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The Bell (Collected Edition)

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The Bell is the only Murdoch novel I've really liked. I've read it, probably, dozens of times, and it improves with each read. The language is of a poetic quality - my test for this is that it's best when read out loud.

The theme of the book is the nature of human goodness, and the impossibility of human perfection. Murdoch was an Oxford Reader in Moral Philosophy at the time, and was well capable of producing a very dry account of this subject, but instead the book is a masterpiece of subtle comedy which gets its serious ideas across with great subtlety. The first two chapters, in particular, draw the reader into the life of the heroine with a piece of sustained artistry that is quite unparalleled, at least in my experience. It's a gorgeous piece of prose that I never tire of reading.

Dora, the heroine (and I use the term deliberately), is presented as a totally amoral being (and therefore, like the dog, without sin). She is incapable of deciding to "do the right thing", but also incapable of real wrong-doing. All the other characters are in some way struggling with their own moral turpitude, and in trying to intellectualize their struggle, accellerate their approaching doom. Dora meanwhile, guided only by her animal instincts, emerges as a Saint, cheered on at every stage by the reader (well, this reader at least). Furthermore, Dora's redemption occurs in spite of, rather than because of, the moral and intellectual strictures of Organised Religion. You cheer for Dora as she leaves the Chapel in disgust, just as you cheer for Austen's Elizabeth Bennet when she faces down Lady Catherine. It's that good!

The Bell of the title is a symbol of untrammelled female sexuality that resounds throughout the book. This theme is explored, ironically, in a plot which takes place around the grounds of a convent. There's a disturbing painting by Millais called "The Vale of Rest" that I think must have inspired Murdoch. The picture of nuns digging a grave is a wonderful image of Victorian male sexual terror (conceived, incidentally, by Millais on his honeymoon). In the backgound swings the bell. When moved, it must sound.

Apart from Dora, most of the other characters emerge from the events of the plot with their lives in ruins. Dora, in contrast, learns to value herself by finally detaching herself from the awful man she had married.

I'm very conscious of the fact that not all readers would share my interpretation of the book, and in all probability Murdoch didn't mean it that way. She was on record as saying that if she'd known how readers would feel about Dora's awful husband, she would have treated him more sympathetically. But the book is as it is, and as a description of the triumph of the Human Spirit over priests and pedants, it's just fine for me.

Incidentally, it was made into a very good television version by the BBC about 20 years ago. I hope they repeat it one day.

Iris Murdoch (1919-1999) spent most of her life working as a philosophy teacher at St. Anne's College, Oxford. During this presumably busy occupation, she wrote 26 novels, five plays, a collection of poetry, and five philosophical texts. I need to remember this the next time I have trouble getting out of bed because I am feeling a little tired. Just imagine writing 26 novels! And these are not simple tales banged out and published with a quick proofing. Murdoch wrote intricate, deeply emotional novels examining the psychological and philosophical implications of this crazy ride we call life. Murdoch's character driven writings work themselves out within carefully constructed, highly symbolic atmospheres full of intense sights and sounds. I once described Murdoch as a creator of universes, and that is exactly what she accomplishes in this highly acclaimed 1958 novel, "The Bell." Unfortunately, Penguin got A.S. Byatt to do the introduction to the book. Byatt may be a highly regarded author, but her introductions are excruciating exercises in literary criticism that tax the hardiest souls. Skip the intro and dive right in.

"The Bell" is a story about a group of very unhappy people living in a sort of quasi-religious support group home, called Imber Court, outside of Imber Abbey. The abbey is the home of a group of cloistered nuns who avoid having outsiders enter the abbey grounds. The big event for the abbey and the residents of Imber Court is the installation of a spanking new bell at the abbey. The bell will take the place of the long missing medieval bell lost in the mists of time. As the important event draws ever closer, Murdoch describes several of the residents of Imber Court in minute detail, leaving almost nothing to the imagination in her descriptions of the these fatally flawed yet likeable people.

