The Go-Between by L.P. Hartley

The Go-Between by L.P. Hartley

Settings create shortcuts - a novel or a film set, for example, in

Paris in 1944 comes with expectations that enrich the writing and give

it instant depth. Similarly, L.P. Hartley's The Go-Between, being set

in both in 1900 and 1952, immediately alerts its readers to the

significance of those years.

The main part of the novel paints a detailed picture of rural England

at the beginning of the twentieth century, when Hartley himself was

only five years old. It is, however, viewed in retrospect from 1952.

The choice of a new century and particularly the twentieth century

provides an ideal setting for Leo's story of youthful idealism and

ultimately his disillusionment.

The tragedy of the novel arises more acutely because of the modern

readers' knowledge of the epoch it refers to. While the new century

was dawning, all was not as tranquil and promising as it seemed to

young Leo. The Boer War was in progress and had left its brutal mark

on Lord Trimingham's face. His face, compared to Janus', reminds us of

the evils which had occurred already before the start of the century.

Janus, the god of thresholds stands as a warning of the wars to come.

The Boer war is in the background of the story throughout, even in the

images used in everyday situations: "…Trying to sneak past in dead

ground!" - calls Hugh accusingly when he sports the lurking Leo, and

for a moment Leo seems like one of the elusive Boer soldiers. All

these allusions to war, topical in 1900, develop a further meaning

when connected with the theme of the twentieth century as the opposite

of the 'Golden Age' for which Leo hoped.

"The pa...

... middle of paper ...

...c for the knowledge that they have of contextual

background makes the story of The Go-Between poignant.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

============

· York Notes - The Go-Between

· The Go-Between, Introduction by Colm Tóibín, The New York Review of

Books, 2002

· The Go-Between study guide - Addison Wesley Longman Limited, 1980

· The Go-Between, Introduction by Douglas Brooks-Davies, the Penguin

Group, 1977

· The Novelist's Responsibility, L. P. Hartley, 1967

· www.learpremium.co.uk

· www.teachit.co.uk

· www.nyrb.com

· www.learnhistory.org.uk/

· www.thezodiac.com

---------------------------------------------------------------------

[1] 'Introduction', Colm Tóibín

[2] The Novelist's Responsibility, L.P. Hartley

[3] Ibid

[4] Critical Essays on the Go-between