The Clayhanger Family
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- Clayhanger redirects here. For the English settlements, see Clayhanger, Devon and Clayhanger, West Midlands
| The Clayhanger Family Series | |
 Cover of 1954 Penguin Modern Classics edition of Clayhanger |
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| Author | Arnold Bennett |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Series | the Clayhanger Family |
| Subject(s) | Coming of age |
| Genre(s) | Novel |
| Publisher | Egmont Books (1st edition) |
| Publication date | 1910, 1911, 1916, & 1918 |
| ISBN | ISBN 978-0-416-20540-4 |
The Clayhanger Family is a series of novels by Arnold Bennett, published between 1910 to 1918. Though the series is commonly referred to as a "trilogy", it consists of four books; the first three novels were released in one single volume as The Clayhanger Family in 1925.
Contents |
[edit] Novels
[edit] Clayhanger (1910)
The novels are a coming-of-age story set in the Midlands of Victorian England, following Edwin Clayhanger as he leaves school, takes over the family business, and falls in love.
The books are set in Bennett's usual setting of "the 5 Towns", a thinly-disguised version of the six towns of "the Potteries" which amalgamated (at the time of which Bennett was writing) into the borough (and later city) of Stoke-on-Trent. Buildings described in the novels are still identifiable in Burslem (which is the fictional "Bursley")[1].
Clayhanger's father supported his extremely poor family even during his early childhood, and rose to become one of the key men in the "Five Towns". Clayhanger is not fully aware of his father's history, and therefore rather takes for granted much of his family's affluence and influence. Clayhanger allows his ambition to become an architect to be over-ruled by his domineering father, Darius, and becomes instead an unwilling (and underpaid) office junior in his father's printing business. He does mildly revolt against his father and his family. While he is capable of seeing through the many hypocrisies of Victorian England, he does not confront them or become his own man until his father's final illness and death hand him control of his business.
The triumph of the book, then, is not in outlining Edwin's escape from the respectable bourgeoisie, but in detailing its effect on his life, and his submission to it. In one of the earlier chapters in the book, Bennett writes that Edwin had only heard of a philosopher as 'someone who made the best of a bad job' and in some ways that is what Edwin has to do in the book - survive under a stifling layer of conduct imposed by his father, his church and the society he is part of. Although his friendship with the Orgreave family provide intellectual stimulation, they are as much part of 5 Towns life as anyone; this is why Edwin ends up rejecting the unspoken offer of Janet Orgreave as partner, and falls instead for the less attractive, impoverished but exotic Hilda Lessways.
[edit] Hilda Lessways (1911)
The second book was Hilda Lessways, which paralleled Edwin Clayhanger's story from the point of view of his eventual wife, Hilda. It tells the story from her coming of age, her working experiences as a shorthand clerk and keeper of a lodging house in London and Brighton, her relationship with George Cannon that ends in her disastrous bigamous marriage and pregnancy, and finally her reconciliation with Edwin Clayhanger.
While the partial re-telling of the Clayhanger plot is considered fascinating by some readers, with some identical scenes now shown from Hilda's perspective, there is a weakness in that the element of surprise is diminished for those familiar with the first book.[citation needed]
[edit] These Twain (1916)
These Twain, the third in the Clayhanger series, chronicles the married life of Edwin and Hilda.
Edwin, now released from the controlling influence of his father, is free to run his business and his life the way he sees fit; apart from, that is, the caprices of his wife, Hilda.
In the book we see that Edwin is not going to enjoy an entirely happy marriage with Hilda, who does not conform to the stereotypical submissive wife of the period - which is, of course, why Edwin married her in the first place.
It is also suggested - although given the conventions of the time not stated - that the marriage is based on both partners´ sexual compatibility, and as a result will have its difficulties outside of the bedroom. Hilda, rescued from virtual destitution by Edwin through their marriage, and entering into the union with the 'baggage' of an existing child, is not a figure of passive gratitude, and has opinions on matters - such as Edwin's business - which would normally be a wholly male preserve. Edwin - rescued by their marriage from probably virginity and certain bachelorhood - has his doubts on their union, and is brought to (mostly impotent) anger by his wife just as he was by his father before him.
The book shows how Hilda and Edwin attempt to compromise around each other, its title being a play on words: does it mean "these two" or "these separate"? It is suggested that they had both become perhaps too set in their ways before their marriage, even though each was in some way 'saved' by their union.
[edit] The Roll-Call (1918)
The fourth book, The Roll-Call, concerns the young life of Clayhanger's stepson, George.
George Edwin Cannon - he soon drops the surname Clayhanger, given to him upon his mother's marriage - is an architect, and represents what his stepfather Edwin Clayhanger wished to become. The characters of Edwin and Hilda are not developed further in this book: Edwin - now elevated to Alderman - appears only briefly.
The central character displays an unattractive arrogance because of the wealth behind him. In an early chapter, he thinks about adding electric light to his London dwelling, and decides that he - or rather, his stepfather - can well afford it. Bennett seems to have felt that the children of the successful bourgeoisie, unless their excesses are suppressed as Edwin's were, will become spoilt; this same theme recurs in The Old Wives' Tale.
[edit] Cultural impact
While Bennett makes no direct references to the social and political emancipation of women that was taking place during the period of the novel, the character of Hilda combines the determination of a young woman for self-expression, with the disempowerment imposed on her by social norms.
The novels were televised in the 1970s by Associated TeleVision. The cast included Janet Suzman as Hilda and Peter McEnery as Edwin Clayhanger.
A street, "Clayhanger Street", was named after the characters. It can be found in Burslem beside the Wedgwood Institute [2].
[edit] References
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This article does not cite any references or sources. (April 2007) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. |
[edit] External links
- Text of Clayhanger [3] available from the website of Literary Heritage of the West Midlands.
- Hilda Lessways, available at Project Gutenberg.
- The Roll-Call, available at Project Gutenberg.
