Customer Reviews

The Forsyte Saga (Windsor Selections)

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Upon the release of ML's 100 greatest English-lanuage novels of this century, it was to my great sadness to find "The Forsyte Saga" missing from the list. It seemed to confirm what I'd feared for the last several years: even critics have left this spectacular collection behind.

Perhaps it is the fact that of the book's length that frightens off so many readers: at 800+ pages it doesn't exactly make for easy beach reading. Keep in mind, however, that the book is comprised not only of three separate novels but also of connecting interludes.

If you want to read truly great literature of such a standard that earned John Galsworthy a Nobel Prize for Literature, you need look no further than "The Forsyte Saga."

The writing evident in this epic is masterful and engaging: it is even and substantive and elegant. The rich irony about the lengths that men strive to acquire property in all its forms and then find their acquisitions useless, meaningless and certainly not worth the price. Galworthy was focused upon property in so many different varieties: the sense of possession that men had of their wives in his time amid archaic laws about divorce; the building of a home that ends in unexpected expense in chancery; the elusive value of works of art; the subtleties of property from family crests, clubs, colleges and occupational status and cuts of mutton to the blatant futility of fighting over land in South Africa during the Boer War -- it's all shallow and empty materialism in the end. The property is never worth the cost of the trouble to acquire it. Young people slave to gather possessions only to regret in old age that they have traded so much of life away to gain them and must undergo the painful rigors of its redistribution through wills after death. Galsworthy seemed to me like a sort of British Tolstoy writing in England for property reform. Because when property is involved, men tend to objectify about it and in the course of things they tend to lose their sense of humanity. This troublesome pattern of life seems to repeat itself often like a lesson men never learn -- as the objectifying I-It relationship of Martin Buber replaces the humane I-Thou. Yes, it's a long novel but when the writing is this compelling in its style and substance, you can luxuriate in the beauty and wisdom of the words. Every character is finely and individually drawn like a character in a Velasquez portrait of a large family. You may regret that this edition isn't longer when it ends but fortunately there is more of his work in which to indulge. Galsworthy's work earned him a Nobel Prize -- it's easy to see the astonishing depth and range and virtuosity that the Nobel judges found in his writing. Don't pass up the chance to bask in this epic saga of Galsworthy. It's easily one of the top ten novels ever written in the English language -- it's really that good.

The 1933 Scribner's edition of this classic trilogy is worthwhile because of the preface by Ada Galsworthy, the author's wife. Combined with the dedication (from John to Ada), it paints an inspiring picture of a marriage between two creative minds who respected each other's talents. The trilogy itself is an inspiring artifact of a life spent working hard. Galsworthy finished the first book, Man of Property in 1906, at the age of 39. He put the project aside for something like 12 years and then finished the last two novels when in his mid-50s. Most people only read the first book but the last two deepened my appreciation for the first and for Galsworthy's talent.

What an infinite study of character, the Forsyte character, men of ownership, of possession, of material things!

I waited for the PBS presentation with patient enthusiasm, and was not disappointed. But knowing that video/movies can only do so much for a text, I unearthed my own private copy of Galworthy's book, one inherited from my aunt, and started the discovery by print.

I have been so overcome by Galsworthy's skill as a wordsmith, and so fascinated by his social commentary on this class of people, that I have broken away from the novel time and time again and done further research into Galsworthy and his own commentaries of his work, particularly on the Forsytes. From his wife, Ada's preface, through his intro, to his chosen dedications, I am enchanted. I feel remiss to not have read him before this time, but so grateful to have an old copy and to now enrich my life with these characters.

While not disappointed by the TV rendering, I am glad to know Soames, Irene, Old Jolyon, Young Jolyon, June, as Galsworthy painted them. I am glad to see their physical makeup to be different than those of the actors and actresses in the PBS series, and to feel I know them much more completely now.

I have a personal love of British lit and am so pleased to find such great storytelling in an older text. The judges were so right in awarding prizes to Galsworthy.

The Forsyte Saga is not so foreign in time and portrayal. Materialism still reigns and seduces and corrupts. Class one-up-manship still deludes. Self-importance and shallow values still prevail. Feet of clay forever are feet of clay.

I'll make this short and to the point. I'm quite the avid reader, but usually I don't enjoy books of this nature, opting for fantasy and sci-fi escapism instead. This story is just beautifully told though. The subtleties of the characters and the twisting lives of the Forsyte family are fascinating and makes this one helluva a page turner. I was hooked immediately. I honestly believe that people of all ages will love this book, and I urge you to give it a shot! I know sometimes that novels taking place in this particular era can seem daunting for those of us who crave more "Adventure! Action!" type books, but there is no lack of excitement here!

