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Sir Henry Rider Haggard, KBE was an English writer of adventure novels set in exotic locations, predominantly Africa, and the creator of the Lost World literary genre. His stories, situated at the lighter end of the scale of Victorian literature, continue to be popular and influential. He was also involved in agricultural reform and improvement in the British Empire.
His breakout novel was King Solomon's Mines (1885), which was to be the first in a series telling of the multitudinous adventures of its protagonist, Allan Quatermain.
Haggard was made a Knight Bachelor in 1912 and a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1919. He stood unsuccessfully for Parliament as a Conservative candidate for the Eastern division of Norfolk in 1895. The locality of Rider, British Columbia, was named in his memory.
Even in the modern-day 21st century, it can be a difficult situation for a husband to be in love with a woman who just happens not to be his wife. For the Victorian/Edwardian gentleman, however, especially for one of a highly moral and religious bent, the situation must have been even harder, particularly if that man were a well-known and highly respected public figure. And yet, that is exactly the lot that befell renowned British author H. Rider Haggard. I am only familiar with the bald outlines of the case (after having just completed my 42nd Haggard novel, out of the author's 58, I really do need to finally pick up his autobiography "The Days of My Life," or at least the Cohen or Higgins biography), but it seems that Haggard initially met the love of his life, Lilly Jackson, in the late 1870s while working in the Transvaal. Forbidden by his father to marry the older woman until he'd made something of himself, Haggard returned to England, and Lilly married a well-to-do banker. Later in life, Haggard, now married to a woman named Louisa (Margitson) and a highly successful writer, came to Lilly's aid when her wealthy husband left her. Haggard bought her a house, paid for her kids' education, and paid her bills when she contracted syphilis...but despite his deep love for Lilly, remained steadfastly faithful to his wife. And it was this state of torn feelings and platonic love that apparently led Haggard to write so often of heroes tempted by two very different women, most especially in his 1890 novel "Beatrice" and, as it turns out, in "The Way of the Spirit." Written in 1904 with the plotting assistance of Rider's good friend Rudyard Kipling, this novel--Haggard's 29th, and thus the precise halfway point of his novelistic output--was ultimately released in March 1906, a month before the San Francisco earthquake, and is perhaps his most forthright statement on the subject of worldly "renunciation." ("Renunciation" WAS Haggard's original title for the novel.)
In the book, the reader makes the acquaintance of a young man named Rupert Ullershaw. Rupert, when we first encounter him, is in the difficult situation of being in a love affair with the wife of his much older cousin, Lord Devene. Facing exposure, the Lady Devene commits suicide, and the young Rupert promises his mother to henceforward "follow the way of the Spirit, not that of the Flesh." After 11 years of soldiering in India and Egypt, Rupert returns home to England, where he falls in love with and marries his cousin Edith, a woman who is repelled by him but agrees to matrimony only because of Rupert's career prospects and the peerage, lands and fortune that he will eventually inherit from Lord Devene himself. Edith is actually in love with another of her cousins, the dastardly (and well-named) Dick, who arranges for Rupert to be sent back to Egypt, for a highly dangerous mission, on the very day of his wedding! And while back in that ancient land, Rupert is captured by his old enemy, the Sheik Ibrahim, and is triply mutilated (I will not reveal how exactly, but let's just say that no Haggard adventurer has ever suffered more than poor Rupert Ullershaw!). Cared for by Mea, the female leader of a people living in the lost oasis of Tama, he is nursed back to life, returns to England after many months, and is summarily rejected by Edith, who had believed him dead and now finds this mutilated man--who she could just barely tolerate to begin with--utterly impossible to accept. Rupert returns to Mea in the desert, and here the novel starts to make its main point, as the two begin a platonic, loving relationship that lasts for years. Rupert, incredibly enough, remains faithful to his marriage vows and to the unlikable woman who had spurned him, renouncing fleshly pleasures in the hopes of a love ever-lasting beyond the grave! Many readers may begin to roll their collective eyeballs at this point in the tale, but Haggard evidently does seem quite serious in showcasing such a decision's desirability, even telling us in his preface that "there must be something satisfying and noble in utter Renunciation for Conscience' sake...." But things reach a truly dramatic pass when Edith travels into the Egyptian desert, after seven years, to claim Rupert as her own....