Several of the characters receive such loving attention from Murdoch that it is difficult to discern who is the main character. It is probably Dora Greenfield, as Murdoch opens and closes the novel with this seemingly shallow yet complex character. Dora goes to Imber to renew her relationship with Paul, her scholar husband who is staying at Imber Court in order to do research on manuscripts at the abbey. Paul is a jerk, a jealous, controlling twit who seeks to dominate every aspect of Dora's life. Dora likes to live the free life of the city, but oscillates between romantic affairs and the discipline she feels she needs from Paul. When Dora nervously arrives at Imber, she quickly becomes acquainted with some of the other lost souls rambling around the grounds. Arguably, the most important figure is Michael Meade, the leader of the community who has more problems than some of the people in his charge. A constant source of irritation to Michael is the presence of Nick, a man who Michael had an affair with years before. This affair resulted in Michael's expulsion from the teaching profession and a serious setback to his hopes of becoming a priest. Other characters fill the pages of "The Bell," such as Catherine, Nick's sister who is in training to enter the abbey; James Tayper Pace, a jovial chap and potential rival to Michael's leadership; and Toby, a young lad doing service at Imber before he enters Oxford.

While we go far into the heads of a few characters, Murdoch refuses to reveal to us the inner workings of other characters. This is not as frustrating as it sounds, for the depth of psychological insight we get into Dora and Michael more than makes up for the absence of other character analyses. Murdoch has a real flair for the workings of the human mind, and she makes her probing examinations so effortless that they leave the reader in absolute wonder at her abilities. You come to know these people better than they know themselves, seeing all of their awkward, painful foibles and the inevitable collisions they face in the future.

Imber is a created universe, with Murdoch as all-knowing deity. The descriptive passages concerning the grounds of Imber are brilliantly detailed, putting the reader directly in the characters' world. Murdoch's creation is of such vivid totality that the occasional trips the characters take outside the grounds reveal a world of dullness and emptiness. Only when the characters return to Imber does comfort return. I cannot recall an author who has created this effect to such an amazing degree. It makes "The Bell" a fascinating book, more of an experience than a mundane read.

Imber itself (meaning the grounds, the lake, the house, and the abbey) seem to me to be a microcosm of the world and the heavens. Imber Court represents the world, full of imperfect, lowly creatures yearning for salvation. The abbey is heaven, barely approachable except through occasional visits to a sealed prayer room and the rare glimpse of one of the nuns. Those that do go inside are quickly ushered out again, as though their imperfections prevent them from staying there for long. When carefully looked for, all sorts of religious symbolisms appear (the bell takes a dip in the lake before entering the abbey: is it in need of a sort of baptism before it can enter the abbey? The fact that part of the bridge crossing the lake from the house to the abbey was severed at one time is interesting.). Remember, Murdoch creates universes.

Ultimately, only one character seems to find redemption at the conclusion of the story. Perhaps Murdoch is showing us that few among us ever find solace in this world. Whatever she is saying, it is worth reading "The Bell" in an attempt to seek it out. Murdoch is not for everyone, but everyone should make an effort to read one Murdoch book. This novel will stay in your head for a long time afterwards.

This profound and haunting novel features Murdoch's unique blend of religious preoccupations, sexual politics, and philosophy (or, as she more accurately referred to it elsewhere, "moral psychology")--but, in spite of its many-layered symbolism, it still manages to be surprisingly suspenseful. If you've never read a book by Iris Murdoch and are interested in finding a good place to start, read "The Bell."

A sort of psychological detective novel, the story is told through the eyes a leader of a lay religious community who is haunted by secrets from his past and also from the perspective of two visitors: a carefree woman returning to her boorish husband who is studying at a nearby convent and an innocent youth hoping to be inspired by the community's spiritual atmosphere before he goes to Oxford. The plot revolves around a bell missing for centuries and the community's plans to replace it with a new one, but I will say nothing else that might give it away.

The first half of the book is a very British comedy of manners (and it is at times very funny), but then things get out of hand when the two visitors, both knowingly and unwittingly, set into motion a series of tragic events that shatter the faith and foundations of the group. Although I was constantly surprised by the book's twists and turns, when I finished the novel I felt that all the events were very nearly pre-ordained by the actions and ethics of its characters.

Murdoch's genius is her ability to pose many complicated questions and provide just enough for readers to decide for themselves. Are the visitors responsible for destroying the community's equanimity or were they simply the catalyst that exposed the hypocrisies and self-centeredness of the commune's members? Must a person transcend selfishness in order to influence others for the better? Does it take tragedy to bring out the best in people? Is it ever really possible to wall oneself away from the rest of the world?

