The 1700-1939 Book Club! discussion
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The Forsyte Saga
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The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy (The Man of Property: Part One)
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Jamie
(last edited Mar 04, 2014 03:51PM)
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rated it 4 stars
Mar 02, 2014 11:13AM
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I'm half excited and half anxious. I saw the Masterpiece Theater series on TV years ago and loved it. Now while I'm reading about different characters, I know what is going to happen to them and keep wanting to tell them, "No, no. Don't do that." Hmmm, maybe I get too wrapped up in books.
Diane wrote: "I'm half excited and half anxious. I saw the Masterpiece Theater series on TV years ago and loved it. Now while I'm reading about different characters, I know what is going to happen to them and ke..."Ha,ha! Now you make me curious!
I read the first chapter yesterday and like it a lot - although I'm a bit confused by all the charaters - about 10 characters were introduced per page! But I guess/hop it'll make sense later.I watched part of the series about 8 years ago, but don't remember a thing - other than that I liked it.
I'm going to be a few weeks behind everybody on this one, as I have some library books to finish and return first. I'd never heard of The Forsyte Saga before this was picked, and I know NOTHING about it - and I'm kind of glad of that. That's why I joined this group - exposure to things I might not have found on my own!
Gitte, make sure you have a copy of the family tree on hand to refer to at all times. Most editions of the Forsyte Saga have one at the beginning, but if you are using an e-reader it may be too small to be useful. The Wikipedia entry has a list of characters that may help you keep them straight: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fors... . If you google "Forsyte Family Tree" you will find links to images, but those were mostly pretty small, too. I picked up a used copy of the book that had a good-sized family tree, and I found it really helped, especially for keeping track of people like the aunts.
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Casceil wrote: "Gitte, make sure you have a copy of the family tree on hand to refer to at all times. Most editions of the Forsyte Saga have one at the beginning, but if you are using an e-reader it may be too s..."Mine doesn't have one! Thanks for the link - maybe I'll just draw a family tree at one of the blank pages :-D
Jamie wrote: "I don't think we ever decided if this is going to be a two or three month read. Any ideas on a reading schedule? I am breaking this up by sections tonight. Sorry I haven't earlier. There will be qu..."Should we just divide it into the three books: The man of property - In chancery - To let?
Oh, it's already been divided - sorry!
Starting chapter 1..."At Home at Old Jolyons" today. I hope to finish today also.
I read The Forsyte Saga a year and a half ago. I started rereading "A Man of Property" last night. Rereading it is much more fun than reading it the first time, since now I know who all those characters are. I remember the first time I read it, I had to keep a family tree handy and keep looking people up. I think it was an interesting decision on the part of the author to introduce that many characters at once. I'm guessing he wanted to use the "at home" to give an overview of the family as virtually an institution--like giving us an overview of a forest, but casually mentioning the names of about 30 trees in passing.
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Do you think this should be a two or three month read? We never all decided and if it works as a two month I need to start nominations :) My book doesn't have a family tree but I will print off the one from your link. It will be better to have one on the side anyways.
I think it should be a three month read. There are three books with two "interludes" between them. It took me a month to read each book. I was reading other things at the same time, of course, but I think it is good to have a mix.
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Three month read it is! :)
Good! I have yet to get through Chapter 1.
I'm zooming right along. I just finished chapter 2. It helps that I have read it before. I can appreciate the interactions between characters more this time through.
I read chapters 1 and 2 this morning, and I am already VERY thankful for the family tree at the front of my copy...So far, I'm reminded of my initial reaction to War and Peace - how am I ever going to remember who all of these people are? But I'm sure, like with W&P, after a bit it will all come together. What I've read so far, I've liked.
As you read on, you get chapters that focus on particular characters, and it does start to come together more. For instance, Chapter 1 touched lightly on all the characters, and mentioned old Jolyon's son, but after you finish Chapter 2, you have a much stronger sense of who old Jolyon and his son are, and what happened to their relationship, and what it means to old Jolyon.
I finished part 1 this weekend and relly like this this novel. I especially enjoy the parts with Old Jolyon.
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Oh....trying to read but being so distracted by more contemporary titles!
I'm a little past part one, and I'm starting to wonder if this story is going somewhere...
