The Sea, the Sea (1978)

The narrator of this book is a self-obsessed, arrogant man. As is typical of Murdoch's work, he is thoroughly unlikeable. This makes a hard slog, but the ending was so transcendent and eye-opening, I laughed out loud, I read parts to Phil, and I found myself debating whether two chapters made the whole book worthwhile. I haven't decided yet. I am certainly in awe of Murdoch's power, but might take a break from her for a while.

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Finished Iris Murdoch's 'The Sea, The Sea' last night. Took too long, the first third of the novel is just too wordy without getting anywhere, and then when events do happen they're not ony melodramatic, but ultimately physically impossible. Some good ideas in here, but very overdressed. This was the book that really broke the Booker prize into the mass media back in the early 70s. Started it then and didn't finish it, and felt I ought to ever since. Don't bother reading it yourself; you're not really missing anything. Do read Kipling's 'Kim', whcih is the inifinitely superior book that's hiding behind this one. I gather she's lacking credibility these days as a philosopher. Perhaps it's time her reputation as a novelist was reappraised.

The persona of the central character has a consistency, but it's just not that of a great mid-twentieth century actor. If you read the diaries of Alec Guinness, or letters or memoirs of those who actually do inhabit that world, the tone and language of Charles Arrowby is just unconvincing; better to have made him a novelist. Anyway, all these men at the centre of Murdoch's novels are essentially the same person. And why does she write in the male first person; again, unconvincing. This ain't how men think. ( )

The sea, the sea is a tale of a self satisfied retired man.

Charles Arrowby is a successful playwright and director, during his working life he lived in London.

For many reason he decides to write his memoir in a remote location washed by the sea he will be haunted by the philosophical meaning of masks wore during his plays.

During his voyage he will discover his true personality made of egotism, selfishness and the meaning of love which is interpreted by Mary Hartley Fitch and Lizzie.

“But now the main events of my life are over and there is to be nothing but ‘recollection in tranquility’. To repent of a life of egoism? Not exactly, yet something of the sort. Of course I never said this to the ladies and gentlemen of the theater. They would never have stopped laughing”

(The sea, the sea, Penguin 20th Century Classics, Iris Murdoch, page 1)

The main argument of this novel is the synergy between our daily theatrical mask and our consciousness perfectly interpreted by Charles.

In my opinion Charles is conscious that his theatrical life has been a play, he feels unsatisfied because he did not understand the human behavior and its actions, in other words his philosophical questions about the meaning of love and jealousy are unresolved, this imply that he has failed his personal ‘Recollection in tranquility.’

“Hartley made a permanent metaphysical crisis of my life by refusing me for moral reasons. Did this lead me to make immorality my mask?”

(The sea, the sea, Penguin 20th Century Classics, Iris Murdoch, Kindle’s location 1805)

It is clear that the theater is a metaphor of our life, here Charles is conscious that he was not able to distinguish his professional life from his private life, in other words he recognize that he is possessed by the theater and his actions and arguments has been written by the audience’s taste.

This means that the sea will be a sort of inner redemption where he will know himself.

“Titus’s body was conveyed to a hospital in a town many miles away, and was there received into the merciful anonymity of cremation”

(The sea, the sea, Penguin 20th Century Classics, Iris Murdoch, Kindle’s location 7162)

Personally behind this phrase there is a profound reasoning on the existence of God or better the essence of our souls against the ‘anonymity of cremation’ as a metaphor of atheism.

In my opinion the maturation of Charles starts after the death of his son Titus, recognizing that he has not be a good father conscious and repented of his late maturation. ( )

Iris Murdoch's "The Sea, The Sea" is the tale of Charles Arrowby, a narcissistic actor/director who retires to Shruff End, a gloomy seaside home to write his memoirs. His peace and quiet is quickly interrupted by a bevy of girlfriends past, including a chance encounter with Mary Hartley Smith, his first love.

Arrowby is at once smitten and obsessed with Hartley and the book becomes a complicated tangle of jealousy, obsession and possibly even madness. The line between reality and fiction (in Arrowby's world) is so blurred that the book really plunges along moving from the ridiculous to the absurd in an entertaining way.

I liked the book a lot, though I won't say that I loved it. (Reading the first 100 or so pages, I thought this might be a five star book for me... but as the story evolved I saw that it wouldn't be.) I adore Murdoch's writing style. However, as the absurdity and egotism of the narrator builds to a crescendo, the overall story lost a little steam as it stretched the bounds of credibility farther and farther. I still give the book a good, solid thumbs up... just not as enthusiastically as I initially thought it would be. ( )

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