Melmoth the wanderer

[Lobolover]

by far THE most briliant gothic novel,and the last,as seen by many.

MELMOTH THE WANDERER

A giant of a book-901 pages long in the book edition I have had in my hands,but boy is it worth it.Everthying here is real,everything is horrid and there are no "fakes",the story progresses as a colection of interconected short stories,which may take away the tediousnes of the read away from some, seeing as how the story is kept fresh this way.......

I have read this before any other gothic novel and I say everyone should.

[j. d. worthington]

I'm not sure Melmoth would be to everyone's taste, by any means. However, if you're going to have a go at the Gothics, then Melmoth should definitely be one of the three or four (out of literally hundreds) you should tackle. I'd also suggest The Monk (despite serious flaws), as well as The Mysteries of Udolpho (which is a superb novel that I find grows with repeated readings). I'd also suggest a few of the shorter Gothic tales, most especially "Sir Bertrand: A Fragment" (generally attributed to Anna Letitia Barbauld -- on rather strong evidence, though it may have been the work of her brother, John Aikin, or a collaboration by both....)

[Lobolover]

Hmm,I didnt see that much in Bertrand .

[j. d. worthington]

Plotwise, there isn't, of course, as it is more an exercise to demonstrate the points made in the essay it accompanied. But atmospherically, it has some very powerful aspects; quite eerie, dreamlike, and unsettling....

By the way... my comments about Melmoth don't necessarily indicate my own feelings about the novel itself, of which I am intensely fond; simply my experience with so many modern readers.

[Lobolover]

So its 900 pages long-what else?Its a colection of stories not necessary to read in that order,except for the first few.

[j. d. worthington]

I'm afraid I'd disagree with that. It really isn't a collection of short stories; it's a journey down the years, seeing the destructive path of the Wanderer in all his encounters, and watching his effects on those he meets, as well as seeing his own desperation grow as the hour for paying for his bargain draws near. If one reads the novel out of sequence, one will miss many of the links, as well as the gradual building of that extremely effective blending of horror and pity concerning the titular character....

In its episodic nature, it is very much modeled not only on many another Gothic (which in turn were modeled on such things as the Arabian Nights as well as examples of the early novel), but of its most famous thematic predecessor, Goethe's Faust....

[Lobolover]

Yes,what I MEANT was you CAN read the stories separately.

[Heteronym]

This novel has had me interested for a while; the description seems so fascinating: Melmoth must get someone to take over the pact he made with the Devil. But classic Gothic fiction has disappointed me in the past: Frankenstein, The Castle of Otranto (Walpole's Hieroglyphic Tales, however,are superb).

[j. d. worthington]

Difficult to say what your response to this one would be. It is decidedly in the Gothic tradition, so you may find it disappointing. On the other hand, it is a bit more manic than most (save for large chunks of The Monk), and more given to overt supernatural occurrences, which may appeal to you. If you do give it a go, I'd be interested in your response....

[Lobolover]

Well,the Frankenstein was nice,but a bit diferent.This however may just possibly ripple your socks while reading it.