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Esther Waters by George Moore (1894)

January 17, 2010 By Catherine Pope

Portrait of George Moore by Edouard Manet

George Moore by Edouard Manet

Sent out to domestic service by her drunken stepfather, Esther Waters is forced to leave a good position after being seduced and abandoned with child by fellow servant, William Latch.  Repelled by her family, she struggles with life as a single parent, nursing a rich woman’s baby to the detriment of her own, working eighteen hours a day for a capricious mistress, and even resorting to the workhouse in desperation.  Although an occasional character looks upon her kindly, most are out to exploit her weakened state.  Her fortunes seem to improve when she finds work with a benevolent novelist and wins the affections of Fred Parsons, a steady and earnest member of the Plymouth Brethren, who believes she has already atoned for her “sin”.  Just as she glimpses the prospect of security, William Latch reappears, begging her to come back to him so that he can be a father to his child.  Esther must choose between the safe option of Fred and the more exciting, but dangerous, alternative offered by William.

Her deliberations are exquisitely portrayed, as are the consequences of her choice.  The novel is set against a background of horse racing and the heady atmosphere of gambling and drinking that surrounds it.  People of all classes get caught up in the highs and lows, and there are many innocent victims, mainly the women and children.  Moore exposes the hypocrisy of the establishment who condemn the poor for their vices, yet also indulge in them and profit from their addictions.  There is a polemical strain to the narrative, which is at times a little heavy-handed, but also poignant.  Moore, not known for his modesty, said of Esther Waters: “though pure of all intention to do good – that is to say to alleviate moral suffering – it has perhaps done more good than any novel written in my generation.”  There is anecdotal evidence that a nurse founded a refuge for homeless children after reading Moore’s descriptions of neglect.

The short introduction shows that Moore was heavily influenced by both Hardy and Zola when writing Esther Waters.  The novel never quite reaches the grotesqueness of L’Assomoir or Nana, but comes quite close with characters such as baby-farmer Mrs Spires, who offers to murder Esther’s child for £5.  Moore’s frank treatment of the sexual episodes led the novel to be banned by W H Smith, a decision they revoked after a high profile campaign.  Many authors lent their support, stressing the importance of the work.  A notable exception was George Gissing, not a man easily pleased, who complained of “miserable writing” and “grotesquely phrased” dialogue.  Although there are obvious thematic similarities with Tess of the D’Urbervilles, Moore allows his heroine to struggle with and overcome her fate: he is deterministic without being fatalistic.  Esther’s trajectory is both moving and memorable, the glimmers of hope amongst the gloom are painted with a masterly touch, and its conclusion is both understated and uncontrived.

Victorian Secrets publishes George Moore’s A Mummer’s Wife.

Filed Under: books Tagged With: George Gissing, George Moore, Zola

The Masterpiece by Emile Zola

October 21, 2008 By Catherine Pope

Cover of The Masterpiece by Emile ZolaOh dear.  I’ve just seen an Amazon reviewer complaining that Zola’s The Masterpiece is “too depressing”.  Just what would he expect from a realist writer who focused on the poor in 19th century Paris?  It’s the most autobiographical novel of his Rougon Macquart series and provides a fascinating insight into the life of the artist, whether their medium be paint or the written word.  His expose of the snobbish reaction to the work of the Impressionists is almost painful to read, and Zola’s friend Cezanne never to spoke to him again after receiving a complimentary copy.  Mrs Zola, however, thought it her favourite novel.  I suspect it was more important to keep her sweet.

Claude Lantier, the anti-hero, throws his life and soul into his painting to the detriment of his family, and his wife Christine comes to resent his work.  As part of the “Open Air’ (read ‘Impressionist’) school, his efforts are met with derision and he fails to achieve commercial success.  He is contrasted with his friend Sandoz who manages to earn a decent living by writing books that people want to read, whilst still managing to convey some of his own ideas.  This is quite obviously Zola himself, and he seems to suggest that it’s all very well being seized by the creative muse, but you still have other responsibilities to consider.  Christine represents the claims of life over art and challenges his devotion to such a fruitless exercise.  They are both ultimately disappointed.  Yes, it’s depressing, but there’s always Bunty if you want a happy ending.

The Masterpiece by Emile Zola

Filed Under: books Tagged With: Zola

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