|
Showing 1 - 3 of
3 matches in All Departments
F. Scott Fitzgerald's second novel, The Beautiful and Damned, has
frequently been dismissed as an outlier and curiosity in his
oeuvre, a transitional work from the coming-of-age plot of This
Side of Paradise to the masterful critique of American aspiration
in The Great Gatsby The Beautiful and Damned belongs to a genre
that is widely misunderstood, the "bright young things" novel in
which spoiled and wealthy characters succumb to decay because of
their privilege and lack of purpose. Set between 1913 and 1922,
Fitzgerald's longest novel touches on many of the decisive issues
that mark the passage from the Gilded Age and the Progressive Era
into the Jazz Age: conspicuous consumption, income inequality,
yellow journalism, the Great War, the rise of the movie industry,
automobile travel, Wall Street stock scams, immigration and
xenophobia, and the fixation with youth and aging. Published to
coincide with the novel's centennial in 2022, this collection
approaches The Beautiful and Damned for its insights more than its
faults. Prominent Fitzgerald scholars analyze major themes and
reveal unappreciated issues with attention to history, biography,
literary influence, gender studies, and narratology. While
acknowledging the novel's shortcomings, the essayists illustrate
that The Beautiful and Damned has much more to say about its milieu
than previously recognized. This collection provides a guide for
understanding Fitzgerald's aims while demonstrating the richness of
ideas that this novel explores, alongside the anxieties and
ambitions that reverberate within it.
'The victor belongs to the spoils.' F. Scott Fitzgerald's second
novel, The Beautiful and Damned (1922), is a devastating portrait
of a generation of wealthy young Americans who struggle to find
meaning and happiness in their lives. The sophisticated but
emotionally fragile Anthony Patch enjoys an initially idyllic
marriage to the beautiful Gloria Gilbert. But their intense romance
turns sour as they waste their time and energy in decadent leisure
and luxury. Their happiness comes to depend on gaining a vast
inheritance from Anthony's grandfather, but they are stifled by
their inner fears and are ill-prepared for the inevitable loss of
youth and prosperity. Set amid the vibrant social and commercial
world of New York in the early twentieth century, the novel
expresses the promise and disillusionment of America at the start
of the Jazz Age. This is the novel that confirmed Fitzgerald's
status as the most celebrated young American writer of the
Twenties. The author's exuberant and enchanting style is on full
display, three years before the critical triumph of The Great
Gatsby. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's
Classics has made available the widest range of literature from
around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's
commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a
wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions
by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text,
up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
F. Scott Fitzgerald's second novel, The Beautiful and Damned, has
frequently been dismissed as an outlier and curiosity in his
oeuvre, a transitional work from the coming-of-age plot of This
Side of Paradise to the masterful critique of American aspiration
in The Great Gatsby. The Beautiful and Damned belongs to a genre
that is widely misunderstood, the "bright young things" novel in
which spoiled and wealthy characters succumb to decay because of
their privilege and lack of purpose. Set between 1913 and 1922,
Fitzgerald's longest novel touches on many of the decisive issues
that mark the passage from the Gilded Age and the Progressive Era
into the Jazz Age: conspicuous consumption, income inequality,
yellow journalism, the Great War, the rise of the movie industry,
automobile travel, Wall Street stock scams, immigration and
xenophobia, and the fixation with youth and aging. Published to
coincide with the novel's centennial in 2022, this collection
approaches The Beautiful and Damned for its insights more than its
faults. Prominent Fitzgerald scholars analyze major themes and
reveal unappreciated issues with attention to history, biography,
literary influence, gender studies, and narratology. While
acknowledging the novel's shortcomings, the essayists illustrate
that The Beautiful and Damned has much more to say about its milieu
than previously recognized. This collection provides a guide for
understanding Fitzgerald's aims while demonstrating the richness of
ideas that this novel explores, alongside the anxieties and
ambitions that reverberate within it.
|
|