It seems almost incidental in this day and age to acknowledge that the novel portrays two gay men in a sympathetic manner astonishing for a book published in 1958--yet another aspect that displays the power and forwardness of Murdoch's thinking.

The first fifty or so pages of Iris Murdoch's The Bell chronicle how the terminally confused but kind Dora Greenfield leaves her emotionally sadistic husband only to retun in a still more confused mixture of guilt, fear and love. Murdoch's tone here is gently satarical and distant. In that opening act I found her wit amusing, never involving. Alarmingly it reminded me of highschool, when the Literature was rich, witty and clinical. It reminded me of homework.

It is only in the second act when Dora joins her husband in the religious community of Imber that it becomes clear the author is building to what will ultimatly become one of the most remarkable examinations of faith I've ever read. The novel achieves critical mass with the introduction of Michael Meade, the founder of the community. He has always struggled with his homosexuality, and deep down we sense that in a bizzare way he enjoys the struggle "like the souls in Dante who deliberately remained within the purifying fire". He believes that the struggle is faith, where he gets to define his own morality. By contrast the community's other figure head, the large affable James believes in clear black and white terms "Sodomy is not disgusting its just forbidden", unlike Michael he believes that innoccense and authority are the measure of faith. While this unacknowledged philosophical debate wages on, Imber's cast of characters get into such a tangled web of flirtations, jealousy and mis-understanding so brilliantly weaved by Murdoch that we only upon reflection do we question the character's motivations.

Right across from Imber is the Abbey where a faceless, nameless order of Nuns go about their business. We meet three of these nuns, the powerful Abbess who seems to know everything and is always bearing a smile. Sister Ursula who is her attache, and who also is constantly smiling. Finally there is Sister Clare, and as she saves a woman from drowning, Murdoch takes the time to point out that she too is smiling. The nuns are ever present, watching, mocking these mortals who can not give up the world but sill seek the Hereafter. As Murdoch observes "Violence is born out of the desire to escape oneself". And all these characters are desperatly trying to escape. This is coupled by the much darker suggestion that although God exists and is just, he can also be uncaring. Why would he create homosexuality only to condemn it? Late in the game Michael observes that there is God but he may not believe in Him.

It is clear from The Bell that Murdoch is not only a novelist but a philosopher(and indeed this is confirmed in the sleeve notes). The ideas, reflections and themes are far too complex to discuss here. But there are sequences so perfectly and soulbearingly written that they warrant reading the book more then once. What starts as a gentle satire grows a heart without ever losing its sense of humour or even a sense of whimsy. Although sometimes distant, the novel is never tedious. And if there is a lesson, then its the lesson Michael learns "Love ought to be given without fear of its imperfection".

I just finished this novel a half hour ago and am moved to write immediately. It was one of the most moving and staggering novels I've read in my life (and I''ve read countless of the "major" works). What begins as an almost Austenian comedy of manners becomes a glorious, compelling novel of ideas, of the relationship between action and meditation and of the complicated ways of love. Filmed once for British TV, it would make a splendid film, particularly now that homosexuality is no longer taboo. Michael and Dora emerge as unlikely, yet extraordinary heroes, whose lives I will wonder about for a long, long time.

I am studying 'The Bell' for A Level English Literature along with 'The End of the Affair' by Graham Greene and 'Loitering with Intent' by Muriel Spark. I enjoyed 'The Bell' and the fact that it is very easy to read probably attributed to this. The relationships between many of the characters worked well, especially between Michael and Nick. The links then between this relationship and Michael's feelings for Toby was also well constructed. Dora, as the main protaganist, is very skillfully developed and many parts of the book are written from her point of view. Another point which deserves praise is Murdoch's excellent physical description of Imber, this made the place seem realistic and also supports the intended images of the characters, for example Nick. Catherine is probably the only character that did not fully work, however this is mainly true towards the end. The plot is interesting and moves at a resonable pace with the main charaters becoming increasingly intriging. However, the book could be looked at on a deeper, more philosphical/religious level with characters such as the Abbess playing more of a symbolic part than the others. This is a book about community and the strive for perfection. The characters, though all very different, have a common need for salvation and through Imber have hope for this despite their pasts. 'The Bell' is enjoyable on several levels, it is both sad and humorous although I didn't find it quite as witty as the cover led me to expect. I would also highly recommend the other two books mentioned, especially if one wants to further investigate some of the themes raised in 'The Bell'.