The Forsyte Saga is a sprawling drama in 3 Volumes/novels which won John Galsworthy the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1932. I enjoyed all 3 Volumes immensely - the writing is most beautiful, the storylines absorbing, the characters felt "real" and the dialogue wonderfully engaging.

All 3 Volumes are published by Penguin. Each Volume has 800-900 pages and is divided into 3 Books:
1. Volume 1: "The Man of Property", "In Chancery" and "To Let".
2. Volume 2: "The White Monkey", "The Silver Spoon" and "Swan Song".
3. Volume 3: "Maid In Waiting", "Flowering Wilderness" and "Over the River".

Here's the gist of the story from each Volume:

Volume 1: Meet the Forsytes - a rich, upper-class family in old England. Before you start, study the 'Family Tree' page first because it's helpful to remember how the numerous major characters are related. Note: My review will not be revealing any plot that you can't already gather from the Family Tree. The story begins in the late 1870s with Soames Forsyte (an old-fashioned, smart solicitor and art-collector) falling in love with a penniless beauty, Irene (pron.: "I-re-nee"). They marry but Irene is unhappy because she does not love Soames. Later, she meets a young architect, Philip Bosinney - they fall in love and have an affair. Problem is, Philip is June Forsyte (Soames' niece)'s fiance. Suspense, drama and great tragedy ensue when Soames and June find out. Some years pass. Jolyon (a cousin of Soames and an outcast of the family) and Irene are thrown together by circumstances and they fall in love. Irene has his child, Jon. Soames is heartbroken a second time. There is a bitter divorce. Soames later marries a French woman, Annette and they have a child, Fleur. Fleur and Jon grow up and fall in love with each other, unaware of the feud between their families...

Note: Both the book and TV-series (adapted in 2002) feature Chopin's music (which is played by Irene on the piano). So if you like Chopin, you'll be pleased! Another thing is that the reader will either love/hate Irene. The author only describes her actions, but never let us know her thoughts or feelings. Everything we read about Irene is from the eyes or viewpoint of the other characters. Hence, on the pages, she appears cold and distant. Personally, I do not like Irene; my sympathy lies with Soames (whom I feel is unfairly and cruelly treated by Irene).

Volume 2 is about Fleur and her relationship with her ageing father (Soames) and her husband (Michael Mont). Initially, Fleur appears to handle married life well - 'grooming' her husband for Parliament and throwing social parties. But 3 crises emerge to test her: a court action filed by a former friend (lots of mud-slinging here), having to "manage" Wilfrid Desert (her husband's best friend who is in love with her) and the return of Jon to England and their rekindled love. There is also an engaging subplot involving an impoverished balloon-seller, Tony Bicket and his wife.

Volume 3 is unputdownable (like Volume 1). Here, we meet the Charwells, distant relations of the Forsytes (Michael Mont's mother is a Charwell). The time period is 1920s to early 1930s. The heroine is Elizabeth ("Dinny"), a most charming and endearing character. In Book 1, she tries to help her brother, Hubert who faces a murder charge. She also has to fend off 2 (unwelcome) admirers. In Book 2, Dinny falls in love (at last) with someone who first appeared in Volume 2. Their relationship is not smooth-sailing and you just know Dinny is headed for a heartbreak. There is also a troubling religion issue with no practical solution in sight. In Book 3, Dinny helps her younger sister, Clare who runs away after physical abuse by her husband. There is later a court proceeding (which is superbly written). Meanwhile, Fleur provides some smart advice and shows her generosity in an unexpected way. As for Dinny, she has not recovered from her earlier heartbreak but a new suitor appears on the scene (and he is really quite perfect...). Volume 3 is romantic and I loved it best.

The Forstye Saga is a glorious and unforgetable read. It has the power to draw every sorts of emotion from the reader (joy, sadness, suspense, anger, laughter, tears). Put this title high on your list of must-reads. All 3 Volumes are highly recommended!

Galsworthy was the first to borrow the term "saga" from the Nordic epic poems to apply to a lengthy novelistic study of a family: the trilogy, his masterpiece, influenced more writers in this century than probably can be counted (most eminently Robert Graves and -- in THE YEARS -- Virginia Woolf). Although it very quickly went out of fashion among the modernist writers of his time, THE FORSYTE SAGA has remained a popular hit, inspiring no less than two famous BBC mini-series. And it's the real deal: I can think of few novel cycles that are as satisfying or as eminently readable, much less that are as minutely crafted. (The continuing themes of possesion and death cycle throughout the saga in such fascinating ways that it is almost impossible to believe Galsworthy wrote the first novel, THE MAN OF PROPERTY, without intending to build a trilogy out of it.) The best edition in print seems to be the Oxford World's Classics edition in that it comes with an indispensable family tree.

The first volume of "The Forsyte Saga" contains three novels and two interludes between each. It chronicles the lives of the Forsyte family between more than 30 years. In his narrative, John Galsworthy deals not only with the family's fortunes but also the society of their time, and its changes.