The story is going somewhere, but it takes its time getting there. By the end of part III, though, I think you will consider it worth the trip.
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Glad to hear! I'm needing a little motivation :)
I've just finished rereading Chapter 3. I remember finding it confusing the first time through, but now I am astonished at how much foreshadowing is in it. Here are a couple of points to take note of: James is Soames's father. He is concerned about the rumors that Soames's wife, Irene, is unhappy in the marriage and asking for her own room. How can she be unhappy with Soames, when he is a good provider, gives her gifts, and is not a drunkard? James is typical of the older generation in this, regarding wives as a form of property belonging to their husbands. Soames seems to share those views, though times are changing and Soames is in the generation that may have to adjust. The Married Women's Property Rights Act was passed in 1882, giving wives the right to own, buy and sell their separate property. Before that time, when a woman married, all of her property became the property of her husband.Swithin is the host for this dinner, and we are given a detailed look at how pompous he is. His tastes are geared toward decor that looks expensive, rather than anything more tasteful. The guests discuss a sculpture Swithin has recently purchased. Few of them think it is worth what Swithin spent on it. When the prospective bridegroom is put on the spot and asked for his opinion, he is careful and clever. He says it is "remarkable." Pressed further on why it is remarkable, he responds "for its naivete." Swithin is the only one in the room who can't quite make out whether this is a compliment. (Swithin is clearly not the sharpest knife in the drawer.)
The main course at the dinner is saddle of mutton, because that is what the Forsythes (pretty much all of them) always serve at a dinner like this. Tradition is a sort of ruling principle in this family.
Is this a property issue? To James, Soames father, it is but in reality, Irene married him for money. Soames was desperately in love with Irene but Irene didn't have to marry him. She didn't have enough money to live on and so succumbed. Doesn't she owe it to him to at least try?
I am just not an Irene fan.
I didn't much like Irene in the beginning either, but she grows on you. As you learn more about why she married Soames, it makes more sense. Soames seems to have viewed the marriage almost like the way he purchases art and then sticks it in a storage place where he can admire it on the occasional Sunday afternoon. He knew Irene did not love him when he married her, but since she did agree to marry him, he regards her as his property and she should behave like a proper wife.One of the things I admire about The Forsythe Saga is the way we see characters develop. As you learn more about them and what motivates them, you are forced to reconsider first impressions. It's not that the first impressions turn out to wrong, so much as there is just more there you need to know to understand the character. And none of the characters are black and white. There is good and bad in all of them.
Casceil wrote: "I didn't much like Irene in the beginning either, but she grows on you. As you learn more about why she married Soames, it makes more sense. Soames seems to have viewed the marriage almost like t..."This is the first time I read the book but I watched the BBC production. Irene did not grow on me and I thoroughly disliked her by the end of the story. I'm on Soames side. She married him knowing what was expected of her as his wife and she didn't even try.(view spoiler)
I just did not think her a particularly nice person.
I have not seen the BBC production. Maybe they didn't put in enough of Irene's backstory.
Casceil - I like the parallel you've drawn between Soames's marriage and his art collection - I was thinking the same thing. Something that he has for the sake of owning, rather than for any real enjoyment. He can look at Irene and say "oh, that's pretty, and it's mine" and then sort of mentally file her away. No wonder she's unhappy.
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Other than Irene being unhappy and trying to sleep alone....I don't get a sense of her. But most of the men seem horrible and materialistic and cold.
I am starting to become very interested in the book.....starting to make sense of the family tree and ....I love the time periods this book covers.
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I was kind of wondering if everyone had given up on this book! I will admit, I put it aside for a while for other works. I actually just picked it up again last night.
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I was having a hard time reading it for an hour here and there. I have decided to dedicate longer periods of time for reading so I can start discussing it again :)
I think that was my problem too. I was reading it in small bits, and not really getting too far "in" before I'd put the book down again. What I really need is a good rainy Saturday with no plans...
I also took a break from it for other group reads - but now I'm back and totally dedicated to this one! And I love being back, this is an excellent read!
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The action really picks up late in the first book.
I've finished it and think it's really good! My review will be ready in a few days. Really looking forward to hear your thoughts on it!
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Really looking forward to hear your thoughts on it!"
I will make sure to read your review!
