The most nostalgic and reflective of Evelyn Waugh's novels, Brideshead Revisited looks back to the golden age before the Second World War. It tells the story of Charles Ryder's infatuation with the Marchmains and the rapidly-disappearing world of privilege they inhabit. Enchanted first by Sebastian at Oxford, then by his doomed Catholic family, in particular his remote sister, ...
The most nostalgic and reflective of Evelyn Waugh's novels, Brideshead Revisited looks back to the golden age before the Second World War. It tells the story of Charles Ryder's infatuation with the Marchmains and the rapidly-disappearing world of privilege they inhabit. Enchanted first by Sebastian at Oxford, then by his doomed Catholic family, in particular his remote sister, Julia, Charles comes finally to recognize only his spiritual and social distance from them.
Evelyn Waugh's father Arthur was a noted editor and publisher. His only sibling Alec also became a writer of note. In fact, his book “The Loom of Youth” (1917) a novel about his old boarding school Sherborne caused Evelyn to be expelled from there and placed at Lancing College. He said of his time there, “…the whole of English education when I was brought up was to produce pros...
Evelyn Waugh's father Arthur was a noted editor and publisher. His only sibling Alec also became a writer of note. In fact, his book “The Loom of Youth” (1917) a novel about his old boarding school Sherborne caused Evelyn to be expelled from there and placed at Lancing College. He said of his time there, “…the whole of English education when I was brought up was to produce prose writers; it was all we were taught, really.” He went on to Hertford College, Oxford, where he read History. When asked if he took up any sports there he quipped, “I drank for Hertford.”
In 1924 Waugh left Oxford without taking his degree. After inglorious stints as a school teacher (he was dismissed for trying to seduce a school matron and/or inebriation), an apprentice cabinet maker and journalist, he wrote and had published his first novel, “Decline and Fall” in 1928.
In 1928 he married Evelyn Gardiner. She proved unfaithful, and the marriage ended in divorce in 1930. Waugh would derive parts of “A Handful of Dust” from this unhappy time. His second marriage to Audrey Herbert lasted the rest of his life and begat seven children. It was during this time that he converted to Catholicism.
During the thirties Waugh produced one gem after another. From this decade come: “Vile Bodies” (1930), “Black Mischief” (1932), the incomparable “A Handful of Dust” (1934) and “Scoop” (1938). After the Second World War he published what is for many his masterpiece, “Brideshead Revisited,” in which his Catholicism took centre stage. “The Loved One” a scathing satire of the American death industry followed in 1947. After publishing his “Sword of Honour Trilogy” about his experiences in World War II - “Men at Arms” (1952), “Officers and Gentlemen” (1955), “Unconditional Surrender" (1961) - his career was seen to be on the wane. In fact, “Basil Seal Rides Again” (1963) - his last published novel - received little critical or commercial attention.
Evelyn Waugh, considered by many to be the greatest satirical novelist of his day, died on 10 April 1966 at the age of 62.
45 有用 ppg 2012-06-05 14:26:46
这本书与红楼梦的相似之处不仅仅在一个贵族家庭的衰落、人物被命运裹挟的无常、华丽细节下不为人知的悲哀,对于我,它们都有一种不足与外人道也、只可意会不可言传的好,那种好流淌在细微的字句、琐碎的片段里,你只能去读它,任何描述的企图都只会显得很二手、很无力。
2 有用 Amorinoo 2019-07-24 20:55:53
补标记 怎么能忘了永远的Brideshead呢呜呜呜
1 有用 山椒魚 2024-01-26 20:26:52 内蒙古
非常痛苦地读完了,个人觉得过誉了。合理怀疑有人只看了C和S的电影剪辑就来评分了。去年回母校教育实习的时候有学妹给我按头安利此书,因为她们觉得这是关于C&S的同性爱小说。听到“同性爱”这几个字我就应该警觉的,还是大意了。这几年只要是沾有LGBTQ 的小说,就总会被人奉为圭臬,视为进步的旗帜,不管小说本身价值几何甚至无视小说是不是和这一题材有关。我觉得这种“过誉”恰恰反应了性少数群体的不平等。如果这是... 非常痛苦地读完了,个人觉得过誉了。合理怀疑有人只看了C和S的电影剪辑就来评分了。去年回母校教育实习的时候有学妹给我按头安利此书,因为她们觉得这是关于C&S的同性爱小说。听到“同性爱”这几个字我就应该警觉的,还是大意了。这几年只要是沾有LGBTQ 的小说,就总会被人奉为圭臬,视为进步的旗帜,不管小说本身价值几何甚至无视小说是不是和这一题材有关。我觉得这种“过誉”恰恰反应了性少数群体的不平等。如果这是一本异性恋小说,并不会有人因为它描写了异性恋就对它刮目相看…(更何况S在小说里出现的篇幅并不多,他更像是一个象征) 《故园风雨后》这个中文译名给它徒增了太多乌有的浪漫。它关于宗教,命运,历史,轮回,尤其是宗教。人对自己的命运无能为力,此时只有宗教是唯一的救赎。 这部小说有点中产阶级的无病呻吟。 (展开)
43 有用 musecat 2012-08-24 22:01:39
不得不承认在看过电影电视剧和原著后,这个故事对我还是像覆着一层轻纱般难以参透……讽刺又优雅,深情却冷漠,说不清它到底是虔诚还是亵渎。
1 有用 #暗蓝# 2017-11-04 15:08:26
无语凝噎。