The Complete Works of Evelyn Waugh: Vile Bodies
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Author Description
The Complete Works of Evelyn Waugh offers the first scholarly edition of Waugh's work, bringing together all of his extant writings and graphic art: novels, biographies, travel writing, short fiction, essays, articles, reportage, reviews, poems, juvenilia, parerga, drawings, and designs. No other edition of a British novelist has been undertaken on this scale. Only 15% of Waugh's letters have previously been published. Alexander Waugh, Evelyn Waugh's grandson, is editing a twelve-volume Personal Writings sequence for the series, intercalating over 10,000 letters with the complete, unexpurgated diaries. All volumes will be beautifully produced, and have comprehensive introductions and detailed annotation. Fiction and non-fiction volumes will also contain a full account of each text's manuscript development and textual variants.The Complete Works will revolutionize Waugh studies, and offer new insights for twentieth-century literary and cultural studies generally. Waughs works are placed in their rich literary and historical context, enabling readers to appreciate for the first time the range and complexity of his thinking and artistic practice, and linking this to the work of his contemporaries in Britain, America and Europe.This volume is part of the Complete Works of Evelyn Waugh critical edition, which brings together all Waugh's published and previously unpublished writings for the first time with comprehensive introductions and annotation, and a full account of each text's manuscript development and textual variants. The edition's General Editor is Alexander Waugh, Evelyn Waugh's grandson and editor of the twelve-volume Personal Writings sequence.This is the first critical edition of Waugh's celebrated novel, a work that is unapologetically modernist in form and tone. The history of Vile Bodies presents an intriguing bibliographical and biographical detective story, not least because Waugh's first wife left him when he was in the middle of writing it.
Menrva's Summary
THE PULSE
The narrative centers on the frantic, hedonistic lives of the Bright Young Things in 1920s London as they navigate a world defined by superficiality and impending social collapse. Adam Fenwick-Symes, an aspiring writer, attempts to secure his future and marry his socialite love interest, Nina Blount, while constantly thwarted by financial instability and the erratic whims of his peers. The novel employs a sharp, satirical lens to examine the hollow nature of high society, utilizing rapid-fire dialogue and a non-linear, episodic structure to mirror the chaotic pace of the era. The protagonist faces a series of absurd obstacles, including lost manuscripts and shifting social alliances, which highlight the fragility of the characters' existence in a post-war landscape.
INSIDE THE PAGES
- Sharp, biting satire of the British upper class and the 'Bright Young Things' social set.
- Rapid-fire, witty dialogue that emphasizes the superficiality of the characters.
- Episodic narrative structure that reflects the chaotic, fragmented nature of the era.
- Use of dark humor to address themes of social decay and moral aimlessness.
- Modernist stylistic experimentation with tone and perspective.
- Vivid depictions of 1920s London nightlife and social rituals.
- Exploration of the tension between personal ambition and societal expectations.
- Inclusion of critical apparatus detailing manuscript development and textual variants.
THE COLLECTIVE ECHO
Readers and critics frequently highlight the novel as a definitive portrait of the interwar period's social volatility. Discussion often centers on the balance between the author's comedic timing and the underlying sense of dread that permeates the narrative. Many observers note that the work serves as a significant example of modernist satire, effectively capturing the disillusionment of a generation. The critical edition provides substantial context that allows for a deeper appreciation of the text's bibliographical history and the author's personal circumstances during its creation.
Page Count:
400
Publication Date:
2017-11-14
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
019968345X
ISBN-13:
9780199683451
Fiction
Satire
Modernist
English literature
British literature
classic
