Not being a Henry James fan, I passed over Colm Toibin‘s The Master when it came out in 2004. Even movies of Henry James stories and novels leave me cold, with the very special exception of The Heiress with Olivia deHavilland, Sir Ralph Richardson, and Montgomery Clift. But a friend who is also not a James fan praised The Master, saying that the writing kept him in its grip, so on his recommendation I took it out from the library. And I have to say, it’s one of the best books I’ve read this year, and one of the best-written books I’ve read since Gilead.
Not being a I knew I was in for an exceptional experience when I came to this passage about 40 pages into the novel. James’s play Guy Domville has just been jeered in London and he has retreated to Ireland to visit with friends; at the same time, Oscar Wilde is a smashing success with two plays on the London stage. A fellow houseguest engages James in conversation on the stairs:
“Of course, Mr. Wilde is very busy with the theater. He tells me that a play of yours was taken off to make way for his second success of the season and he seems rather pleased with the association. Yours was about a monk, he says. All the Irish are natural writers, my wife says, it comes naturally them. She adores Mr. Wilde.”
Henry remained silent. When Webster stopped as though to let him speak, he bowed again and motioned Webster to go down the stairs, but Webster did not move.
“Mr. Wilde says he longs to see you in London. He has many friends. Do you know his friends?”
“No, Mr. Webster, I do not think that I have had the good fortune to meet his friends.”
“Well, perhaps you know them and are not aware that they are his friends.”
This short exchange encapsulates many of the motifs of the book: delicate rendering of social relations and rivalries, questions about James’s sexuality, James’s self-appointed role as observer rather than participant.
James is a puzzling protagonist, more acted upon than acting, rootless, questing, detached — the quintessential expatriate author. Toibin’s novel brings him to life amid a fascinating circle of family and friends, significant historical events, and cosmopolitan locations. I really must read more James. And more Toibin.
[...] Colm Toibin! Yeah! Loved The Master. [...]
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