"The Man of Property" is the first novel of the monumental Forsyte Saga and in the beginning the writer spends some time creating his environment where those Forsyte will inhabit.

The first chapters turn out to be the more descriptive in the book. Not only does he introduces the most important members of the family, but he also describe their moral-social relationships -- that count much more than their blood relations.

Once Galsworthy feels that his characters are established -- and it doesn't take too many pages, as a matter of fact -- he starts the narrative per se, although a slight plot has been developed from the beginning.

"The Man of Property" concerns more on old Jolyon Forsyte's life and his son and his nephew Soames and Soames' wife, Irene (one of the most unforgettable characters in the saga). Soames is the man of property, but not only has he got unanimated properties but he also considers himself the owner of Irene. She will involve herself with another man, and this love affair will affect the all Forsytes in some levels.

This novel is a great beginning for Galsworthy's saga, with vivid characters, a well-built plot and charming writing. While the writer is developing the family affairs, he has the chance to portray the changes in the high society life in the early XX Century in England.

In the second installment of "The Forsyte Saga", the writer reassumes the life of the Forsyte family. "In Chancery" is situated a few years after the events told in "The Man of Property", in a few pages recaps some of the most important facts of the first book and their aftermath. After that he is able to move on.

And on he moves -- but the narrative still concerns on young Jolyon, Soames and Irene that forms a love triangle. While the remaining Jolyon become a close friend to Irene, her ex-husband --from whom she hasn't divorced in all those years -- fells jealous and considers claiming his wife back.

Needless to say that this is not the only plot in the novel. Galsworthy develops more family plots. It is impossible not to have the feeling that while he is sometimes depicting the shallowness of the elite from his time, at the same time he has an indulgent look upon the rich and wealthy -- which is not a bad thing as a matter of fact.

Those who like "The Man of Property" will certainly find more pleasure in "In Chancery". He finishes the book with the perfect hook what will come next.

For those who liked "The Man of Property" "In Chancery", "To Let" is a treat. At this point we are in a transition. The old school of Forytes (Jolyon, Soames...) is about to `resign', while new folks are starting to assume the power and the money (Jolyon's third son, Soames' daughter...). The very old Forsyte school, by the way, is already history.

"To Let" is a novel of transition; it is as if the parents are passing the command to their kids -- at least in terms of narrative. That is why old plots (Irene, Somaes, Jolyon) and new ones are in the center of the narrative.

The story is set some twenty years after the ending of "In Chancery", Soames' and Jolyon's kids are virtually adults but they don't know the plot involving their parents (the story of the first and second novel) and are ready to fall in love. It is not surprise that Fleur (Jolyon's French kid) will fall in love with Jon (Jolyon's third son also named Jolyon).

But their main obstacle is not the fact that they are cousins, but the relations from the past. The narrative will focus on this Romeo and Juliet-esque couple whose union --or separation-- lies in a secret hidden in the past.

Those who have reached the third installment in the saga are those who have liked it and are looking forward to see what will happen to the Forsyte. So it is no mystery that Galsworthy exploits the family changes as a shadow of the change in their society --set about the 20's of the XX Century. As Britain Empire declines, so does the power of the Forsytes that cannot avoid their hidden skeletons.

Family secrets, dirty little problems, gambling, divorce, illegitimate babies and a dash of adultery, scandal and forbidden love. Soap opera?

Not exactly. It's Nobel Prize Winner John Galsworthy's sprawling family epic "The Forsyte Saga," a three-volume saga that spans the nouveau riche Forsyte clan, and the devastating events that threaten their ever-respectable facade. Galsworthy's lush writing and intricate, insightful stories are excellent on their own, but the dignified handling of 19th-century laws and mores -- and how they changed -- add an extra dimension to his writing.

While it has a distinctly soapy flavor, "Saga" retains its dignity and look at turn-of-the-century mores and society.

The Forsyte family is determinedly regal and hard-nosed, almost to the point of a fault. And as the story begins, the Forsyte family has come together to celebrate June Forsyte's engagement to a young bohemian architect, Philip Bosinney -- except for June's father, who eloped with the governess and is now shunned by his family.

Among the guests are the stuffy, domineering Soames Forsyte and his quiet, unhappy wife Irene -- though she conditionally agreed to marry him, she doesn't love him. But Soames regards Irene as his most valuable piece of property, even as she begins an ill-fated affair with Bosinney. At the same time, the patriarch Jolyon starts to kick off family disapproval, and goes to see his estranged son.

Soames' determination to "own" Irene leads to tragedy for all three of them, and Irene and Soames separate for the next decade. But when Soames demands a divorce so he can marry a French girl, he finds himself obsessed and stalking Irene once again. And as before, Soames' harassment drives his estranged wife into the arms of another man -- his disgraced cousin Young Jolyon. And even as Soames gains a new woman, he finds that you don't get everything you want...

