Basil

by Wilkie Collins

Overview

In BASIL'S secret and unconsummated marriage to Margaret Sherwin, the linen-draper's sexually precocious daughter, and the consequent shocks and horrors of betrayal, insanity, and death, Collins reveals the bustling, commercial London of the first half of the nineteenth century wreaking its vengeance on a still powerful aristocratic world. But although BASIL himself does not recognize them, the story forces other conflicts on the reader's attention-between man's sexual and romantic needs and between men's and women's sexuality.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783734021398
Publisher:	Outlook Verlag
Publication date:	09/23/2018
Pages:	254
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.69(d)

About the Author

Wilkie Collins (1824-1889) was an English novelist and playwright. Born in London, Collins was raised in England, Italy, and France by William Collins, a renowned landscape painter, and his wife Harriet Geddes. After working for a short time as a tea merchant, he published Antonina (1850), his literary debut. He quickly became known as a leading author of sensation novels, a popular genre now recognized as a forerunner to detective fiction. Encouraged on by the success of his early work, Collins made a name for himself on the London literary scene. He soon befriended Charles Dickens, forming a strong bond grounded in friendship and mentorship that would last several decades. His novels The Woman in White (1859) and The Moonstone (1868) are considered pioneering examples of mystery and detective fiction, and enabled Collins to become financially secure. Toward the end of the 1860s, at the height of his career, Collins began to suffer from numerous illnesses, including gout and opium addiction, which contributed to his decline as a writer. Beyond his literary work, Collins is seen as an early advocate for marriage reform, criticizing the institution and living a radically open romantic lifestyle.

Date of Birth:

December 8, 1824

Date of Death:

September 23, 1889

Place of Birth:

London, England

Place of Death:

London, England

Education:

Studied law at Lincoln¿s Inn, London

Editorial Reviews

"[A] characteristically chilling work by the master of Victorian suspense."

From the Publisher

12/01/2022

Overshadowed by his good friend Charles Dickens, the popular and prolific Collins (1860's The Woman in White; 1868's The Moonstone) is considered one of the first British detective fiction writers. Published in 1852, this second novel contains many classic mystery elements and, typical of Victorian sensation fiction, revolves around a number of secrets. Nicholas Boulton, a veteran Collins narrator, perfectly embodies the self-effacing and angsty Basil, a twentysomething, mostly aimless second son in a noble family who finds purpose only after falling obsessively in love with a beautiful girl he sees on a bus. After following her home, he learns she is the daughter of linen draper Mr. Sherwin, who, though wealthy, is considered beneath his family's social class. Despite hardly knowing her, he decides they should secretly marry, setting off a chain of events that estranges him from his proud father and eventually threatens his life. Boulton's expressive, nuanced delivery accentuates the growing suspense in the somewhat contrived but entertaining story line and his characterizations—ranging from Basil's gentle, intelligent sister, Clara, to the boorish, simpering Mr. Sherwin—are breathtaking. VERDICT Classic mystery fans will particularly enjoy Collins's intriguing story, vividly drawn characters, and sharp social commentary, especially given Boulton's captivating performance.—Beth Farrell

Library Journal - Audio