Evelyn Waugh
Arthur Evelyn St. John Waugh (October 28 1903 – April 10 1966) was an English writer known for his acute satire and caustic, dark humor. Waugh is best known for his all-time classic novel,Brideshead Revisited, along with several other successful works. Edmund Wilson, the famous literary critic, has said that Waugh was "the only first-rate comic genius the English have produced since George Bernard Shaw," and Time magazine declared that he had "developed a wickedly hilarious yet fundamentally religious assault on a century that, in his opinion, had ripped up the nourishing taproot of tradition and let wither all the dear things of the world."
In addition to the success of his novels, Waugh traveled extensively, writing several travel books and biographies, as well as several short stories. George Orwell has declared that Waugh was "about as good a novelist as one can be while holding untenable opinions." The American conservative commentator William F. Buckley, Jr. found in Waugh "the greatest English novelist of the century."
Early life
Evelyn Waugh was born to Arthur and Catherine (Raban) Waugh in London on October 28, 1903. He was the youngest of two children, having an elder brother named Alec. His childhood was one of comfort. His mother, born in India, but raised in England, adored Evelyn, doting on him, but not detrimentally so. Perhaps she was trying to compensate for his father's lack of attention to the boy. Arthur Waugh, a highly recognized editor, literary critic, and publisher, clearly favored his eldest son, and was not remiss in showing such favor. Arthur raised his family in an upper middle class environment in Hampstead, because of this, there was an emphasis on obtaining an elite education and the right reputation.
Arthur Waugh attended an English public school called Sherborne, and he desired both of his sons to attend as well. Alec was accepted and attended Sherborne, but he was expelled permanently when it was discovered that Alec had participated in a homosexual relationship. Then, to solidify Evelyn's fate at the school, Alec Waugh wrote his autobiographical account of the event. The novel, The Loom of Youth, although controversial, was published and circulated immediately. This act prevented Evelyn from attending Sherborne.
Needless to say, Arthur was not pleased with this situation, and sent Evelyn to a less prestigious school called Lancing College. An education at Lancing was twofold, one facet focused on academics while the other facet concentrated on religion, in particular High Church Anglican values. The focus on religion influenced and educated Waugh, though he may have felt that it was all negative at first. Many of his upper-class, religious classmates teased and tormented him. He had thought that his fellow classmates would be learned and sophisticated, but instead found them amoral, violent, and careless. This marked the beginning of his satirical writings, and several of his personal experiences at Lancing would later be captured through his novels. This was also the time in Waugh's life that he lost any childhood faith he had been raised with and declared himself an agnostic. After graduating from Lancing, Waugh went on to attend Hertford College, Oxford studying modern history. This education in history prepared him, among other things, for the biographies he would later write.
Although Evelyn Waugh was a highly intelligent individual, his early academic experiences did little to motivate him in the public education realm. He often neglected his studies and pursued artwork, writing, and most of all, socializing. After his unpopularity at Lancing College, he found that he was able to make several friends at Hertford. This was a new and exciting experience for Waugh, one that he may have taken to extreme. His intense participation in the social scene at Hertford threw him into the company of other aesthetes like Harold Acton and Brian Howard, in addition, he found himself in company with members of the British aristocracy and the upper classes. This new popularity was the catalyst for Waugh's growing reputation as a snob. It also inspired several of the accounts he wrote about in his novels. The vigorous social scene led Waugh to experiment with various relationships, including two known homosexual romances (whether they had a physical dimension is unclear), after this brief time, he began dating women in the late 1920s. When he was asked if he had competed in any sport for his College, Waugh famously replied "I drank for Hertford."
Because of Waugh's over-extension socially, he ended up failing academically. During his final exams he only qualified for a third-class degree. To raise the status of this degree would have required that Waugh stay at Hertford for another semester to study and retake the exam. He refused to stay the extra time, and left Hertford, Oxford for good in 1924. He did not qualify for his degree, and instead, he moved to Wales the following year to teach at a private school. Feeling very disheartened at the last few years of his life, Waugh tried to commit suicide (he only mentioned this in his autobiography). He went out swimming in the sea, determined to swim out until he drowned, but he turned back after a jellyfish stung him. He went on to another teaching position, but he did not have much success at this school because of his conduct towards the school matron (attempting at various times to seduce her). The matron called for his immediate dismissal. When questioned as to the reasons behind his leaving the post, Waugh claimed that he had been asked to leave because of "inebriation". Waugh went on to learning cabinet-making and journalism to support himself before his first literary success.
Writing Career
In 1928 Waugh's novel Decline and Fall was published. The title was taken from Gibbon's The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire that Gibbon had written in six volumes. Gibbon's work was characterized by irony, he outlined the bankruptcy and dissolution of Rome, along with the disintegration of religion. In contrast, Waugh's novel was a completely modern and upbeat tale. His writing was characterized by humor, wit, and satire; it dealt with a dissolution of a different kind than that addressed by Gibbon. Decline and Fall tells of a young divinity student, Paul Pennyfeather, his accidental expulsion from Oxford because of indecency, ("I expect you’ll be becoming a schoolmaster, sir," says the College porter to Paul, "That’s what most of the gentlemen does, sir, that gets sent down for indecent behavior") Pennyfeather rises socially through his acquaintance with the high class of London society. Eventually, the main character learns that life outside the elite social world is a much happier place.
