The Return (novel)

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The return , English original title The Return of the Soldier , is the first novel by the writer and journalist Rebecca West . The novel tells of the wealthy British captain Chris Baldry, who returned from the frontline traumatized during the First World War. The events are told exclusively from the perspective of Baldry's cousin Jenny. The return was first published in 1918 and is the only contemporary novel by a woman about the First World War and the traumatic consequences it caused for soldiers.

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The novel is set on a country estate in south London during the First World War. Chris Baldry is on duty on the French front; his wife Kitty and cousin Jenny Baldry manage the house during his absence. On the estate, the two women are shielded from the horrors of World War I, but mourn the firstborn, deceased son Kittys.

Soon the two women get a surprise visit from Margret, a woman from a poor background. She brings them the news that Chris Baldry has returned from the front line injured: He is suffering from what is known as a " shell shock ", which makes him believe that he is twenty years old again. He had brought her the news of his return because he had a love affair with Margret many years ago.

When Kitty and Jenny bring Chris back to the estate from the hospital, his former home is a stranger to him and he neither recognizes his wife nor his cousin. For this he has a great longing for Margret. Hoping that Chris will find his way back to the present when he sees the woman, who is now 15 years older, Jenny arranges a meeting for Margret and Chris on the estate. The love between the two flares up again. Kitty and Jenny are deeply hit. Finally, together with Margret and the psychoanalyst Dr. Anderson to bring Chris back to the present. Although Margret knows she will lose Chris as a result, she suggests confronting him with the death of his son.

Publication history

Rebecca West was 24 years old when her debut The Return of the Soldier first appeared in America as a two-part serial in 1918 in The Century Illustrated Monthly Magazine . The Century Company published the story as a revised version in a novel in March 1918. In England the novel was revised again in May 1918 and published by Nisbet & Co. (London); The German first edition is based on this version.

Film adaptations

The novel was adapted for the film in 1982 by the director Joseph Losey and starred with the actors Alan Bates , Julie Christie , Ian Holm , Glenda Jackson and Ann-Margeret . In German the film is called The Shadows of the Past , in English it bears the title of the novel: The Return of the Soldier .

expenditure

  • The Return of the Soldier . In: The Century Illustrated Monthly Magazine (No. 4 and 5). New York February / March 1918.
  • The Return of the Soldier . Century Company, New York March 1918.
  • The Return of the Soldier . Nisbet & Co., London May 1918 (English first edition).
  • The return . dtv , Munich 2016, ISBN 978-3-423-28080-8 (German first edition).

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Vol. 95, No. 4: February, No. 5: March, cf. German edition, p. 159.
  2. ↑ The Shadows of the Past in the Internet Movie Database .