St Aubyn’s novel saga as an echo of Powell’s Dance to the music of time: beyond personal trauma Cover Image

St Aubynova románová sága jako ozvěna Powellova Tance na hudbu doby: za téma osobního traumatu
St Aubyn’s novel saga as an echo of Powell’s Dance to the music of time: beyond personal trauma

Author(s): Ladislav Nagy
Subject(s): Language and Literature Studies, British Literature
Published by: Univerzita Karlova v Praze - Filozofická fakulta, Vydavatelství
Keywords: Contemporary literature; personal trauma; post-war British society;

Summary/Abstract: Edward St Aubyn’s quintet of novels is very often interpreted in terms of trauma. Such an interpretation, based on the author’s confession that the novels are strongly autobiographical and that hewas sexually abused as a child by his own father, is no doubt justified. However, besides that, theyalso belong to a certain tradition: with Proust and Powell St Aubyn shares the setting of the novel,aristocracy and high society; same as them he unveils snobbery as an integral part of this society andhe shows in detail various mechanisms and forces that are active in this society. His novels, however,are remarkable in drawing a link between cruelty/abuse/sadism and snobbish detachment, whichhe sees as ultimately dehumanizing.

  • Issue Year: XXIX/2019
  • Issue No: 60
  • Page Range: 34-42
  • Page Count: 9
  • Language: Czech