"The Way of the Spirit" is a novel that Haggard bibliographer R.D. Mullen has chosen to call "mundane"...not because it is commonplace, but rather because it is largely devoid of any fantasy content. Its "lost race" quotient (Haggard, of course, is the so-called "Father of the Lost-Race Novel") is fairly minor, too, and the Tama people, living in their 450-square-mile oasis tucked away in the Egyptian desert, are only sketchily described. Still, Mea's guardian, the aged crone Bakhita, does practice the art of divination and can read omens in the desert sand and winds with a certain degree of accuracy, so the book cannot be said to be completely devoid of fantastic content. The novel also features a bare minimum of action per se, largely confined to the desert fight with Ibrahim's band and the ghastly torture aftermath, although, as in so many other Haggard titles, a shooting match between our hero and his nemesis does crop up at one point. Rupert, by the book's end, living in the desert, helping the sick, and living a life of abstinence, asceticism and renunciation, almost begins to appear saintlike, and the reader, despite his/her disbelief at his superhuman self-control, cannot help but admire him. No wonder Bakhita reflects at one point, "I always thought that these white people are mad, but this Bey is a saint as well." Truly a man of his times, what would Rupert have made of society's mores a century down the road, when "open marriages" and what my main man Dan Savage has called "monogamish relationships" have become standard? One can only wonder. Filled with well-drawn secondary characters and posing an interesting central dilemma, "The Way of the Spirit," though largely forgotten today, is a fast-moving, unusual type of Haggard novel, and one that I can surely recommend to all readers. The first edition that I have at home, the Hutchinson & Co. edition from 1906, is unfortunately so musty smelling that it was inducing asthma symptoms in me as I read it, but fortunately, there is a modern edition from Waking Lion Press that proved an adequate substitute, typos and all....
Not a Will Eisner work. ... Pretty much a rehash of THE WITCH'S HEAD and BEATRICE. 25% action and 75% theology. Rupert is a modern-day Francis of Assissi, establishing himself as a holy man in an Egyptian oasis town. The real villain of the piece gets away scot-free, giving the tale a 'so what?' effect.
Another of Haggard's contemporary novels (i.e., it takes place around the time it was written in the very early years of the 20th Century).
This time our hero is one Rupert Ullershaw, although we don't meet him immediately -- instead, things begin with a prologue set eleven years before the start of the book proper (so sometime in the 1890s) with Lord & Lady Devene (who are married but despise each other) throwing verbal daggers regarding each other's past indiscretions; until Lord Devene threatens Lady Devene with divorce and she responds by "accidentally" overindulging in chloral; and the next morning, Rupert (Lady Devene's indiscretion; also, a distant relation of Lord Devene) shows up on the doorstep, learns of her demise, and ends up heading off to join the Army to serve Queen and Country and forget his troubles.
Smash cut to the present day: Rupert's travels have taken him to the banks of the Nile in Soudan[sic] and he's had a reasonably distinguished career, but finds himself called back to London when his mother takes ill. Lord Devene, meanwhile, now has a new Lady Devene (a dour, religious German woman named Tabitha who has entirely failed to produce heirs; or, at least, living heirs) and they have settled in to a life of quiet mutual detestation. And we also meet the rest of our players: Rupert's cousin Edith, and their mutual cousin Dick. Rupert, it may be said, has had a bit of a torch for Edith, to her supreme indifference; her affections, such as they are, are more inclined to Dick who is, in fact, a bit of a dastard. Well, more than a bit. And Dick is not Rupert's biggest fan because, in the increasingly likely event that Lord & Lady Devene end up without a direct heir, Rupert would be next in line for the estate and titles, just ahead of Dick, who is also something of a wastrel and could really use the money.
