Evelyn Waugh: Brideshead Revisited

[heidiadonis]

A wonderful read! I highly recommend it if you haven't yet read it. I somehow doubt it.
Spoiler Alert:

I felt very sad while reading this book. It is about a friendship between Charles Ryder and Sebastian Flyte as well as about a love between Charles and Julia Flyte. In either case, Charles did not know well, hence was unable to connect with, either person he felt so much affection for. Religion like societal morality ties and holds one to its rules. Charles could not save his troubled friend who had a perpetual weakness to alcohol. Sebastian couldn’t bear his guilty feeling which he lessened with spirits. Of course, there is always something elusive about anyone we think we know. Charles was “adrift at sea” unable to comfort Julia when she lamented, “Nameless and dead, like the baby they wrapped up and took away before I had seen her!” over the loss of her religion though it turned out to be only a momentary loss. Charles thought the feelings of guilt “nonsensical or preconditioning from childhood” while their guilt and want of redemption were everything to Julia and Sebastian. With my pessimistic tendency, I fully agree with this quote from the book: “a thought to fade and vanish like smoke without a trace - perhaps all our loves are merely hints and symbols; vagabond-language scrambled on gate-posts and paving-stones along the weary road that others have tramped before us; perhaps you and I are types and this sadness which sometimes falls between us springs from disappointment in our search, each straining through and beyond the other, snatching a glimpse now and then of the shadow which turns the corner always a pace or two ahead of us.”

A beautiful poetic quote from the book to light it up a little:

"The sun had sunk now to the line of woodland beyond the valley; all the opposing slope was already in twilight, but lakes below us were aflame; the light grew in strength and splendour as it neared death, drawing long shadows across the pasture, falling full on the rich stone spaces of the house, firing the panes in the windows, glowing on cornices and colonnade and dome, spreading out all the stacked merchandise of colour and scent from earth and stone and leaf, glorifying the head and golden shoulders of the woman beside me."

[beelzebubbles]

I read Vile Bodies which must be quite different from Brideshead Revisited. Vile Bodies being a light satirical comedy.

As for this:

With my pessimistic tendency, I fully agree with this quote from the book: “a thought to fade and vanish like smoke without a trace - perhaps all our loves are merely hints and symbols; vagabond-language scrambled on gate-posts and paving-stones along the weary road that others have tramped before us; perhaps you and I are types and this sadness which sometimes falls between us springs from disappointment in our search, each straining through and beyond the other, snatching a glimpse now and then of the shadow which turns the corner always a pace or two ahead of us.”

That is one

ONE!

one aspect of love.

There are others.

A little monkey sits alone in the cold feeling miserable; no other monkeys around. Another little monkey comes along and puts an arm around that lonely monkey. Voila, the original monkey is not so cold and is feeling cheerful.

Another aspect of love, the monkey need for companionship.

Now somewhere between the lofty promise of the fulfillment of our anima/animus desire and finding a hand in the snow is a love that may satisfy if only for a time. That time maybe ten days, ten years or till death parts the lovers in question.

These are the words of a pragmatist.

[heidiadonis]

Originally Posted by beelzebubbles

I read Vile Bodies which must be quite different from Brideshead Revisited. Vile Bodies being a light satirical comedy.

I did not read Vile Bodies, but there is a satirical comedy about a high London society in Brideshead Revisited as well. I was just as charmed as Charles to that aloof yet deeply Catholic Marchmain family with all its troubles and weakness. The breaking family caused me sadness all through the book. It is one of the bests I have read this year.

[Eric]

I've never read the book, but the TV serial, back in 1981, is said to be a very close rendering of the novel. That was charming and moving. Waugh was rather ambidextrous regarding sex and also became a Roman Catholic. All those elements are well portrayed. The TV cast were Jeremy Irons, Anthony Andrews, Diana Quick and John Gielgud.

I shall read more Waugh when I get the chance. The period and subject-matter of his novels appeals to me.

[beelzebubbles]

I too saw the Brideshead serial.

It was rather surprising when Charles ran off with the sister rather than Sebastian.

It made Jeremy Irons an international star and the king of the subtextual performance. You can always feel the undertow pulling at Irons. I thought Anthony Andrews was just as good and had the more difficult part to play. He has to go from the heights of antic charm to a complete, sorrowful dissipation convincingly though just playing a character, who is known by the audience, to be Catholic and homosexual in Thirties England gives one sufficient freight to carry.

I think Laurence Olivier and Claire Bloom had small roles as Sebastian's parents as well.

[heidiadonis]

I do not have a TV. I may have to impose on some friends if they are willing to watch the movie with me. The 1981 version has 4 DVD's. What about the 2008 version? Anyone has seen it?

[Liam]

Originally Posted by heidiadonis

What about the 2008 version? Anyone has seen it?

It just doesn't compare to the earlier, longer version, though the sets and the costumes are naturally more magnificent (considering the budget!)

It has two things going for it though:

1. Emma Thompson's absolutely riveting performance as Lady Marchmain.

2. Matthew Goode, playing the lead role, is hot hot HOT (provided you like blue-eyed brunettes, ). You also get to see his naked ass, and believe me, it's beautiful--

~ L.

[miercuri]

Originally Posted by Liam

(provided you like blue-eyed brunettes, ).

His eyes look rather green to me in these pictures, but I can appreciate just as well

[beelzebubbles]

Watching the series, I felt at times that Charles was in love with the Marchmain family more than he was enamored of any particular member. That Charles motivation in marrying was in becoming one of them. Does that make any sense to those who have read the book?

[heidiadonis]

Are they the same man? He is definitely handsome, Liam, but he is way too confident about his look for my taste. I prefer an awkward man who is not aware of his worth. Now I am curious how you look. I am picturing you as a fashionable New Yorker with a beautiful face. I will just have to watch the 2008 version because the other one is faithful to the book and I read the book. Matthew Goode played Sebastian or Charles?

