Gormenghast (series)
The Gormenghast series is a series of books written by Mervyn Peake that is centered around the castle Gormenghast and the character Titus Groan. Since Peake intended the books to be a "biography" of the protagonist, not the castle's history, it would make more sense to name the series after him, and an earlier collected edition was entitled The Titus Books.
Works in the Series
The cycle consists of three novels, Titus Groan (1946), Gormenghast (1950) and Titus Alone (1959). A novella, Boy in Darkness (1956), shares the setting without specific allusion.
Peake intended to write a series of books following Titus's life and his relationship with the castle. At least two other books, tentatively titled Titus Awakes and Gormenghast Revisited, were planned, but Peake's health complications and ensuing death prevented him from writing down more than a few rough chapters and ideas for these. Only three pages of Titus Awakes were coherently written, and these appear in the Overlook Press omnibus edition of the main novels (ISBN 0-87951-628-3).
Adaptations
In 1984, BBC Radio 4 broadcast two 90-minute plays based on Titus Groan and Gormenghast, adapted by Brian Sibley and starring Sting as Steerpike and Freddie Jones as the Artist (narrator). A slightly abridged compilation of the two, running to 160 minutes, and entitled Titus Groan of Gormenghast, was broadcast on Christmas Day, 1992. BBC 7 repeated the original versions on 21 and 28 September, 2003.
A young acting troupe (Canberra Youth Theatre?) performed a walking production of Gormenghast at Gorman House in Canberra in 1993. The audience were guided through both courtyards, and stages were improvised atop stairways and roofs, as well as the interior. It starred Ceinwen Berry as Fuchsia.
In 2000, the BBC and the PBS station WGBH of Boston produced a miniseries, titled Gormenghast, based on the first two books of the trilogy.
The 30-minute TV short film A Boy In Darkness (also made in 2000 and adapted from Peake's novella Boy in Darkness) was the first production from the BBC Drama Lab. It was set in a 'virtual' computer-generated world created by young computer game designers, and starred Jack Ryder (from EastEnders) as Titus, with Terry Jones (Monty Python's Flying Circus) narrating.
A minimalist stage version of Gormenghast performed by the David Glass Ensemble was adapted by John Constable and directed by David Glass. The production features atmospheric music and lighting and relies heavily on mime, all to convey the immense vastness of the Gormenghast castle on the small stage. It has toured theatres in the UK during 2006 and 2007.
Irmin Schmidt, founder of seminal German 'Krautrock' group Can has written an opera called Gormenghast, based on the novels, and a number of songs including 'Stranger Than Fiction' and 'Titus' by New Zealand rock group Split Enz and 'The Drowning Man' by The Cure were inspired by Peake's work. The British progressive rock group Strawbs feature a Ford / Hudson composition called 'Lady Fuschia' on their 1973 album 'Bursting at the Seams', about one of the main protagonists of this trilogy.
Genre and Style
The series is usually described as a fantasy work. However, there is no magic and no intelligent races other than humans, as is usual in high fantasy such as The Lord of the Rings. Another valid classification would be to place Gormenghast in the genre of the fantastic, with marked gothic and surrealist influences. It may also be considered a fantasy of manners.
Gormenghast is less focused on a central protagonist than most novels. Though Titus and Steerpike are often considered the main characters, they share the narrative with many of the other denizens of the castle. In a way, the main character could be seen as the setting itself, with the castle and social structure of Gormenghast taking a central role in unifying the story.
Story
Titus Groan
The story follows the somewhat bizarre inhabitants of Gormenghast Castle, and chronicles the rise to power of Steerpike, a scheming kitchen boy, in the decaying monarchy of the house of Groan. The eponymous Titus is only an infant in this novel, and plays a minor role.
Gormenghast
The second book follows Titus from the age of seven to seventeen. As the 77th earl and lord of Gormenghast, he dreads the life of pre-ordained ritual that stretches before him. Steerpike continues his rise to power, but is eventually unmasked as a traitor and murderer. In a watery duel with Titus, Steerpike is killed, leaving the way clear for Titus to reign. However, Titus has other ideas and flees the castle for the wider world beyond Gormenghast Mountain.