A new complication enters the works almost two decades later -- Soames' daughter Fleur is immediately attracted to Irene's son Jon. The two start an innocent romance, unaware of their parents' past together, but still overshadowed by the loathing and shame Soames and Irene have for each other. An aristocratic suitor for Fleur, mysterious letters and a secret love affair all come to the surface, as Fleur and Jon discover that love isn't always enough to overcome the bitterness of the past...

The Forsyte Saga is indeed a saga -- it stretches from the stuffy Victorian era into the first bloom of the roaring twenties. Despite the early claim that Forsytes would never die, various characters age, die and weave new lives for themselves, and grapple with a rapidly changing world -- including the new rights for women as individuals, rather than "property."

The first part was written in a time before the world of England's upper crust changed forever -- sort of an English "Age of Innocence." And while Galsworthy's first trilogy can be seen as the story of an obsession, it can also be seen as the portrait of the Forsytes overall -- stuffy, gilded, and eager to forget the working class roots a few generations back.

Galsworthy paints this time in a flurry of lush, dignified prose , filled with slightly mocking notes about the Forsyte family, and tiny gestures and expressions that convey more than actual dialogue could ("Huddled in her grey fur against the sofa cushions, she had a strange resemblance to a captive owl") and lushly written descriptives ("... over the lush grass fell the thick shade from those fruit trees planted by her father five-and-twenty years ago").

Yet there are touching moments too, like Old Jolyon paying a visit to his estranged son and his lower-class second wife, and the grandchildren he has never met. The awkwardness, love and pain in these scenes is truly astounding.

As for the main characters of this drama, Galsworthy handles their passions and involvements delicately and with dignity. No soap opera dramatics -- just a married woman in love with her best pal's fiance, and who is raped by her angry husband. And then a realist's version of "Romeo and Juliet," if Romeo and Juliet's parents were exes and no suicides came into it.

Soames and Irene are really at the center of this book -- she remote, quiet and something of a mystery even to the readers, and he a selfish, close-minded man who wants to "own" people. Their children are far more endearing -- Fleur is passionate and vivacious, and Jon is sensitive and sweet. But there's a vast cast of interesting characters in the Forsyte family, especially melancholy Young Jolyon and his artistic daughter June.

Bitterness, obsession and love fill the pages of the "Forsye Saga," and provide the start of a truly classic trilogy of great novels.

Family secrets, dirty little problems, and a dash of adultery, scandal and forbidden love. Soap opera? Well, sort of -- it's Nobel Prize Winner John Galsworthy's sprawling family epic "The Forsyte Saga." While it has a distinctly soapy flavor, "Saga" retains its dignity and look at turn-of-the-century mores and society.

The Forsyte family is determinedly regal and hard-nosed, almost to the point of a fault. One staid family member, Soames Forsyte, becomes obsessed with the beautiful but poor Irene, and finally gets her to marry him -- on condition that if their marriage doesn't work, she walks. Well, their marriage doesn't work. Soames is frustrated that Irene shuts him out of her life and her bed -- even more so when he learns that she is in love with sexy, arty architect Bosinney, who is building them a new house.

Soames rapes Irene and ruins Bosinney. His marriage falls into ruins, and Bosinney is killed in a car accident. So Irene leaves permanently, living in an apartment by herself. Then Soames announces that he wants to marry a pretty French girl, Annette, and Irene weds Soames' cousin. But the problems of the older generation get inherited by the younger one -- Soames's daughter falls madly in love with Irene's son, but their parents' secret pasts doom their love.

Three novels ("A Man of Property," "In Chancery," and "To Let"), connected with two short stories ("Indian Summer of a Forsyte" and "Awakening") -- it's a pretty big story, sprawling over three generations and four decades. It's a bit soapy, with all the scandal and family weirdness, but the dignified writing keeps it from seeming sordid.

It's a credit to Galsworthy that he can communicate so much without ever getting into his characters' heads. He displays emotion in undemonstrative people like Irene through little mannerisms and twitches. At the same time, he can give us heartrending looks into aging patriarch Old Jolyon's lonely mind. His writing is very nineteenth century, dignified and with plenty of furniture/clothing details. It's pretty dense, but all right once you get used to it.

Galsworthy was a solid supporter of women's rights, and you can see in Irene and Soames' relationship -- Soames, who sees his wife as another piece of property, and the determined Irene who only wants her own happiness, but can't afford to live on her own. Their respective kids Jon and Fleur are nice but kind of boring beside their darker, more intense parents.

For a look at the social shifts that helped define the twentieth century, take a look at the "Forsyte Saga." Or if you just want to soak in a tale of family woe, love, hate and dark secrets, "Saga" still works.