Just finished: Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh
I finished Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh this evening and I absolutely loved it. Told from the perspective of Charles Ryder, it focuses on the protagonist's relationship with a wealthy, feverently Catholic Flyte family in England during the 1920's.
Ryder strikes up a close friendship with the troubled but lovable Sebastian Flyte at Oxford, whether this was a physical relationship or not has been hotly debated by critics, but from my reading of the book I've been thinking maybe not. I think the character Cara explained this well by saying something along the lines of it being a romantic affection between them common in English and German adolescent men and their feverent friendship being part of their development. She offers the opinion that she thinks these friendships are good, as long as they don't go on too long. Although on the other hand maybe there was something homosexual to their relationship, as Ryder's love for Sebastian seems to be the very basis on which one of his later romances is formed. But I like that it's not clear, that it requires thought and some analysis.
With age Ryder's circle collapses and expands, he and Sebastian drift apart. But he encounters Julia Flyte, Sebastian's sister who is remarkably like him in appearance.
Throughout the novel the different spiritual beliefs of the characters grind into one another causing conflict and distance. The house is almost a character in itself, sprawling and decadent, rebuilt from the stones of an old castle.
I enjoyed the romantic, nostalgic style of Brideshead Revisited, but as someone raised as a Catholic but who now identifies themselves as agnostic I found the religious themes particularly interesting and thought provoking, especially as they were presented through the interactions between Catholic and agnostic characters - I can relate to each side. Evelyn Waugh himself converted to Catholicism, and I think it's interesting that in spite of his faith in this novel he's painted the Chrisitian denomination in what I felt was quite a negative light for the majority of the story, but according to the notes I've read ultimately the work is hopeful on the subject, while not being entirely positive.
Highlight to see spoiler:
Despite the way religion dooms Julia and Ryder's romance, the epilogue hints that Ryder has converted to Catholicism when he kneels down to pray "an ancient, newly learned form of words".
I'm going to give the mini series a watch soon, I've seen the most recent film adaptation but never the famed television one. I've bought a copy ready for watching when the mood takes me:
Ryder strikes up a close friendship with the troubled but lovable Sebastian Flyte at Oxford, whether this was a physical relationship or not has been hotly debated by critics, but from my reading of the book I've been thinking maybe not. I think the character Cara explained this well by saying something along the lines of it being a romantic affection between them common in English and German adolescent men and their feverent friendship being part of their development. She offers the opinion that she thinks these friendships are good, as long as they don't go on too long. Although on the other hand maybe there was something homosexual to their relationship, as Ryder's love for Sebastian seems to be the very basis on which one of his later romances is formed. But I like that it's not clear, that it requires thought and some analysis.
With age Ryder's circle collapses and expands, he and Sebastian drift apart. But he encounters Julia Flyte, Sebastian's sister who is remarkably like him in appearance.
Throughout the novel the different spiritual beliefs of the characters grind into one another causing conflict and distance. The house is almost a character in itself, sprawling and decadent, rebuilt from the stones of an old castle.
I enjoyed the romantic, nostalgic style of Brideshead Revisited, but as someone raised as a Catholic but who now identifies themselves as agnostic I found the religious themes particularly interesting and thought provoking, especially as they were presented through the interactions between Catholic and agnostic characters - I can relate to each side. Evelyn Waugh himself converted to Catholicism, and I think it's interesting that in spite of his faith in this novel he's painted the Chrisitian denomination in what I felt was quite a negative light for the majority of the story, but according to the notes I've read ultimately the work is hopeful on the subject, while not being entirely positive.
Highlight to see spoiler:
Despite the way religion dooms Julia and Ryder's romance, the epilogue hints that Ryder has converted to Catholicism when he kneels down to pray "an ancient, newly learned form of words".
I'm going to give the mini series a watch soon, I've seen the most recent film adaptation but never the famed television one. I've bought a copy ready for watching when the mood takes me:
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