'Aim high has been my motto,' said Sir Humphrey, 'all through my life. You probably won't get what you want, but you may get something; aim low, and you get nothing at all. It's like throwing a stone at a cat. When I was a kid that used to be great sport in our yard; I daresay you were throwing cricket-balls when you were that age, but it's the same thing. If you throw straight at it, you fall short; aim above, and with luck you score. Every kid knows that. I'll tell you the story of my life.
Evelyn Waugh, Decline and Fall
In 1930 Vile Bodies followed and Waugh's literary popularity became even more solidified. Waugh described his descriptive novel of Bright Young People as "a welter of sex and snobbery." Waugh followed up his success with Black Mischief in 1932, A Handful of Dust in 1934, and Scoop in 1937.
Throughout these years of writing, Waugh's personal life was just as busy. He was married twice, first in 1928 to the Hon. Evelyn Gardner, and the irony of their names was not lost on their friends. They were lovingly called He-Evelyn and She-Evelyn, and it seemed to be a lovely romance, until Evelyn proved to be unfaithful. Her adultery actually inspired Waugh in writing A Handful of Dust (a story dealing with adultery). The marriage ended in divorce and eventual annulment in 1930. With the annulment confirmed, and Waugh's heart broken, he turned back to religion, converting to Catholicism. He traveled extensively in Africa and South America, writing several travel books along the way, also working as a foreign correspondent. With his new religion helping him to heal, Waugh met and married a fellow Catholic, Laura Herbert. Laura was the daughter of Aubrey Herbert, and granddaughter of Henry Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon. This marriage proved to be lasting and beautiful. Both Waugh and Laura stayed true and faithful to each other, the were compatible and happy, they made each other laugh and they enjoyed their family. The couple had seven children together, one of whom, Auberon Waugh made a name for himself through a successful writing and journalism career.
The Thirties
The 1930s was an amazing decade for Evelyn Waugh. He had a happy marriage, he welcomed children, he traveled the world, and book after successful book was being published. It was a calm decade before World War II would change his life. People, English and American alike, could not get enough of the brilliant satires he wrote about contemporary upper class English society. Ironically, he was on his way to becoming a well-known figure in aristocratic and fashionable circles of the very society he often mocked. But, these acquaintances helped him develop his acute vision that helped him depict so accurately the aristocracy. Waugh's writing style was very appealing, reaching wide audiences, it was not challenging to read, it was simple and elegant, and yet, highly innovative and inventive. He characterized his stories with traits like writing an entire chapter in dialogue of telephone calls. The 1930s also represented a change in his writings, no longer was he writing about the irreligious, but instead, his writing found a voice in advocating Catholic themes. His writings now were not only witty and humorous, but also deep enough to encompass faith in the face of temptation and trial.
Waugh's extensive travels around the Mediterranean and Red Sea, Spitsbergen, Africa and South America opened up the world to Waugh, it introduced him to different people and cultures and definitely added flavor and culture references to his writings. His excellent travel books written during this time are often seen as being among the best in this genre. A compendium of Waugh's favorite travel writing has been issued under the title When The Going Was Good.
Second World War
England's entrance into World War II marked a serious turn in the tide of Waugh's life, although he was 36 years old and had poor eyesight, he wanted to secure himself a place in the war effort. Waugh had a different experience than most men entering the war, as he used his "friends in high places" to help him find a favorable position. Such friends like Randolph Churchill, son of Winston, helped find Waugh a place with the Royal Marines in 1940. When people thought of Waugh, the last thing they thought of was a commander of military troops. In fact, as he led the troops, sentiments were that some might just take aim at Waugh himself, instead of the enemy. He lacked the personality to rally morale and bring people together for a cause. Somehow Waugh was made a captain, even though he detested most aspects of military life.
During the war, Waugh took part in various famous battles and missions. Among them was the attempt to take Dakar from the Vichy French in late 1940, this mission failed. After joining the No.8 Commando (Army) he also took part in the raid on Lybia, although an intense adventure, it was an ill-fated mission. He served as assistant to the famous Robert Laycock, and during this time he fought in the Crete in 1941. He showed exceptional valor and courage in leading an evacuation of the troops from the area.
It was during an extended leave of service that Waugh wrote Brideshead Revisited, his most famous novel, considered one of the best novels of all time. The novel has given his readers Waugh's view of the world, and the book has come to personify Waugh's beliefs and values. It concentrated on the ideal life before the war, his characters offered a medium for Waugh to share his Catholic beliefs. It showed the trials and pressures that faced the traditional Catholic family. It was Waugh's largest success, both in England and in America, and it was made into a popular mini-series. After finishing the novel, Waugh again met with his friend Randolph Churchill, who asked Waugh to take part in a mission to Yugoslavia in 1944. The mission was the most dangerous one in which he had taken part, Waugh and Churchill barely escaped death when the Germans put into action Operation Rösselsprung, and storm troops attacked the Partisan headquarters where the two were staying.
