Charles Robert Maturin

Women; or, Pour et Contre, was Maturin's fourth novel, published in 1818. A work of deep emotional intensity, Maturin wished to concentrate on "common life." But he does so with uncommon psychological penetration for its time, while detailing the painful romantic attractions of two fascinating women-Eva, a deeply religious and innocent girl, and the intellectually superior, talented, and popular Zaira-to the same man, De Courcy. While also satirizing evangelical Christianity (with more good humor than he treats Catholicism in his most famous work, Melmoth the Wanderer) and the intellectual pretensions of high culture and society, it is, to quote Alaric Watts, its "profound and philosophic melancholy," "its terrible researches into the deepest abysses of the human heart," and its fine characterization of the two women, that makes Women; or, Pour et Contre a novel second only to Melmoth, and in many ways superior to it, while demonstrating the wide literary range of this remarkable Irish novelist.

The Milesian Chief, Maturin's third novel (1812), is the first of his novels to be set almost entirely in Ireland. After the 1800 Act of Union, the political and social turmoil caused by rebellion in the name of Irish independence disrupts the splendid fortunes of the talented and beautiful Armida, Italian-bred and English-born, who falls in love with Connal, last of an ancient Irish dynasty and leader of a desperate army of rebels. As she follows Connal's dire path, her exquisite if emotionally sterile life of art and music is transformed into an adventure in the wilds of western Ireland, the huts of the poor, bloody battlefields, rocky shores, and cavern hideouts, as English forces gradually draw closer to defeating the rebels. The sense of dread that overwhelms the characters and the entire countryside in their struggles against enemies, military as well as personal, is echoed in the passion of Armida and Connal, and enhanced by Maturin's vivid gothic touches.

The Wild Irish Boy (1808) was Charles Robert Maturin's second novel. Set in Ireland and England, the story follows the adventures of Ormsby Bethel, a young Irishman of uncertain ancestry, as he navigates through the temptations of high life, the intrigues of swindlers, gamblers, and fast women, and his own uncertainties about his place in the societies of both countries. Combining features of the silver fork novel, coming-of-age story, and to some degree (in scenes of Irish life) the national novel, The Wild Irish Boy is an entertaining tale full of unexpected twists and turns, extravagant scenes of fashionable excess, misguided and dangerous passions, and long-held secrets with dire consequences: riches and ruin, both moral and financial. Among the colorful characters is the too-fascinating Lady Montrevor, cultured, ingenious, and enigmatic, who adds a dimension of excitement and intrigue that contributes to making The Wild Irish Boy a novel rich with conflicting social and moral viewpoints.

Charles Robert Maturin's first novel, Fatal Revenge; or, The Family of Montorio, was published in 1807. Maturin's dark tale of the brothers Ippolito and Annibal Montorio is a complexly plotted adventure, full of "strong and vigorous fancy, with great command of language," according to Sir Walter Scott. Maturin's relish for the gothic and horrid, so brilliantly exploited in his masterpiece of 1820, Melmoth the Wanderer, here makes its first appearance, and the themes that haunted the later novel find their initial expression in Fatal Revenge. Maturin's unique talents of "darkening the gloomy, and of deepening the sad; of painting life in extremes, and representing those struggles of passion when the soul trembles on the verge of the unlawful and the unhallowed," make Fatal Revenge a compelling essay into the twilight world of the late gothic novel, one in which both innocence and evil are ultimately unable to triumph over the forces that overwhelm them.

The Correspondence Of Walter Scott And Charles Robert Maturin is a book that compiles the letters exchanged between two prominent literary figures of the 19th century, Walter Scott and Charles Robert Maturin. The book offers a unique insight into the personal and professional lives of these two writers and their literary circle. The letters cover a wide range of topics, including their works, thoughts on literature, personal experiences, and social issues of the time. The book provides a valuable resource for scholars and enthusiasts interested in the Romantic period and the works of Scott and Maturin. Overall, The Correspondence Of Walter Scott And Charles Robert Maturin is a fascinating read that sheds light on the lives and works of two influential writers of the 19th century. Preface By William H. McCarthy Jr. This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.