The Repairer of Reputations [short story]
by Robert W. Chambers
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Description
The Repairer of Reputations takes place in a near-future America, where the protagonist, Hildred Castaigne, is recovering from a head injury and becomes obsessed with a mysterious man named Mr. Wilde, who claims to restore reputations. As Hildred's delusions increase, the story delves into themes of madness, power, and distorted reality, with a dark atmosphere surrounding a forbidden play, The King in Yellow.Tags
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(1895) I have the whole 'King in Yellow' collection sitting on my ereader... I really need to get around to reading it! This story is wonderfully weird - and disturbing on several levels.
Set in a future 1920, the world has made several steps toward peace and stability. (I'm not sure I like them, and I'm also not so sure the author does, either.) The introductory segment drags on a bit, reminding me a bit in style of Edward Bellamy's 'Looking Backward' (1888). Then, the story really starts...
Our narrator lets us know that after a fall from a horse, he was unjustly confined to a mental institution for some time, until his doctor realized that it was all a mistake, and released him. However, he still seems to have a strong desire for show more vengeance against this doctor. He also seems to harbor ambiguous feelings toward his brother, and his brother's vibrant young fiancee.
He enjoys spending time with a grotesque and mysterious man who claims to make his living 'adjusting' reputations - dealing with scandals - through a network of informers. Everyone else seems to think this man is insane. Is he? And our narrator himself? It's true that he admits to having read 'The King in Yellow' - the enigmatic work that is reputed to drive every reader mad... show less
Set in a future 1920, the world has made several steps toward peace and stability. (I'm not sure I like them, and I'm also not so sure the author does, either.) The introductory segment drags on a bit, reminding me a bit in style of Edward Bellamy's 'Looking Backward' (1888). Then, the story really starts...
Our narrator lets us know that after a fall from a horse, he was unjustly confined to a mental institution for some time, until his doctor realized that it was all a mistake, and released him. However, he still seems to have a strong desire for show more vengeance against this doctor. He also seems to harbor ambiguous feelings toward his brother, and his brother's vibrant young fiancee.
He enjoys spending time with a grotesque and mysterious man who claims to make his living 'adjusting' reputations - dealing with scandals - through a network of informers. Everyone else seems to think this man is insane. Is he? And our narrator himself? It's true that he admits to having read 'The King in Yellow' - the enigmatic work that is reputed to drive every reader mad... show less
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Repairer of Reputations [short story]
- Original title
- The Repairer of Reputations [novelette]
- Original publication date
- 1895
- People/Characters*
- Hildred Castaigne; Hawberk; Constance Hawberk; Louis Castaigne; Mr. Wilde; Osgood Vance
- Important places*
- New York, New York, USA
- Epigraph*
- "Ne raillons pas les fous; leur folie dure plus longtemps que la nôtre.... Voila toute la différence."
"Verspotten Sie keine Wahnsinnigen, ihr Wahnsinn dauert länger als unserer ... Das ist der Unterschied." - First words*
- Gegen Ende des Jahres 1920 hatte die Regierung der Vereinigten Staaten das Programm, das in den letzten Monaten von Präsident Winthrops Amtszeit entstanden war, praktisch vollendet.
- Last words*
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)(Anmerkung des Herausgebers - Mr Castaigne starb gestern im Heim für gemeingefährliche Geisteskranke.)
- Original language*
- Englisch
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
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Statistics
- Members
- 23
- Popularity
- 1,147,435
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (4.14)
- Languages
- English, German
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 3
- ASINs
- 5
