightened thus giving the effect "another turn of the screw."

One of the guests at this party tells a story from a manuscript that was given to him many years earlier by its author, a governess.  What unfolds is her version of events at Bly where she is put in charge of two orphaned children.

The style of the story can be described as late Victorian Gothic. With that, it has the obligatory large, many roomed spooky house, stern housekeeper and pretty children.  As mentioned before on this blog, I will always try to avoid spoilers because I do believe they diminish the pleasure of reading a book for the first time.  For this review that is a difficult promise to keep because the story is so perplexing.  I will avoid further discussion of the plot specifically, but highly recommended, once a reader has made their own way through "The Turn of the Screw" a perusal of the many discussions available on the internet regarding the interpretation of the story.

Having said that I am going to put a slight spoiler warning here.  Because I think to discuss the merits of the novella further may amount to a slight spoiler for some.  The ambiguous round about writing style, which is something I want to discuss, is to a purpose that does intersect with the plot.  So if you want to read the story without any premonitions as to the purpose of the ambiguous style, skip the next paragraph.

Henry James plays around with first person narrative. The beginning, at the Christmas gathering is told in the first person from the perspective of a guest who is hearing the story.  Once the telling of the manuscript begins the first person narrative switches to the voice of the governess.  Of course the first person narrative lends itself beautifully to the experience of a ghost story.  James also uses it to increase the confusion and tension around what is actually happening.  There are uncertainties about what we are being told.  The ultimate conundrum persists long after one has finished the story.  The enigma at the heart of the story, much more than the ghostly apparitions is what keeps the reader awake at night long after the story is read.  It is not straight forward.  I think we have become used to far more simplistic uses of first person narrative trickery in modern story telling.  Henry James is a conjurer here, it is very smoke and mirrors.  There is no "ta dah!" at the end.  The reader has to work harder than that.

The whole thing is hard work in many respects.  The challenge is not so much in the words used: you do not need a dictionary at your side.  The difficulty is the complicated sentence construction:

"How could I put even a little of that article into a suppression of reference of what had occurred?  How on the other hand, could I make reference without a new plunge into the hideous obscure?  Well, a sort of answer, after a time, had come to me, and it was so far confirmed as that I was met, incontestably, by the quickened vision of what was rare in my little companion."  p. 79 The Turn of the Screw.

Obscure indeed, no?  The reading often feels like two steps forward and one step back, in terms of understanding what is going on.  But then there are also many delightful turns of phrase:

"Whatever he had been driven from school for, it was not for ugly feeding."   p.78 The Turn of the Screw 

This is a reference to young Mile's exquisite table manners.

For me, overall, the work is worth it.  James does create a very tense atmosphere, loaded with longing, uncertainty and frustration.  And yes, the frustration I think is often mirrored in the reading experience itself.  There is something marvellously clever in a tale that allows distinct multiple interpretations and I suspect that this was the author's intention.  We can only suspect what James's intention may have been because in his own comments on the interpretation of The Turn of the Screw, he is also deliciously ambiguous.