Name: The Sorrows of Satan
Author: Marie Corelli
ISBN: 9780192833242

The Sorrows of Satan

Marie Corelli

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Author Description

The Sorrows of Satan (1895) was one of the first modern bestsellers and was influential in establishing some of the major trends in twentieth-century bestselling fiction. The story takes place in London in 1895, and the Devil is on the loose. Britain is all but totally corrupt. Everything and everyone is up for sale, and it takes a special kind of moral courage to resist the Devil's seductions.

Menrva's Summary

THE PULSE

A struggling writer finds his life transformed when he encounters a mysterious, wealthy stranger who offers him unlimited fortune at the cost of his moral integrity. The protagonist, Geoffrey Tempest, faces the temptation of sudden wealth and social status in a London society depicted as deeply corrupt. He must navigate the manipulative influence of Prince Lucio Rimânez, who acts as a catalyst for the protagonist's ethical decline. The narrative utilizes a third-person perspective to examine the tension between material success and spiritual ruin within the rigid social hierarchies of the late nineteenth century.

INSIDE THE PAGES

Allegorical representation of the Devil as a sophisticated socialite
Critique of the Victorian publishing industry and literary criticism
Exploration of the Faustian bargain trope
Satirical depiction of London high society
Moralistic tone regarding the corruption of wealth
Supernatural elements woven into a realistic setting
Focus on the psychological erosion of the protagonist
Thematic emphasis on the conflict between greed and conscience

THE COLLECTIVE ECHO

Readers frequently highlight the book's status as a significant cultural artifact of the late Victorian era, noting its immense popularity upon initial release. Discussion often centers on Corelli's direct, polemical style and her aggressive critique of the literary establishment of her time. Critics observe that while the prose can be didactic, the atmospheric tension and the characterization of the Devil remain compelling elements for modern readers. The work is often studied for its influence on the development of the modern bestseller and its reflection of contemporary anxieties regarding morality and capitalism. Many find the narrative's earnest moral stance to be a distinct feature that separates it from more cynical contemporary fiction.

Page Count:
496

Publication Date:
1999-05-13

Publisher:
Oxford University Press

ISBN-10:
0192833243

ISBN-13:
9780192833242

Fantasy

Satire

Great Britain

Classic Literature

Gothic

London England

Victorian