Iris Murdoch
The Sea, The Sea by Iris Murdoch, winner of the 1978 Booker Prize, unfolds in the first-person narrative of Charles Arrowby, a famous theatre director. Much to the surprise of his theatre cohorts, Charles decides to retire to a secluded home by the sea to write his memoirs. He enjoys the quiet life of a small village, celebrates the isolation, the occasional swim in the sea, and the simple meals he prepares for himself. He seems content, sensible, and likable. His prose is elegant and engaging. All goes well until he encounters an elderly woman who, by the strangest coincidence, turns out to be Hartley, his childhood sweetheart, the first woman he ever loved, and the memory of whom has lingered with him for decades. And so the games begin.
Hartley is now considerably older and no longer the blushing schoolgirl who was the love of his life. Charles assures himself she is unhappily married and that she never stopped loving him. He feels duty bound to rescue her from an unhappy marriage in spite of her desperate pleas to be left alone. He is determined to resuscitate their love and goes to bizarre lengths to convince her to run away with him, temporarily imprisoning her in his upstairs bedroom. He becomes increasingly delusional, living in an alternative reality where everything Hartley says and does is twisted to conform to his vision.
Charles is interrupted in his quest to rescue Hartley by unannounced visits from theatre acquaintances, former lovers, his cousin James, and Hartley’s estranged adopted son. Charles’ cottage becomes a virtual stage with a motley cast of characters entering, reciting their lines, staying for extended visits, and exiting. They are depicted as unique, fully fleshed-out individuals, some of whom are prone to histrionics and a have flair for the dramatic. They are realistically drawn and bring vim and vigor to Charles’ life. Charles tries to direct their entrances and exits as would a director of a play. Add to the mix Charles’ vision of a sea monster, a series of improbable coincidences, an accidental death, an attempted homicide and you have the makings of a whirlpool of dramatic activity.
From a sane, articulate, and likable narrator, Charles gradually transitions to become totally unreliable and emotionally unstable. He is narcissistic, ego-driven, selfish, manipulative, cruel, delusional, obsessive, irritating, insanely jealous, and a pathological liar. His unveiling is handled skillfully. Murdoch doesn’t lighten up on him. By forcing us to inhabit his mind, we witness first-hand his delusions and twisted rationalizations.
In Charles, Murdock has created a complex character who has the gravitational pull to lure people into his orbit, exploit and manipulate them, while being totally oblivious to the suffering he causes. He is a sympathetic character in so far as he wants to resurrect the innocence and promise of young love. But his insanity lies in believing he can forcefully resurrect it through the sheer force of his will.
A gripping exploration of love, friendship, and jealousy in their various guises and as manifested in a delusional protagonist and his colorful cast of characters; situated against the backdrop of a wild, tempestuous sea; and peppered with drama, humor, and irony.
A compelling novel and highly recommended.