And so the pieces seem set in place for another Patented Haggard Love Triangle(tm), but the story actually goes in a bit of an unexpected direction. Spoilers henceforth abound for this 120 year old novel ...
Rupert convinces Edith to accept his hand in marriage (well, truth be told, Lord Devene does most of the convincing) despite her utter lack of interest in him. Dick, in turn, manages to convince the Home Office that Rupert is exactly the right fellow for a delicate Egyptian mission and, wouldn't you know it, Rupert would have to leave immediately after his wedding (like, that same afternoon; no connubial bliss for you, Rupert!, because Edith would prefer not to accompany him to Egypt, but will wait behind) and things go pear-shaped (through no real fault of Rupert's own, although he did agree to provide escort to a nice young lady, Mea, and her elderly servant), and Rupert finds himself shy of a foot and an eye and believed to be dead as he recuperates in Tama, the oasis that Mea rules.
And then the story takes a bit of an interesting turn because while Mea and Rupert definitely share some throbbing biological urges, they agree that it Would Not Be Proper to indulge on account of Rupert is still married, even if Edith thinks he's dead. (Well, Mea isn't all that tied to monagamy, heathen that she is, but still.) And back in England, Dick is pitching woo at Edith, who's beginning to have suspicions that Rupert may not, in fact, be completely dead (to be fair, her suspicions were raised when he showed up on her doorstep shortly after his recuperation in Tama, but she sent him packing back to Egypt on account of his now being both poor and disfigured) and Dick and Edith will have to also make a trip to Egypt to the Tama oasis so that things can grind their way to a conclusion.
And I guess it's not my favorite Haggard novel I've read, but nor is it by any means the worst, so make of that what you will.
প্রিয় লেখক হেনরি রাইডার হ্যাগার্ডের অন্যান্য বইগুলোর মতই এই বইটাও দারুণ সাথে অসাধারণ অনুবাদ। উনার অন্যান্য বইগুলোর মত এই বইতেও অ্যাডভেঞ্চার , মূল চরিত্রের উত্থান-পতন, হয়তো একভাবে এগিয়ে যাওয়ার সুযোগ ছিলো কিন্তু সেভাবে না গিয়ে অন্যকোনভাবে অন্যকোথাও অনেক কিছু জয় করা সব মিলিয়েই বইটা বেশ ভালো লেগেছে। যদিও অন্যান্য বইগুলোর মত হ্যাপি এন্ডিং না, একটু মর্মান্তিক এন্ডিং , কিন্তু এর থেকে হয়তো পার্ফেক্ট হতোনা অন্যভাবে শেষ করলে। সব মিলিয়েই বইটা ভালো লেগেছে।
হেনরি রাইডার হ্যাগার্ডের লেখা অনেক আগে থেকেই প্রিয়। এই বইতে নতুন করে জীবনের সাথে ধর্মের দর্শন মিলে অন্যরকম এক জীবনদর্শন দেখা যায়৷ রুপার্ট উলারশ, যে উলারশ বংশের ধারা অনুযায়ী জীবনের শুরুর দিকে অনৈতিক সম্পর্কে জড়ায়। কিন্তু নিজের ভুল বুঝতে পেরে অল্প বয়স থেকেই শপথ নেয় ধর্ম অনুযায়ী নিজের জীবনকে আলোকিত করবে। বাইবেলের বানীকে ধারণ করবে আমৃত্যু। আত্মা যে পথে নিজেকে এগিয়ে নিয়ে যায় জীবনে সে অনুযায়ীই ফলাফল লাভ করা যায়। বিবেক ও ধর্মীয় বিশ্বাস অনুযায়ী জীবনে চলতে থাকলে চলার পথ অনেকটাই সহজ হয়ে যায়। স্রষ্টা তাকেই সাহায্য করে। এই বইতে তা খুব সুন্দরভাবে ফুটে উঠেছে।
First published in 1906. A story of love, pain, the supernatural, and a love that survives the grave. It opens around 1879 with Rupert Ullershaw in England and then jumps 11 years to Egypt where he has risen in rank in the army soldiering in India and now Egypt. Rupert returns home to England, where he falls in love with and marries his cousin Edith (whose affections lie with another), a woman who is repelled by him but agrees to matrimony only because of Rupert's career prospects and the peerage, lands and fortune that he will eventually inherit. Three hours after their wedding, Rupert goes back to Egypt on a highly dangerous mission where he suffers disfiguring wounds and is nursed back to life by Mea, the female leader of a people living in the lost oasis of Tama, he is returns to England after many months, and is summarily rejected by Edith.
