A Study of the Novels of George Moore

George Moore once complained, after warmly appreciative reviews of a novel, 'So few bother to analyse the book carefully. It would have been very easy to discuss the form, compare my treatment of it with others' treatment of similar themes and so on, yet apparently no one has ever thought of that.' This rueful remark was the starting point in Richard Cave's design of this study. He has examined each of Moore's novels in detail and viewed them within the pattern of his total development and in the context of Moore's current reading and ideas about technique, as well as assessing the value of a wide range of influences to him. Professor Cave's study is basically divided into three parts: 'The Novel of Social Realism', which deals with A Modern Lover, A Mummer's Wife, A Drama in Muslin and Esther Waters;  'A Phase of Experiment' deals with new influences and the resultant problems, the four novellas, Wagner's influence, Evelyn Innes and Sister Teresa; and 'Styles for Consciousness' – The Lake, The Brook Kerith and the late historical novels, followed by a conclusion.