JS&MN - Chapters 5-8
Apr. 7th, 2014 01:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
silverflight8Very sorry for my lateness. (IT'S ONLY THE SECOND WEEK, SILVER). It was glorious outside yesterday so I actually loitered outdoors in the sun with a friend for hours and wasted time and...yes. Anyway.
From chapters Drawlight to A Gentleman with Thistle-Down Hair.
Mr Norrell is introduced into society by Mr Drawlight, who rather effectively takes the reins of fashion and socializing out of Norrell's hands and into his own. He fails to attract the attention and reputation he needs; while the men and women of town may believe in theoretical magic and perhaps the practical magic performed on the streets, the people that Norrell most wishes to impress his usefulness upon--men of the government like Sir Walter Pole--are totally unmoved.
But an opportunity is presented when Sir Walter Pole's fiancée dies and Norrell reluctantly decides to use necromancy to revive her. He summons a fairy and the gentleman with the thistle-down hair arrives to make a bargain with him. The gentleman is not impressed at all with Norrell--and also incidentally reveals that there is another magician in England--and bargains for Miss Wintertowne's life, or rather half-life.
-
I'm not sure Drawlight believes in magic or not because it seems to be totally immaterial to him--all that matters is that others believe it, and want to see Norrell, and he can be Norrell's closest 'friend'. Mr Lascelles is the exact opposite; he thinks Norrell is barking and jibes him to reveal more.
Through Mr Norrell's socializing we learn more about magic; how fairies aren't to be trusted (Norrell's opinion of course) and more strongly the idea that magic is boring, like history, just facts and not wonder. And the interactions with the gentleman with the thistle-down hair is tricky--he is evidently familiar with the perception of fairies driving hard/hidden bargains, says he isn't one, and extracts Miss Wintertowne's finger as payment anyway (including half her life, too.)
The narrator's commentary makes me laugh. It describes Norrell's relative (who asked for eight hundred pounds, and wrote back in thanks his second letter) as quite "steeped in villany"; the government is described in a way that I think is almost universal.
What did you think? Anything leap out to you?
Next Sunday, I will put up chapters 9-12.
From chapters Drawlight to A Gentleman with Thistle-Down Hair.
Mr Norrell is introduced into society by Mr Drawlight, who rather effectively takes the reins of fashion and socializing out of Norrell's hands and into his own. He fails to attract the attention and reputation he needs; while the men and women of town may believe in theoretical magic and perhaps the practical magic performed on the streets, the people that Norrell most wishes to impress his usefulness upon--men of the government like Sir Walter Pole--are totally unmoved.
But an opportunity is presented when Sir Walter Pole's fiancée dies and Norrell reluctantly decides to use necromancy to revive her. He summons a fairy and the gentleman with the thistle-down hair arrives to make a bargain with him. The gentleman is not impressed at all with Norrell--and also incidentally reveals that there is another magician in England--and bargains for Miss Wintertowne's life, or rather half-life.
-
I'm not sure Drawlight believes in magic or not because it seems to be totally immaterial to him--all that matters is that others believe it, and want to see Norrell, and he can be Norrell's closest 'friend'. Mr Lascelles is the exact opposite; he thinks Norrell is barking and jibes him to reveal more.
Through Mr Norrell's socializing we learn more about magic; how fairies aren't to be trusted (Norrell's opinion of course) and more strongly the idea that magic is boring, like history, just facts and not wonder. And the interactions with the gentleman with the thistle-down hair is tricky--he is evidently familiar with the perception of fairies driving hard/hidden bargains, says he isn't one, and extracts Miss Wintertowne's finger as payment anyway (including half her life, too.)
The narrator's commentary makes me laugh. It describes Norrell's relative (who asked for eight hundred pounds, and wrote back in thanks his second letter) as quite "steeped in villany"; the government is described in a way that I think is almost universal.
What did you think? Anything leap out to you?
Next Sunday, I will put up chapters 9-12.
Much to laugh at
Date: Apr. 9th, 2014 06:24 am (UTC)All that said, the narrator's commentary frequently has me laughing. Clarke's wit is dry and knowing. She's treading (successfully, in my judgement) a really fine line between winking at the reader as a 21st century writer (Look! Look at how clever I'm being!) and as the 19th century writer we are meant to believe she is.
Somehow, though, she's pulling it off brilliantly and her sardonic narrator feels utterly contemporary with the story he/she is telling.
Re: Much to laugh at
Date: Apr. 9th, 2014 09:42 pm (UTC)It really is, isn't it? And I agree on how fine the line is--there are books I hate like the Parasol Protectorate (flames! flames on the side of my face!) that wildly miss the mark--but she does it so well it's so enjoyable.