This beautifully constructed novel begins and ends with a description of Dora Greenfield. I feel that it is Dora who makes this novel. All of the other characters are hugely inadequate, struggling as they are with the constant dilemma of how to deal with the pleasure of life. Dora has no qualms she knows that life can be full of fear ( the reason she returns to Imber Court and her estranged husband) but she desperately wants to live, to enjoy sensual pleasure. It is not possible to detach sensuality from fear in this novel. The bell is a symbol of this fear, it sits under the water, discovered by Toby. Toby has a sexual encounter with Dora which is interrupted by the bell resounding. Toby has a sexual encounter with Michael, who is obsessed with the new bell, seeing it as a source of liberation from his sexual imprisonment, from this sensuality which he despises.

I really enjoyed this novel. It is almost perfect in form. The characters are explored slowly with wonderful skill they are slowly revealed to us .

I would highly recommend this book for anyone seeking an introduction to Iris Murdoch's work

After the burst of Modernist fiction in the first half of this century, it's refreshing to know that a novelist can return to a more traditional mode of writing in the Eliot-James lineage with success. "The Bell" is a great novel, with an admirable balance between direct dialogue, philosophical reflection, and psychological depiction, and between describing characters' motives with completeness and omitting enough so that the reader is surprised by the turn of events at the novel's climax. This is the way novels are supposed to be written.

This early ('50's) Murdoch novel is quite a surprise. I wasn't expecting such an entertaining read. One would not expect it from the plot (misfits gathered at a religious retreat), or the dated themes of religious piety and homosexuality. But I found it an absorbing and fast read.

Murdoch seems to have a talent for getting into the minds of her characters such that their thoughts are our thoughts; one knows exactly where they are coming from because one would have the same set of thoughts. Never a false note tracking the internal dialogue of Toby and Michael.

This story opens with Dora Greenfield, a creative spirit who has trapped herself in a marriage where the husband spends more time degrading her than nurturing her. She's ran away and shacked up with another free spirit but this doesn't last for long and she ends up following her husband Paul, an art historian, to a small community of God-fearing people who have set up a settlement out side a nunnery called Imber Abbey. This group is lead by Micheal Meade, a man with his own secrets and internal turmoil. Micheal owns the land outside the Abbey which the members affectionately call Imber Court. These two seem like the most unlikely duo to establish a relationship with one another but without knowing it they do.

There are a host of other characters that affect their lives in both positive and negative ways. There's Noel the journalist, Toby the student, Nick the renegade, Catherine the future nun, Murphy the dog, and Gabriel... the bell. A reference to an old church bell buried in the sludge of the lake between the Abbey and the Court is made throughout the book giving it a position of an important character. Dora even suggests as much when the bell is finally unearthed. "She came near to the bell which seemed more and more like a living presence."

There are a number of strong issues throughout the Bell but the most dominant is religion. This is followed by a healthy dose of homosexuality, marriage and adultery. Some sources site a strong theme of good and evil (probably associated with religious beliefs) but I think evil is really too harsh a term. There are no real evil people or situations in this story. It's about a group of people trying to make it through this life as best they know how while dealing with the foreseen, unforeseen and exaggerated bumps they encounter along the way. Murdoch does use her philosophical background to insert interesting questions along the way like: "Could one recognize refinements of good if one did not recognize refinements of evil?"

Iris Murdoch's The Bell is her fourth of twenty-six published novels. It was released in 1958 but takes place in England in the late forties. This is my second Murdoch novel and I found it flows and is much more vivid in detail than her first book, Under the Net. While I felt this book was certainly better than my first taste of Murdoch, as a whole it bored the heck out of me. Seriously, after the first chapter until they brought up the bell I was bored silly. I realized that is quite a subjective statement but if I had not committed myself to reading all her books I probably would have stopped here. Language differences often slow story down: "After breakfast he repaired as usual to the estate office to cast an eye over the day's correspondence (page 88)." Or just unusual, "From within the dog's barking was redoubled (page 53)." And while cliche is perfectly understandable to most I think it's the easy way for someone who was considered such an established writer. Perhaps it is still too early in her works for me to recognize her greatness. Reviewed by M. E. Wood.