Victoria (Penguin Classics)
by Knut Hamsun
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Book Summary Information
Author: Knut HamsunTranslator: Sverre Lyngstad
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2005-11-29
ISBN: 0143039377
Number of pages: 112
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Book Reviews of Victoria (Penguin Classics)
Book Review: "You don't get the woman you should have."
Summary: 4 Stars
Written in 1898, this carefully constructed psychological study reads almost like a fable, the protagonist viewing the world through the distance of the unattainable. Johannes watches as the young people visit the local manor, which he calls the Castle, their fairy tale lives as distant as the stars, the beautiful, pampered children of wealth, frolicking on the Norway coast. At fourteen, Johannes covetously watches Victoria, in awe of her beauty, although she is only ten-years old. Son of the mill owner, he is frequently asked to row the youngsters to the Castle or on their adventures, but they treat him differently, like a servant, someone to do their bidding but not to be included. A dreamer, Johannes begins to create the poetry that will define his youth, inspired by Victoria and his secret yearning for her affection.
As the years pass and they mature, Victoria is not immune to Johannes' charms and frequently indulges in repartee, flirting with him, encouraging the love she knows is blossoming; she knows this romance can never come to fruition, given the vast differences in their backgrounds and social status. Johannes nurtures his secret love, writing to assuage the pain, soon leaving home. Abroad, he writes volumes of poetry and a number of novels of some renown, his work flowing from a broken heart. Victoria remains practical, though when she sees Johannes after he returns, she is surprised to find the attraction retains its power. Victoria struggles with family obligations, and, as time passes, becomes engaged to a man of means, although unable to resist her attachment to Johannes. Now a man of the world, Johannes is less constrained than in his youth, hoping that Victoria will at last entertain his affections. Her response is ambiguous, as she spins in and out of his reach.
In a unique "sequence of episodes", reality is followed by a replication of the same incidents in Johannes imagination, scenes repeating themselves, Victoria pushing and pulling Johannes in a private tug-of-war. Regardless of time or unfolding events, Johannes remains Victoria's prisoner, acting out their drama over and over without resolution. The erotic impulse is governed by psychological constraints, the beloved never escaping from the imagination, the wanting more powerful than the deed could ever be. To the end, Johannes' passion for Victoria gives birth to his talent, his inspiration inextricable from the source of his yearning, the unavailability of his muse a catalyst through the years, a perpetual source of unfulfilled adoration. Pure Victoriana, the idealized love of the unattainable maiden is the crux of this novel, Victoria's impulsive declarations of love quickly retracted in fear of compromise and failure to provide for her family. Johannes exists in his fantasy world, destined to dance forever on the edge of unrequited romance, the lover always out of reach, informing his prolific work. Luan Gaines/ 2005.
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