Titus Alone
The story follows Titus as he travels far from Gormenghast and finds a futuristic world of industrialists and advanced technology (in some ways anticipating the steampunk genre). This novel is more randomly plotted than its two predecessors, without a strong lead character or a fixed setting. It remained unfinished at the time of Peake's death, and the skeletal published version is compiled by the editor Langdon Jones from Peake's early drafts.
Characters of the series
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Peake populated his imaginary castle with a large cast of characters. These include:
The ruling family
Titus Groan: The main character of the series, and heir to the Earldom of Gormenghast. He succeeds to the title of 77th Earl whilst still a child, but as he grows older, he develops ambivalent feelings toward his home. He is torn between pride in his lineage and the desire to escape from the castle and its traditions. First mentioned as a baby in "Titus Groan" - The Spy Hole.
Lord Sepulchrave: 76th Earl and Titus's father. He is a melancholy man who feels shackled by his duties as Earl, although he never questions them. His only escape is reading. However, when the castle's Library is burnt down, he is driven insane and comes to believe that he is one of the death-owls that live in the abandoned Tower of Flints. First mentioned in "Titus Groan" - The Spy Hole.
The Countess Gertrude: 76th Countess and Titus's mother. An obese woman with dark red hair, she pays little attention to her family or the rest of Gormenghast. Instead, she spends her time locked away in her bedroom, in the company of a legion of cats and birds, the only things toward which she shows affection. However, once given the chance to use her intelligence she turns out to be one of the cleverest people in the castle, when (along with Flay and the doctor) she recognizes and investigates the worrying changes transpiring in Gormenghast. First appears in "Titus Groan" - The Spy Hole.
Fuchsia: Titus's sister. At times snobbish, annoying, and self-absorbed, she can also be extremely warm and caring. At first, she resents Titus, but soon develops a deep bond with him. Of all Titus's family, she is the one he loves most. Fuchsia also develops a very close, but brief bond with her father, Lord Sepulchrave during his final mental breakdown after the Library Fire. Broken by disappointment and disillusionment, she is killed as she accidently slips from the windowsill where she is only contemplating suicide - and striking her head on the stonework, drowns unconscious, in the floodwaters surrounding the Castle. She thus tragically never realises her true potential. She first appears in "Titus Groan" - Fuchsia.
Cora and Clarice Groan: Titus's aunts (sisters of Sepulchrave), a pair of identical twins. Both suffered from spasms in their youth, so the left hand sides of their bodies are paralyzed. They have virtually the same personalities and neither of them is very intelligent -- they are perhaps even mentally impaired -- although Cora is slightly cleverer than Clarice. Both crave political power and dislike Gertrude, whom they believe robbed them of their rightful place in the hierarchy of Gormenghast. Their mindless ambition and thirst for revenge lead them to become Steerpike's pawns. They first appear in "Titus Groan" - First Blood.
Other major characters
Steerpike: A youthful outsider, beginning as a kitchen boy, who worms his way into the hierarchy of Gormenghast for his own personal gain. Ruthlessly murderous, with a Machiavellian mind and a talent for manipulation, he can appear charming and sometimes even noble. But due to his fundamentally evil nature, he has natural personal enmity with Titus. He is finally hunted down and killed by Titus, who holds him responsible for the death of his sister, Fuchsia. First appears in "Titus Groan" - Swelter.
Mr. Flay: Lord Sepulchrave's personal servant, who believes in strictly holding to the rules of Gormenghast. Nevertheless, he is not completely hard-hearted and cares a great deal for Titus and Fuchsia. He is eventually exiled from Gormenghast for throwing one of the Countess's cats at Steerpike. First appears in "Titus Groan" - The Hall of the Bright Carvings.
