Bethel Merriday

by Sinclair Lewis

Harry Sinclair Lewis (1885 - 1951) was an American novelist, short-story writer, and playwright. In 1930, he became the first writer from the United States to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, which was awarded "for his vigorous and graphic art of description and his ability to create, with wit and humor, new types of characters." His works are known for their insightful and critical views of American capitalism and materialism between the wars. He is also respected for his strong characterizations of modern working women.

Genres: Fiction, Classics, American

Paperback

First published January 1, 1940

About the author

Novelist Harry Sinclair Lewis satirized middle-class America in his 22 works, including Babbitt (1922) and Elmer Gantry (1927) and first received a Nobel Prize for literature in 1930.

Middle-class values and materialism attach unthinking George F. Babbitt, the narrow-minded, self-satisfied main character person in the novel of Sinclair Lewis.

People awarded "his vigorous and graphic art of description and his ability to create, with wit and humor, new types of characters."

He knowingly, insightfully, and critically viewed capitalism and materialism between the wars. People respect his strong characterizations of modern women.

Henry Louis Mencken wrote, "[If] there was ever a novelist among us with an authentic call to the trade...it is this red-haired tornado from the Minnesota wilds."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinclai...

Reviews

[Old Man JP · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of a girl who dreams about becoming an actress and her pursuit of that goal. It was told in Sinclair Lewis' usual brilliant prose but lacked many of the qualities that I enjoy in his writing. It didn't have the subtle satire and clever dialog that most of his other books have. If this had been written by any other author I probably would have rated it higher but I was hoping for more from Lewis.

[Ryan Mishap · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tale of title character as she grows up into a stage actress. His last book and I think that shows through his sardonic and curmudgeon-like comments on Americans, especially the middle and upper classes.

[Coreena · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard for me to put into words how I feel about this book. There was an empty quality about Bethel that felt odd to me for a very long time until I realized that the many love interests she vacillated between were projecting their ideas of who they were on to her as much as she was doing the same to them. There was an awful lot of self important talk about the role of artists and art and it made me wonder if the focus of the book was on actors as a way of illustrating that none of these people really knew themselves and were consistently looking for identity in one another and the roles they played. That maybe all of us do that to one level or another and this was an extreme depiction of something existential we all struggle with.

On another note, I felt like this book was the inverse of Main Street. Where Carol Kenicott has dreams of fine, artistic things, she never actively pursues those skills with any discipline or purpose. She's a dilettante that's used to explore the inner life of small town America and show that there is some richness to be found there. Bethel is no Carol. She's dedicated. Laser focused. She has no main street because her home is only the theater and she has no real idea of what small town life isike, not even from when she grew up in one- because she always lived in her head. I feel like Bethel Merriday does for bohemian life what Main Street does for the proletarian. It’s really hard for me to judge the one without the other as they feel like two halves of the same story to me.

[Sean11 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lewis continues his slump before the gradual rise again with better novels, starting with "Gideon Planish." Compared to "Prodigal Parents," "Bethel Merriday" is better written and more engaging. Still, it gets lost in for me the very uninteresting concept of an updated version of "Romeo and Juliet." I just don't find his take on the theater interesting, especially for a novel published in 1940 when the world is in crisis.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. I love Sinclair Lewis. This could be a marvelous period piece if it were made into a film. In my opinion.

[Murray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank goodness this was not the first Sinclair Lewis book I had ever picked up or I may not have ever read another one. What made Lewis a great writer was his ability to tackle important social issues and tell stories with memorable characters and well-developed plots. "Bethel Merriday" is minus a significant plot, focusing on a few years of the title character's life as she strives to become a successful actress. Most of the story surrounds her time in an acting troupe preparing for and performing a 'modern' (for 1938-39) version of "Romeo and Juliet". But, nothing really happens and Lewis really doesn't touch the social issues of the day as he did in, say, "Kingsblood Royal". Bethel herself is not the most interesting heroine; she exists largely on the fringe, which represents how the troupe sees her until she gets a chance to emerge. However, despite the lack of any kind of a convoluted story, I admire Lewis's depiction of the interactions within the troupe and his detailed renderings of their quest to survive. And, as in his other novels, he is the master at simultaneously writing brilliant prose while also winking his eye.