Iris Murdoch, The Book and The Brotherhood

Tammy Grimshaw (Universidad de Jaen)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.09: English Writing and Culture: Postwar and Contemporary Britain , 1945-present.
Vol. editors: Kerry Myler (Newman University), Jenni Ramone (The Nottingham Trent University)

Dates

First circulation or publication 1987

Places

England (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Novel

Resources

A well-paced, dynamic novel, The Book and the Brotherhood addresses the themes of change and breakdown in society in the late twentieth century. The narrative opens at the Commen Ball at Oxford, during which Murdoch introduces the primary characters of the book. Jean Kowitz and Duncan Cambus have had a troubled and turbulent marriage. Throughout the evening, Jean dances with David Crimond, her former lover, who is an enigmatic writer and philosopher. Crimond's date for the evening is Lily Boyne, who has been secretly in love with him for some time. We meet Rose Curtland, Gerard Hernshaw and Jenkin Riderhood, friends of Jean, Duncan and Crimond, who were their Oxford contemporaries and, like their friends, are now middle-aged. …

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2044 words

Citation: Grimshaw, Tammy. "The Book and The Brotherhood". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 07 April 2004 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=10013, accessed 24 November 2024.]

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