Dr. Alfred Prunesquallor: The castle's resident physician. He is an eccentric individual with a high-pitched laugh and a grandiose wit which he uses on the castle's less intelligent inhabitants. Despite his acid tongue, he is an extremely kind and caring man who also is greatly fond of Fuchsia and Titus. (In a few places in the text, Dr. Prunesquallor is given the first name of Bernard, but this was an error by Peake.) First mentioned in "Titus Groan" - The Spy Hole.
Irma Prunesquallor: Doctor Prunesquallor's sister. Though she is anything but pretty, she is considerably vain. She desperately desires to be admired and loved by men. She romantically involved with Bellgrove. First appears in "Titus Groan" - A Gift of the Gab.
Abiatha Swelter: The fat, sadistic head chef of Gormenghast. His profound hatred for Flay leads him to attempt his murder, however, he is killed by his intended victim. First appears in "Titus Groan" - Swelter
Nannie Slagg: An ancient dwarf who serves as the nurse for infant Titus and Fuchsia before him. She is somewhat senile and has an inferiority complex. First appears in "Titus Groan" - Tallow and Birdseed.
Sourdust: The Master of Ritual when the series begins. He is the one who coordinates the various arcane rituals that make up daily life in Gormenghast. After his death in the Library Fire, his position is taken up by his son Barquentine. First appears in "Titus Groan" - First Blood.
Barquentine: Follows his father into the role of Master of Ritual. He is lame in one leg, hideous, and unbelievably dirty. He is a consummate misanthrope who only cares for the laws and traditions of Gormenghast. He makes the grievous error of allowing Steerpike to become his assistant. First appears in "Titus Groan" - The Unearthing of Barquentine.
Bellgrove: School Professor. One of Titus's teachers, who eventually ascends to Headmaster of Gormenghast. In many respects, he is the standard absent-minded professor who falls asleep during his own class and plays with marbles. However, deep inside him there is a certain element of dignity and nobility. He begins a rather unusual romance with Irma Prunesquallor. First appears in "Gormenghast" - Chapter Ten.
Keda: A woman from the Wood Carvers' village just outside the walls of Gormenghast. She is chosen to be Titus's wet nurse, but eventually leaves this position. She has two lovers who fight a duel and both die for her, but not before one of them impregnates her. Eventually she kills herself by leaping of a crag, after giving birth to a daughter - The Thing. First appearance is in "Titus Groan" - Keda. (In the film adaptation, she dies in childbirth.)
The Thing: The daughter of Keda. Due to her illegitimacy she is an outcast who becomes a feral child living in the wilderness surrounding Gormenghast. Believing that she is in every way the opposite of Gormenghast, Titus becomes infatuated with her. She is killed by a bolt of lightening.
Minor characters
Rottcodd: The curator of the Hall of Bright Carvings and the first character introduced in the series. Rottcodd lives the life of a recluse in the castle, rarely speaking to anyone and, when not dusting the statues at exactly seven o'clock, is usually sleeping in his hammock by the window side. First appearance is in "Titus Groan" - The Hall of the Bright Carvings.
Pentecost: Pentecost was one of the Carvers once, but worked himself up to become the head gardener of the palace. He is always busy tending the palace orchards and filling vases with fresh water and bright flowers. First appears in "Titus Groan" - First Blood.
The Poet: Known only by his professional name, the Poet holds a relatively important function of ritual in the castle. He is described as having a wedge-shaped head and a voice "as strange and deep as a lugubrious ocean". After Steerpike's death, he is hastily appointed as the new Master of Ritual.
Rantel & Braigon: Keda's lovers, whose rivalry eventually leads to their death in a nighttime duel. First mentioned in "Titus Groan" - When the Old Nurse Dozes.
Bright Carvers Mud Dwellers, famed for their skill in woodcarving. First mentioned in "Titus Groan" - Mrs Slagg by Moonlight.
Mud Dwellers Hereditary population of the extensive Mud Village situated up against and outside the walls of Gormenghast Castle. First mentioned in "Titus Groan" - Mrs Slagg by Moonlight.
Springers Kitchen Boy. One of Swelter's helper's in the preparation of the Ceremonial Breakfast for Titus. First mentioned "Titus Groan" - First Blood.
