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101st out of 465 books
—
717 voters
Is Heathcliff a Murderer?: Great Puzzles in Nineteenth-Century Fiction
In this quirky and intriguing book, John Sutherland has conveniently gathered together thirty-four nagging little questions, puzzles, errors, and enigmas from some of the best-loved examples of Victorian fiction. Readers often have stumbled upon seeming mysteries in their favorite novels. Why, for example, is the plot of The Woman in White irrevocably flawed? (The timing o...more
Paperback, 258 pages
Published
1996
by Oxford University Press
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Interesting to fans of 19th century literature, especially those who like the Victorians. Some of the "puzzles" the author looks to solve aren't really that puzzling but this book kept me reading, in part because the essays were so short that I hardly had time to get bored.
Some of the answers he comes up with are more concrete than others so those looking for yes or no, true or false, will likely be disappointed. In fact, I'm a little surprised at which essay was chosen as the title of the book...more
Some of the answers he comes up with are more concrete than others so those looking for yes or no, true or false, will likely be disappointed. In fact, I'm a little surprised at which essay was chosen as the title of the book...more
Dec 28, 2011
Erica
marked it as to-read
Chapters
1. Where Does Sir Thomas's Wealth Come From? Mansfield Park
2. How Much English Blood (if any) Does Waverley Spill?Waverley
3. Apple Blossom In June? Emma
4. Effie Deans's Phantom Pregnancy? The Heart of Midlothian
5. How Does Victor Make His Monster? Frankenstein
6. Is Oliver Dreaming? Oliver Twist
7. Mysteries of The Dickensian Year? Martin Chuzzlewit
8. Is Heathcliff a Murderer? Wuthering Heights
9. Rochester's Celestial Telegram Jane Eyre
10.Does Becky Kill Jos? Vanity Fair
11.Who Is Helen...more
1. Where Does Sir Thomas's Wealth Come From? Mansfield Park
2. How Much English Blood (if any) Does Waverley Spill?Waverley
3. Apple Blossom In June? Emma
4. Effie Deans's Phantom Pregnancy? The Heart of Midlothian
6. Is Oliver Dreaming? Oliver Twist
7. Mysteries of The Dickensian Year? Martin Chuzzlewit
8. Is Heathcliff a Murderer? Wuthering Heights
9. Rochester's Celestial Telegram Jane Eyre
10.Does Becky Kill Jos? Vanity Fair
11.Who Is Helen...more
Each chapter of this book is devoted to a specific work of 19th century English literature, addressing some burning question that is not answered with complete clarity in the text. In the title essay, for example, the author looks closely at the death of one of the characters in Wuthering Heights -- did Heathcliff have a direct role, or was he merely an observer?
Sadly, this was one of those reads where I was foiled by my own misguided expectations. I'm not exactly sure how this happened, but the...more
Sadly, this was one of those reads where I was foiled by my own misguided expectations. I'm not exactly sure how this happened, but the...more
Sutherland ponders some of the questions that great literature raises. And yes, he does address the title questions, and I find it hard to disagree with him. Really, why is Heathcliff so bloody attractive? He strangles a dog to death! That's the type of man you want to marry?
Yeah, yeah, I know; the whole bad boy thing. Right. It shouldn't extend that far.
How well you like this book depends upon your relationship to the novels Sutherland examines. Sutherland is intelligent enough to point out tha...more
Yeah, yeah, I know; the whole bad boy thing. Right. It shouldn't extend that far.
How well you like this book depends upon your relationship to the novels Sutherland examines. Sutherland is intelligent enough to point out tha...more
Apr 06, 2008
Kirsti
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
writing-about-writing
I read this book a couple of years ago, but I picked it up again to reread the part about The Woman in White, a novel that I finished reading last week. I love the idea that, had I lived in the early 1860s, I could have bought merchandising tie-ins to The Woman in White--including perfume, cloaks, bonnets, and sheet music for waltzes and quadrilles. :-)
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I love this series by author John Suthlerland who explores the themes and characters of classic literature. So, is Heathcliff a murderer? The author offers plausible reasons why Heathcliff may have committed murder. Other puzzles in literature concern the characters of books by Jane Austen and George Elliott, to name just a few. It's a book that you should own because, if you love literature, you will constantly reread this book.
