my way through a book on 'how to read a novel' and this is the second
of the two required texts. The first one "Waverley" by Walter Scott I
rather enjoyed even if it was a touch on the slow side. Sons and
lovers, thought beautifully written had a totally different effect. The
first part of the novel follows the Morel family as the straight laced
mother deals with the disappointment of marring a miner who is
incapable of loving her as she deserves they had four kids and Paul the
youngest is the focus of the second half of the book as he is torn
between two women, the ethereal and saintly Miriam and the earthly
Clara. Clara has already been married and is separated but not divorced
from her husband who lurks like an evil shadow around their
relationship. As his mothers health fails he doubts his own choices and
reunites Clara with her husband and leaves Miriam.
I don't know if studying without benefit of a teacher is skewing my
view but I did spend the second half of the book internally shouting
"OH, GET OVER YOURSELF!" at the main character. He doesn't know what he
wants, he can't find a girl that has all the qualities of his mother
and he spends a lot of time comparing the two girls to aspects of his
mother. He can find the intellectual Sustenance with Miriam and the
earthly desire with Clara but cannot combine the two in one person he
can settle down with.
He is sometime wilfully cruel in the way he strings along the women,
instead of manning up, finishing with them and seeking his fortune and
love further a field.
The writing is beautiful and descriptive passages that leave you
breathless especially of the natural world surrounding the village
which Paul spends a lot of time in.
The book doesn't so much conclude as just end after his mother falling
ill and passing on Paul is plunged into even more despair and ennui and
comes to no resolve or resolution.
Pretty bleak stuff.
The next book though is Mansfield Park one I haven't read by Jane
Austen (Whom I adore) so I'm hoping for a bit more
"Why, Mr Darcy! Won't you take a turn around the gazebo? " and a bit
less
" Ain't 't grim oop North!".
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