Spurter Kitchen Boy. One of Swelter's helper's in the preparation of the Ceremonial Breakfast for Titus. First mentioned "Titus Groan" - First Blood.
Wrattle Kitchen Boy. One of Swelter's helper's in the preparation of the Ceremonial Breakfast for Titus. First mentioned "Titus Groan" - First Blood.
Wrenpatch Kitchen Boy. Swelter relishes the prospect of punishing him for arguing with another Kitchen Boy, Flycrake - violating Swelter's strict orders for silence. First mentioned "Titus Groan" - Early One Morning.
Flycrake Kitchen Boy. Swelter relishes the prospect of punishing him for arguing with another Kitchen Boy, Wrenpatch - violating Swelter's strict orders for silence. First mentioned in "Titus Groan" - Early One Morning.
Grey Scrubbers Cleaners of the Great Kitchen. First appear in "Titus Groan" - The Great Kitchen.
Old Man Hermit, only known as "Old Man". He cares for Keda as she recovers from the rigours of her travels in the wilds. Appears in "Titus Groan" - A Roof of Reeds.
Smelly Old Woman Lady Clarice & Cora's only servant. Used by Steerpike as an example of just how low the status of the Lady Clarice & Cora has fallen as he draws them into his power. Mentioned in "Titus Groan" -The Room of Roots.
Pellet Servant in the Prunesquallor's household. He is replaced by Steerpike at the instigation of Irma Prunesquallor. Appears in "Titus Groan" - A Gift of the Gab.
Shrattle Armourer. Holds the only key to Groan armoury. Mentioned in "Titus Groan" - First Blood.
Opus Fluke School Professor. First appears in "Gormenghast" - Chapter Ten
Flannelcat School Professor. First appears in "Gormenghast" - Chapter Ten
Shred School Professor. First appears in "Gormenghast" - Chapter Ten
Shrivell School Professor. First appears in "Gormenghast" - Chapter Ten
The Leader School Professor. Only known as "The Leader", this ancient bearded character proposes a philosophy where everything in this world is an illusion - even including sensations such as pain. He is forcibly brought into reality and subsequently dies, when his long white beard is set alight by a young man during an argument. First appears in "Gormenghast" - Chapter Ten
Spiregrain School Professor. Disciple of The Leader, until The Leader's death.. First appears in "Gormenghast" - Chapter Ten
Splint School Professor. Disciple of The Leader, until The Leader's death. First appears in "Gormenghast" - Chapter Ten
Throd School Professor. Disciple of The Leader, until The Leader's death. First appears in "Gormenghast" - Chapter Ten
Cutflower School Professor. A dandy and a fop. First appears in "Gormenghast" - Chapter Ten
Crust School Professor. First appears in "Gormenghast" - Chapter Ten
Mulefire School Professor. First appears in "Gormenghast" - Chapter Ten
Perch-Prism School Professor. First appears in "Gormenghast" - Chapter Ten
Deadyawn Headmaster of the Gormenghast School. Spends most of his time asleep in a tall high chair on wheels, pushed around by his assistant, Mr Fly. His is killed whilst organising the search for Titus when Mr. Fly slips and accidently tips him out of his high chair onto the floor. Bellgrove immediately assumes command of the School. First appears in "Gormenghast" - Chapter Eleven.
Fly (The) Deadyawn's assistant. His main function appears to push Deadyawn around in his high chair and keep his hot water bottle topped up. He commits suicide by leaping out of the window after accidently killing his master. First appears in "Gormenghast" - Chapter Eleven.
Craggmire The Acrobat. The Acrobat takes no part in the plot. His only mention is when he is spied upon by Steerpike (for no apparent reason) through the elaborate system of mirrors and spy holes which Steerpike has installed in a disused chimney. Mentioned in "Gormenghast" Chapter Three.
External links
- Gormenghast: A Fantasy Opera, written by Irmin Schmidt
- The Mervyn Peake FAQ clarifies the inconsistency in Prunesquallor's given name.
- Gormenghast series listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
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