To answer beelzebubbles' question, Charles was drawn to Sebastian when he met Sebastian first at Oxford. Sebastian was described as a kind of man who charms everyone and who is always pleasant, in short, a charismatic person. No one would ever take offense from him and no one would ever think of harming him. Charles loved him with his mysterious sides. Charles grew up without knowing a family life under an indifferent father and so naturally he was attracted to the whole family, more so because they were Sebastian's family and Julia's. He said as much when Sebastian took him first to Brideshead. It is true Charles found each member in the family curiously odd at times. Charles loved Sebastian and Julia. He got to know well of Lady and Lord Marchmain and became part of the family and briefly of the house without actually ever belonging to either the family or the house.

[Liam]

Originally Posted by heidiadonis

I am picturing you as a fashionable New Yorker with a beautiful face.

[insert blushing smiley here...] My lady does me great honor. Perhaps some day we will meet, and then you'll see that I'm quite, quite average, .

Originally Posted by heidiadonis

Matthew Goode played Sebastian or Charles?

Charles. Sebastian was played by Ben Whishaw, who also starred in Perfume: The Story of a Murderer and Jane Campion's recent biopic of Keats, Bright Star.




~ L.

[beelzebubbles]

Ben Whishaw as Sebastian

[Liam]

Yes, J, thank you for that. Still, I think Matthew beats Ben by a long shot. Heidi, I'm sorry you think he looks too "confident," .

He can revisit my bride's head any time he wants--



~ L.

[saliotthomas]

Reading this thread made me feel like in the hair salon,a good one mind you.

I read Brideshead a few month ago and liked the evolution of the characteres in time,the slow desilution and failed dreams,the quality and extravagance becoming the failure and routine.Funny how usualy the bright ones who bloom early are the one exausting themselves in the long run.
So from the hair salon to bar counter physlosophie.

Also like the tiny part in Morocco,always nice to bring the story home.

[Eric]

I still like the atmosphere of the old filming. You people who have seen the new one first will have been swayed, but I liked the very English way the old one rendered the upper classes - i.e. not too flashy-showy:













None of the above photos show Diana Quick as the heroine Julia Flyte. Here she is, with the lads:

[heidiadonis]

Oh, Liam, he is a heartthrob! These are interesting words: "knockout" and "heartthrob." One is used only for women and the other only for men. You see, a man gets a physical reaction, knocked out, to a beauty and we women get an emotional reaction, heart throbbing, to a beau. His beauty intimidates me. I like best Matthew Goode in the picture when he is holding a match. Was he a good actor, though? I could forgive his good look if he is an excellent actor. We women would rather get admired than admiring, although I am content to be occasionally called "cute" or even "pretty" by a few men.

I am not sure if it is evolution-related. It appears to me that women gets attracted to a man with a bigger brain while men would rather possess a woman with a more sexually-appealing look.

Wow, Jeremy Irons played "Charles" who was supposed to be 19 years old at Oxford and 39 years old during the WWII? I thought they would use different actors. I can easily spot Sebastian with a teddy bear who clung to his childhood. I really like the picture of Charles and Sebastian in a boat before or after punting.

Sebastian, Sebastian, I wish he could have had a little stronger will to recover from alcoholism and became at least like his father. I get to love him, too, for his weakness and for his goodness, repentance, loneliness, and suffering. Charles felt "momentarily an ominous chill at the words (Sebastian) used, "it is where my family live" instead of "it is my house." When Charles asked at Sebastian's avoidance of meeting any of his family members, "Which are you ashamed of, her or me?" Sebastian answered, "I'm ashamed of myself."

Eric, thank you for the pictures! I will watch that version as well if I get a chance.

[heidiadonis]

I have questions:

Why are the father and the mother called Lord and Lady Marchmain while Julia and Sebastian are called Flyte? I am guessing it is something to do with their title or the house they own.

How do you pronounce "Waugh?"

I always read, first, Introduction to a book if given. Introduction compares Brideshead Revisited, though in comparatively moderate scale, with A la Recherche du temps perdu by Proust. I guess I will pick up a volume after Du côté de chez Swann soon.

[Eric]

You pronounce Waugh almost like the British pronunciation of "war", i.e. "waw", rhymes with "paw" and "jaw". You may note that the word "wog" in English is a disparaging way of describing a Pakistani, so that pronunciation is to be avoided. See:

Wog - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

So the author's name is "eevlin waw".

Another curious thing is that Evelyn is usually a woman's name, as is Hilary (with one "l" in Britain). But the son of Tony Benn, a leading British left-wing politician (a lord who dropped his title), is called Hilary Benn.

[heidiadonis]

Thank you very much, Eric! I thought it could be "Wof."
Yes, I thought it odd for a male name.

[beelzebubbles]

I tried to watch the recent movie based on Brideshead Revisited and found it quite tedious and thought Ben Whishaw was either miscast or wrong-headed in his portrayal of Sebastian. His Sebastian is too effeminate. too sickly looking, too obviously tortured to be charming. Maybe this is my prejudice from having seen the mini-series but I imagine Sebastian to be androgynous rather than effeminate, childlike and playful rather than childish and his hair shirt should never be obvious to anyone else. 'Oh this old thing, I've had it for years, darling.' He should have not just charm but aplomb.

The movie makes obvious what we should slowly be learning and that is that Sebastian's psyche is the battle ground on which his parents are fighting.

I am enjoying the book. Waugh's lyric moments often come as a startling and slightly unnerving surprise to me. I am never comfortable with them. There we are in the particular--it is often a pretty eccentric particular--and all of a sudden he bursts into song. I don't quite know how to take it.