It is impossible to imagine going through war and not having it permeate the rest of one's life. For Waugh, the trials faced during the battles of World War II would give him material for several novels, including his famous Sword of Honour trilogy. It consists of three novels, Men at Arms (1952), Officers and Gentlemen (1955) and Unconditional Surrender (1961), and is a careful depiction of his wartime experiences. Waugh created characters that were real, catchy, and memorable. In fact, it wasn't a stretch to see many real people Waugh interacted with in his fictional characters. Christopher Sykes, Waugh's biographer, decided that the fearsome officer in the Sword of Honour trilogy, Brigadier Ben Ritchie-Hook, "...bears a very strong resemblance to..." Lieutenant-General Sir Adrian Carton De Wiart VC. His trilogy is considered by many to be among the top novels written about the war.
Later years
After the war, Evelyn Waugh settled down with his family in a country style home in Combe Florey in Somerset, where he lived as a country gentleman. He enjoyed wearing Edwardian suits (his favorite a very posh checkered one). He took a brief vacation to see Hollywood and discuss the possibility of a movie version of Brideshead Revisited. In commenting on the experience, Waugh said
We drove for a long time down autobahns and boulevards full of vacant lots and filling stations and nondescript buildings and palm trees with a warm hazy light. It was more like Egypt - the suburbs of Cairo or Alexandria - than anything in Europe. We arrived at the Bel Air Hotel - very Egyptian with a hint of Addis Ababa in the smell of the blue gums.
Evelyn Waugh
Waugh was very disappointed in MGM's proposal, as they wanted to make the novel strictly a love story, a proposal which Waugh refused. At the end of his life, Waugh left all of the estate at Combe Florey to his firstborn son Auberon. Waugh became dissatisfied with the religion he had loved for so long, he saw the church bending the traditions and values to accommodate a falling world.
The last few years of Waugh's life were marked with declining health. He gained weight, he was dependent on a sleeping draught, he ingested too much alcohol, and he refused to exercise. These factors, along with his heavy dependence on cigars, all contributed to his decline. His later writings never equaled the genius, clarity, and vibrance of his earlier work. Evelyn Waugh died on April 10, 1966 after returning home from Mass on Easter Sunday. He was 62 years old. He made sure to provide for all of his children by creating trusts in each of their names with the funds he received from the copyrights of his novels. Waugh was buried in Somerset.
List of works
Novels
- Decline and Fall (1928) ISBN 10-0316926078
- Vile Bodies (1930 ISBN 10-0316926116
- Black Mischief (1932) ISBN 10-0316917338
- A Handful of Dust (1934) ISBN 10-0316926051
- Scoop (novel)|Scoop (1938) ISBN 10-0316926108
- Put Out More Flags (1942) ISBN 10-0316916056
- Brideshead Revisited (subtitled The Sacred and Profane Memories of Captain Charles Ryder) (1945) ISBN 10-0316926345
- The Loved One (1947) (subtitled An Anglo-American Tragedy) ISBN 10-0316926086 *Helena (1950 novel)|Helena (1950)
- Love Among the Ruins. A Romance of the Near Future (1953)ISBN 10-082942122X
- The Ordeal of Gilbert Pinfold (1957) ISBN 10-0316926221
- Sword of Honour Trilogy ISBN 10-0316925985
- Men at Arms (Evelyn Waugh)|Men at Arms (1952)ISBN 10-0316926280
- Officers and Gentlemen (1955) ISBN 10-0316926302
- Unconditional Surrender (novel)|Unconditional Surrender (1961) ISBN 10-0141186879
Biography
- Saint Edmund Campion: Priest and Martyr ISBN 10-0918477441
- The Life of the Right Reverend Ronald Knox
- Dante Gabriel Rossetti ISBN 10-0715607723
Autobiography
- A Little Learning (1964) ISBN 10-0413519309
Biographies about Evelyn Waugh
- Evelyn Waugh: Portrait of a Country Neighbour by Frances Donaldson, 1967.
- Evelyn Waugh by Christopher Sykes, 1975.
- Evelyn Waugh: The Early Years 1903 - 1939 by Martin Stannard, 1987. ISBN 10-0393306054
- Evelyn Waugh: The Later Years 1939 - 1966 by Martin Stannard, 1994. ISBN 10-0393034127
Cultural references
- 'Evelyn Waugh' is used as a pseudonym for an American actress staying at a hotel in Tokyo in the film Lost in Translation, 2003 (Kelly (Anna Faris): "I'm under Evelyn Waugh." Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson): "Evelyn Waugh was a man.").
External links
- An Evelyn Waugh Web Site by David Cliffe
- Doubting Hall — A guided tour around the works of Evelyn Waugh
- Sponge Cakes with Gooseberry Fool: Evelyn Waugh was Odd
- Bibliography
Credits
New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:
The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:
Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed.