Going over some of the most famous novels ever written, Mr. Sutherland exposes the flaws in their writings. Showing the careful attention to detail of the dedicated bibliophile and the true pedant, he forces the reader to take a closer, more critical look at these well-loved novels and see that they still carry merit in spite of the gaping holes of logic.
Not for reading straight through.
Poses some interesting questions, though I found funny the number of times he noted that we really can't know what the author intended.
I think I need to take a break from John Sutherland for a bit. These puzzles get rather repetitive after a bit.
Poses some interesting questions, though I found funny the number of times he noted that we really can't know what the author intended.
I think I need to take a break from John Sutherland for a bit. These puzzles get rather repetitive after a bit.
Thoroughly enjoyable and the essays are short so can be read 2-3 at a time. It helps if you've read the books about which Sutherland's writing (and most of us have, I'd reckon) and some of his essays seem deliberately provocative but, overall, a fun and relaxing read.
I love John Sutherland. Reading his work is like listening to a courtroom drama where the defendants are characters from 19th century literature. His essays are full of fascinating trivia, including a lot of the dirty stuff that Victorian writers glossed over. Best of all, Sutherland never simply nitpicks a novel, he always tries to come up with a plausible defense for what the writer did.
raccolta di brevi saggi su piccoli enigmi della letteratura di lingua inglese dell'ottocento, strutturati come piccoli gialli da risolvere seguendo gli indizi sparsi nel testo del romanzo.
Questions about literature.....Why was only one footprint found in Robinson Crusoe?....Why didn't Dr. Frankenstein use a whole body and not just one whole one?......
Of the novels featured, I have read "Vanity Fair" (loved it), "Wuthering Heights" (hated it), "Mansfield Park", "Emma", "Jane Eyre", "Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde", "The Picture of Dorian Gray", and the Sherlock Holmes story "The Adventure of the Speckled Band". I have also seen or heard others dramatised on TV or radio, but I think I would like to read more of them; Trollope's Palliser novels sound good.
The most interesting chapters were those that discussed the subtle clues about pregnancy and other...more
The most interesting chapters were those that discussed the subtle clues about pregnancy and other...more
This is the book that answers questions about some of the mysteries of Victorian fiction. It is a sort of reference work that reminds me of the books I have read yet some of the entries are about books which I have not read. My favorites including Dickens, Hardy and Stevenson are discussed; but there are others including Austen, Trollope, Scott and Stoker. Reading this book almost makes you want to return to each novel and reread them to discover the enigmas for yourself. John Sutherland's excep...more
This is a fun collection of essays. I'd think you'd have to be familiar with the novels in question to enjoy them though.
This is a very entertaining collection of essays on apparent inconsistencies and unanswered questions in British novels of the 19th Century. In proposing his own solutions to these "puzzles", Sutherland spans a range from minutiae involving a very close reading of the text to major issues in contemporary literary criticism. The pieces are well written, and even if it's been a while since you've read Middlemarch or The Picture of Dorian Gray, you won't find it hard to keep up with the discussion....more
Not so much literary criticism as playing with literature, Sutherland examines nagging inconsistencies, vague plot points, and outright goof-ups in popular literature of the 19th century.
Author does a good job of addressing points raised (though not specifically resolved) by 19th century British authors in their various works.
Aug 03, 2012
Gloriavirtutisumbra
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Shelves:
fiction-old-and-new,
nonfiction-old-and-new
Always a joy, Mr. Sutherland.
May 21, 2013
Kim
marked it as to-read
May 21, 2013
Elisabeth
marked it as to-read
May 18, 2013
Tanya
marked it as to-read
May 15, 2013
Ella Burnett
marked it as to-read
May 12, 2013
Carys
marked it as to-read
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John Andrew Sutherland is an English lecturer, emeritus professor, newspaper columnist and author.
Now Emeritus Lord Northcliffe Professor of Modern English Literature at University College London, John Sutherland began his academic career after graduating from the University of Leicester as an assistant lecturer in Edinburgh in 1964. He specialises in Victorian fiction, 20th century literature, an...more
More about John Sutherland...
Now Emeritus Lord Northcliffe Professor of Modern English Literature at University College London, John Sutherland began his academic career after graduating from the University of Leicester as an assistant lecturer in Edinburgh in 1964. He specialises in Victorian fiction, 20th century literature, an...more
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