Transcription
[Music] Video on Galsworthy and Bennett
I hope you have already watched the videos on the other Edwardian realists like Joseph Conrad, Rudyard Kipling, and H.G. Wells. Now, Galsworthy was born in 1867. Did you know, guys, Arnold Bennett was also born in 1867? That is why we are talking about them together today. John Galsworthy was a lawyer by profession; that is why he wrote the play *Justice*. And did you know John Galsworthy wrote numerous novels and plays? Both novelist and playwright, he was dealing with social class—I told you that already—upper-middle-class lives mostly was his focus. John Galsworthy highlighted the culture of the upper middle class, as a snobbery of the upper middle classes, and he talked about how this clashes with the lower classes, especially in his first play, *The Silver Box*. Have you heard of it? *The Silver Box*. He campaigned for a variety of causes through his writings. John Galsworthy—he talked about prison reform, about women's rights, animal rights, and so on and so forth. This was a very important feature of his writing. He questioned the values of Victorian England. He uh, depicted the Edwardian period in very profound ways, and he won the Nobel Prize in 1932. Remember, WB Yeats 1923, Galsworthy 1932. *The Silver Box* is his first play; it came in 1906. *The Silver Box* is a comedy in three acts. Okay, a rich family versus a poor family. *The Silver Box* centers on Jack Bartwick, the protagonist. He's a rich man; he steals a lady's purse—not a lady, actually a prostitute's—for fun. Nothing happens, and there is a poor man, Jones, who helps Jack Bartwick, and in a weak moment, Jones steals a cigarette case from John—Jack Bartwick's—house. And you know what happens? The poor man is arrested. He was a needy man; he didn't have money, and he, in a weak moment, did it. He is not a thief by profession or anything, but he is arrested. But Jack—Bharti—called John Bartwick—nothing happens to him. This is the main center of the play, *The Silver Box*.
Another play is *Strife*. *Strife* is a play focusing on a factory called Trinartha Tin Plate Works. There is a strike that is happening there. The workers are on strike, and they are struggling and suffering because they are not getting wages, but they are still going ahead with the strike. John Anthony, the chairman of the factory, does not want to relent. He is very strong, and he does not want to give in to the demands of the workers. The leader of the workers is David Roberts. Jack Anthony and David Roberts are both strong men, but ultimately, John Anthony's family—the other owners of the factory—they decide to give in to the workers' demands. This is the play *Strife*, which shows both sides; it shows the side of the directors as well as the workers. It's a very balanced play, for that matter. Another play, *Justice*, 1910, is very famous. In *Justice*, the problem of poor people being arrested and put in solitary confinement, etc., is dealt with in a very realistic manner. William Falder is the protagonist; he forges a check to help his poor girlfriend, and the consequences of this is the theme of *Justice*. Did you know, guys, this play led to prison reform? In 1920 came the play *The Skin Game*, which also shows a rich family versus a poor—newly rich—family; an aristocratic family of John Hillcrest versus the newly rich Hornblowers. That is the theme of *The Skin Game*. And then there is the novel series, *The Forsyte Saga*. *The Forsyte Saga* is about an English family's rise to wealth. It's a very complicated story because there are so many characters, so many intricate relationships. There are three novels in *Forsyte Saga*: *The Man of Property*, *In Chancery*, *To Let*. And these three novels have two interludes. So first, there is *The Man of Property*, followed by the interlude *Indian Summer of a Forsyte*. Then *In Chancery*, followed by the interlude *Awakening*, and then the novel *To Let*. This is *Forsyte Saga*. *Forsyte Saga* has a sequel, which is also a novel series, and that is the series *A Modern Comedy*, which also has three novels and two interludes. *A Modern Comedy* is followed by *End of the Chapter*. Uh, so they're all novel series, and they tell the story of the same family and their relatives and friends. Massive, isn't it? Massive. So that is about John Galsworthy.
In the same year as Galsworthy was born, Arnold Bennett, 1867. Arnold Bennett was a novelist, short story writer, playwright, essayist, born in the Potteries district, or Stoke-on-Trent, or Five Towns. This is an industrial town, and a lot of trade and commerce and newly rich people, etc., are there that are depicted in Arnold Bennett's novels. Arnold Bennett depicted the society and its development, like Galsworthy. Both Galsworthy and Bennett were criticized by Virginia Woolf. They are materialists, Virginia Woolf said. Virginia Woolf said they are materialists; they focus too much on physical lives, social life, whereas Virginia Woolf and James Joyce are spiritualists; they depict the character—the psychological reality of the character—rather than social reality. Did you understand? What did Arnold Bennett write? Arnold Bennett was influenced by French realism. His novels reflect the influence of Maupassant, Zola, Flaubert. And his first novel is *A Man from the North*, *A Man from the North*. He has also written many other novels, including *Anna of the Five Towns*, set in the Potteries. His novels were not all of the same kinds; he wrote different kinds of novels. Some of them were thrillers, like *The Grand Babylon Hotel*, *The Gates of Wrath*. Remember, *The Grapes of Wrath* is by John Steinbeck; *The Gates of Wrath* is by Arnold Bennett. And he wrote many short story collections also. Arnold Bennett's masterpiece is said to be *The Old Wives' Tale*. It is about two sisters. Hey, do you remember George Eliot also wrote *The Old Wives' Tale*? It is a title that George Eliot has also written. And then comes Arnold Bennett's *Clayhanger* trilogy. The *Clayhanger* trilogy includes *Clayhanger*, *Hilda Lessways*, *These Twain*—important titles forming the *Clayhanger* trilogy. Now, Arnold Bennett was also a playwright; I told you that already. He began his trust with the theater as a critic first. He was a critic; he wrote a major play after that, *Milestones*. *Milestones* was written in collaboration with another man and reflects the social changes in England, like his novels, also upper-middle-class family again, like I told you. Towards the end of his career, he wrote more novels like *The Card*, *Mr. Prohack*, *Lord Raingo*, *Riceyman Steps*. These are all minor novels, actually. Then at this time, there is another novelist, Ford Madox Ford. Ford Madox Ford inspired Ezra Pound, and he's famous for the *Fifth Queen* trilogy and *Parade's End* tetralogy. *Fifth Queen* trilogy is a historical romance, and *Parade's End* tetralogy is supposed to be important books—four novels per agent. *The Good Soldier* is his best-known work. Ford Madox Ford's best-known work. Apart from novels, Ford Madox Ford also wrote *The March of Literature*; it's a history of present-day literature of his time. So these are some of the important novels. The next video is on E.M. Forster, another Edwardian realist. Make sure you watch that also. E.M. Forster is often prescribed in universities as well. So, as I always remind you, do your own reading and research and make your own notes along with video PDR. Your notes—it will be a bindas combination; it will help you pass various exams. So happy reading and happy research. Thank you all until the next video. Bye-bye. You.