Armadale (Oxford World's Classics)
by W. Wilkie Collins
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Book Summary Information
Author: W. Wilkie CollinsEditor: Catharine Peters
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-09-28
ISBN: 0199538158
Number of pages: 880
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Book Reviews of Armadale (Oxford World's Classics)
Book Review: Collins' answer to the shocking stories of his day
Summary: 4 Stars
Wilkie Collins used many headlines and odd cases and trials of murder as the background for his novel Armadale. Marital problems and scandals, poisonings, and murder trials were at the heart of the public in the mid 1800s, and Armadale reflects the public's interest in these. And so Lydia Gwilt's trial in the novel very well may have been synonymous with a real-life femme fetale's trial. While shocking in it's time, today's audiences can identify with Collins' depiction of the plight of a woman in the 1850s, and so, in this sense, Collins' writing takes on very modern interest. The author, a good friend of Charles Dickens, said he wanted to "out Dickens Dickens" with the detail and plotting in this lengthy book, and so the book really builds to get to the three essential characters. However, once we get there, the plotting is amazing.
The name Armadale carries with it many consequences of fate, secrets, decisions of morality--and immorality--as well as acts of desperation and deceit. One generation of Armadales concludes with a death-bed confession of murder, which we witness in the opening of the novel. The next generation, two gentlemen with the same name, will have fate more than once seemingly attempt to lead them (and this name) back to a tragic, disastrous end. In addition, at the heart of Armadale lies a scheming villainess, Lydia Gwilt, beautiful, cold-hearted and cynical, who stops at nothing to attain what she feels should be rightfully hers, something which directly affects both Armadale men. The Armadale estate will be hers if she plays her cards right.
There's quite a buildup before we actually get to the story's main focus . About two hundred pages in, the three principle characters--Lydia Gwilt, Ozias Midwinter (Armadale), and Allan Armadale--finally all become involved in the plot. Armadale probably has the most complex plot of all of Collins' "big" novels, with several characters with the name of Armadale, and twists and turns through several subplots. A daunting aspect is just keeping track of the many Allan Armadales at the book's outset, although, everything seems to clear up when we get to the second generation of Allan Armadales (one who has changed his name to Ozias Midwinter). These two characters become the crux of the story from here on out.
Much is to be said about Lydia Gwilt, the novel's antagonist. This novel's central character differs from most of Collins' mysteries because she is pretty despicable and unforgiving, even though there is background given to her difficult marriage and childhood. I guess I found her motives for her treacherous plans to Armadale to be a little perplexing. Why does she hate Allan Armadale so much? Does he represent everything in the world she doesn't have? Without giving too much away, it seems that when she finally has things solidly in hand, she has all the wrong motives for what she wants. Certainly she doesn't give a fig about Armadale, but she does care for Midwinter, but apparently, ultimately, it is all about money and power. Her cynicism towards the world, her delight in others' misery, and her despicable plans make her a villain's villain. She is Lady Macbeth and a Bond villainess molded into one. Collins seems to want us to draw some sympathy for her because we hear the story from her perspective, or because she has second thoughts about her evil plan. She comes across as envious, deceitful, cynical, immoral, vile, and plain nasty towards most she encounters. Not only that, but she has all the wrong reasons for wanting to do evil. Some may be the type to find her rather intriguing, while others want to see her plans blow up in her face. I was definitely the latter of the two, but I guess you can say Collins was doing his job of creating a shocking villain.
The two other central characters are Allan Armadale and Ozias Midwinter. Allan is a bit of an air-head, simple-minded, but very good natured. He is quite naïve to the world, though, and many times impending doom is right in front of him and he seems to walk right into it. He's the type of character you just have to roll your eyes at, because he obviously is too trusting to see it coming. He's also the type of character that is simple enough to have everything, good or bad, fall onto his lap purely by accident. When an unexpected and bizarre series of family deaths occur, he unwittingly becomes the heir of the Armadale estate at Thorpe-Ambrose. He forms a friendship with a mysterious man named Midwinter, who is ill but is helped back to health by Armadale. However, Allan doesn't have the true knowledge of Midwinter's parentage (which Midwinter has hidden), and this will be a key component as the story unfolds. Midwinter, in many respects, is Allan's opposite: he's mysterious, aloof at times, quiet, introspective, and often gloomy. Because of his knowledge of what his father did to Allan's father, and his understanding of his father's death-bed confession, there is an aura of fatalism about his whole persona. He believes in omens, dreams, signs, and that the past is surely there to come back and repeat in the present with catastrophic, tragic results. With this in mind, he walks with cautious step, and believes that signs about fate should be taken seriously.
As usual, Collins makes quite interesting, and important, secondary characters as solid vehicles for the plot, and these come in the forms of heroes and villains, saints and sinners, moralists and scoundrels. As far as the good, Reverend Brock symbolizes both parent and friend to both Allan and Midwinter. Brock raises Allan in the book's early parts, and keeps him from the world's harm by sequestering him at his mother's request. Brock also comes to trust and admire Allan's friend Midwinter after initially distrusting him. He also emphasizes to the ever fatalistic Midwinter that he should not look to Fate to control his destiny, but rather, control his own destiny instead. Perhaps very minor characters, but highly entertaining, the Pedgift lawyers, both father and son, seem to add a little bit of comic relief (which is sorely lacking in Armadale) and detective angle to the book. Plenty of secondary accomplices serve to help Gwilt's plans. Pathetic Felix Bashwood is an elderly man who becomes mystified and enraptured by Lydia Gwilt, and pretty much slaves for her the entire book, acting as confident, spy and middle man. Gwilt uses Bashwood to no end to serve her, and he is so obsessed with her that he willingly becomes part of the treachery, catering to her every need. Gwilt also joins forces with the equally odious Doctor Downward (pleasant name, huh), who runs, of all things, a sanitarium and has a knowledge of poisons.
The story begins with a deathbed confession by an elderly Allan Armadale, who tells an incredible tale which takes place on board a ship. He forewarns his son to have no contact with another man named Allan Armadale. Serving as a warning for the future, we go to the next generation, where circumstances happen to have these two meet (although one refers to himself as Midwinter). Despite all the odds, these two men, who should not be consorting with each other, seem to become friends. However, when a mysterious Lydia Gwilt (and her baggage) comes to be governess after Armadale is the head of the estate, then the plot thickens. She uses her beauty to captivate many men in the novel, but is it enough to gain what she truly seeks?
While Armadale is an excellent read--and clearly Collins did his homework on detailing the novel--I didn't enjoy it quite as much as The Woman in White, Moonstone, or No Name. Still, Armadale is great reading for anyone looking for a mystery that pushes the envelope. As one reviewer noted, it is hard to believe that this was written in the mid 1800s, because its subject matter is so current and modern and, in many ways, startling.
The novel really underscores the notion that we should be in control of our own fates, rather than having Fate make us victims.
Summary of Armadale (Oxford World's Classics)
Armadale tells the devastating story of the independent, murderous, and adulterous Lydia Gwilt. This traditional melodrama also considers the modern theme of the role of women in society.About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
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