A minimum of consolation

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A minimum of consolation (original title: Quantum of Solace ) is a short story first published in 1959 by Ian Fleming about the secret agent James Bond . However, it is not a typical espionage story, but rather a tale that is commented on by Bond. The most famous publication of this story was in the James Bond short story anthology 007 James Bond intervenes (original title: For Your Eyes Only ).

The name of the short story was used for the second appearance of the actor Daniel Craig in the title role, the 22nd James Bond film from EON Productions with the original title Quantum of Solace , the German film title being Ein Quantum Solace . However, the plot of the film makes no reference to the short story.

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James Bond is in Nassau (Bahamas) at a rather lengthy dinner party and is talking to the governor there . Bond is uncomfortable, bored. In order to provoke the governor and start a discussion of principles, Bond mentions to him that if he ever gets married, it should be a stewardess or a Japanese woman because they have the right views. He thinks it would be great if someone was always there to serve him, always laughing and asking if you wanted something. The governor sees through Bond's attempt and therefore does not go into it. Instead, he begins telling the story of a former employee, Philip Masters . This is where the actual plot of the short story begins.

Philip Masters, a not particularly smart but hardworking man with liberal ideas, is sent from Great Britain to Nigeria to do colonial tasks there. He works well, treats the local population humanely, and is promoted and sent to Nassau because of the first Labor government and an excellent evaluation from his superior. Philip Masters is very shy and has never had sexual relations. On the return flight from Nigeria he notices the pretty stewardess Rhoda, after a long hesitation he finally asks her if she would like to go out to eat with him. She agrees. After a month they get married and move to Nassau together. In the young marriage, everything is going well in the first six months. Then Rhoda begins to get bored. Masters gives up all of his "luxurious" habits (smoking, a drink in between) in order to be able to offer Rhoda Masters a life like the other women in Nassau have.

Among other things, he pays her golf lessons in the most expensive (and best) golf club. Rhoda quickly became very popular there and met a young millionaire's son from the USA. Rhoda, who has always dreamed of such a life, gets involved with him and publicly cheats on Masters. She doesn't feel sorry for him, and she doesn't care what people say about it either. Here follows the explanation of the title of the story: That in any relationship between a man and a woman there must always be a minimum of humanity, even if one partner cheats on the other, commits a serious crime or goes bankrupt. If this minimum of consolation for the partner is missing , the relationship is finally and lastingly destroyed to the point that it ruins the person himself if he cannot tear himself away.

That's exactly what happens to Philip. He becomes a broken man. He neglects his duties and threatens to be fired. The governor sends him to Miami for six months to help him .

It has now become summer: Nassau is teeming with pretty young women. Rhoda Masters is dumped. Your social decline begins. She remembers her husband and wants to make a fresh start when he comes back. But Philip has changed. He wants to get a divorce, but offers her to play the happy couple during the separation year. Rhoda has no other chance: she has to agree.

When Philip is called to Europe after a year, Rhoda asks him for maintenance. Instead, he leaves her his car. But the car turns out to be a rental car, not even the bill has been paid. This is how Philip takes revenge.

With the help of the governor's wife, Rhoda survives the next few months and finally finds a rich Canadian, whom she marries and with whom she goes to the dinner party that James Bond is at today; however, the latter perceives you (not yet aware of your identity at this point) as a dull person.

publication

The story was first published in the May 1959 issue of Cosmopolitan . The publication with which this short story is widely brought into contact today was in the context of the short story anthology 007 James Bond intervenes , which appeared for the first time in 1960 and was published in German translation in 1965 .

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Google Books - On a Deadly Mission. In: On a fatal mission. Retrieved January 9, 2018 .