This is another Haggard romance in which characters lived their lives with the expectation of loving fulfiment after death.
Природа зря наделила людей глазами. Чрезмерно многое отдаётся на откуп зрению. Важным кажется лишь то, что приятнее лицезреть, всё прочее подвергается забвению. Особенно тяжело приходится, когда настаёт пора выбирать объект любви, забывая про осмысление необходимости страсти к конкретному представителю рода человеческого. Иногда связь заканчивается трагически, кто-то может погибнуть. Вот тогда и предстоит задуматься, как тлетворно бытие, ставшее привычным. Нужно отказаться от зова плоти, предпочтя ему зрительную слепоту. Следует научиться закрывать глаза на несовершенства мира, в том числе на всё то, к чему не лежит душа. Может тогда человечество познает счастье, но до наступления того времени люди обречены испытывать однотипные страдания, с равной степенью достающиеся каждому поколению.
I'd have given this three-and-a-half stars, but that's not an option. If you've never read anything by H. Rider Haggard, I wouldn't start here. Not that there's anything wrong with the book, but it's not typical for him, being more of a spiritual romance than a swashbuckling adventure. Despite that, it does have exotic locations, hints of the supernatural, and a couple of powerful female characters.
The plot revolves around a moral quandary--choosing between faith, love and duty. Whether the main character succeeds in his choices, and whether his choices were worth it, will be seen differently by different readers. That's not a bad thing. Sounds too heavy? Despite the serious questions at the heart of it, the plot is engaging, with characters to both love and hate.
Just another adventure of Henry Rider Haggard. It is story of love, passion, hate and power. A young man become attracted to a married lady. But her sudden suicide changes everything.The man starts his journey towards adventure. He found love in his way but couldn't make it work. His mother dies without him and his beloved wife cheats him. But there exits one woman who loves him every thing. Beautiful Maya changes his perception about live. Will this two lovers be able to meet?
বেশ কিছুদিন যাবত পড়তে পারছিলাম না...একটা হালকা রিডার্সব্লক সিচুয়েশন ....তা 'দ্য ওয়ে অফ দ্যা স্পিরিট' দিয়ে সেটা এবারের মত সামাল দেওয়া গেল বলে মনে হচ্ছে। হেনরি রাইডার হ্যাগার্ডের এই বইটা, এক ভাগ্য বিড়ম্বিত মানুষের ভালবাসার গল্প তার জীবনের নানা উত্থান পতনকে আশেপাশে রেখে! দু একটা জায়গা ছাড়া গল্পে নাটকীয়তা আর জটিলতা কম...মানে ছিমছাম একটা অলস দুপুরে পড়ে ফেলতে সমস্যা হবে না এই আর কি৷ অবশ্য 'সেবার' প্রায় সব অনুবাদই ঝরঝরে হয় এটাও একটা কারণ হতে পারে,এমনিতে আমাদের দেশের অধিকাংশ অনুবাদকই বিখ্যাত সব বই দফারফা করে দেন সাধারণত। দ্যা ওয়ে অফ দ্যা স্পিরিটের বেলায় এই ব্যাপার হয় নি এই ঘটনাটা শান্তির :)