'He looks like a man who could tame anything. If he had married a tigress, instead of a woman, he would have tamed the tigress...'*
I've been romping voraciously through the eras in my reading matter lately, and after spending time in a surrealistic, folk horror near future, 1950s science fiction and a 1970s urban childhood (perhaps more on those another day), have just finished the highly successful 1860 'mystery thriller', The Woman In White by Wilkie Collins.
I loved it for many reasons but, oh, against my better judgement perhaps, I've also become curiously enamoured with the most charming and flamboyant of villains, as well as with the author's fantastic ability to so lucidly conjure up and colour in this particularly unique character: Count Fosco. How on earth do you come up with such an imagined person? Once he'd made his first appearance, I longed for the Count's presence on every page, picturing and hearing him so vividly, perhaps more strongly than any other literary persona I've come across - and yet he is unlike anyone I could ever know in real life. Hopefully!
Count Fosco is sixty years old, as corpulent as Henry the Eighth, plump-fingered, with a facial resemblance to Napoleon, appears to wear a wig, possesses a double chin, has a devilish fondness for a fruit tart or four, and yet...
'...I think the influence I am trying to find in him is in his eyes. They are the most unfathomable grey eyes I ever saw, and they have at times a cold, clear, beautiful, irresistible glitter in them which forces me to look at him, and yet causes me sensations, when I do look, which I would rather not feel.'*
This Italian nobleman is superbly cultured, highly intellectual, urbane and well-dressed too...
'A blue blouse with profuse white fancy-work over the bosom covered his prodigious body, and was girt about the place where his waist might once have been with a broad scarlet leather belt. Nankeen trousers, displaying more white fancy-work over the ankles, and purple morocco slippers, adorned his lower extremeties.'
But it's his eccentricity which really sets him apart. He can sleep and awaken at will, plays the concertina (most theatrically!) in the garden and keeps his beloved pet white mice (which he lets scamper all over him and pop in and out of his waistcoat) in a tiny, colourful pagoda which he designed and made himself. What's not to like?
Have you read it - if so, did Count Fosco mesmerise you as he did me? Do you have a favourite literary villain whom it's impossible to dislike in spite of their evil-doing? Please point me their way! I am ready to be led astray.
*As written by the book's plucky feminist heroine, Marian Halcombe
On dear. Its the Laughing Cavalier all over again.
ReplyDeleteOh dear yes, I see a pattern emerging...! I can only blame my moral downfall on these rascals of art and literature.
DeleteYou could try the Flashman novels…
ReplyDeleteJM
I could indeed, thanks John - especially as remember Richard Durant from the 'Tom Brown's Schooldays' TV series of my childhood. What a bastard!
DeleteI haven't read The Woman In White for many years, though I do regularly use an extract in class. Can't recall the Count at all, though you've made me want to do a re-read.
ReplyDeleteProbably not the best of answers, but my favourite villain is Doctor Octopus. When written well, his supreme arrogance is a joy.
It's such a wordy book but I loved it for that too. And if you do re-read it, I'd be interested to know what you think of the Count and how vividly he's been characterised. As you say, supreme arrogance can be such a pleasure and a draw in well-written fiction.... whilst I absolutely detest it in real life!
DeleteYou’ve piqued my interest so I’ve added it to my ever-growing list. I’ll have to read something more modern when I’ve finished Pride & Prejudice (which I think I should have read by my age!) - I need a few less words per sentence for a couple of books at least!
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you mean, Belinda - much as I enjoyed the evocative descriptions and admired the lengthy dialogues, I sometimes had to go re-read a few of those sentences to break them down - just not used to that much wordiness! A confession too - I haven't read Pride & Prejudice... certainly want to delve into more classic literature but with more modern writing in between as you say. Perhaps I'll also try P & P after a decent break. Hope you enjoy The Woman In White as I did if/when you get through your existing list!
DeleteI will add 'The woman in White' to the heightening pile of books for next or or maybe the year after next. Count Fosco sounds worth the cover price by himself.
ReplyDeleteJust a thought , another but adjacent world of strange and creepy characters can be found in the late great Angela Carter's stories. There is Sophie Fevvers (half woman/half swan) , controlling Uncle Phillip, dangerous Honeybuzzard, the sadistic Marquis, Mr Lyon (the Beast) and many more. I love her dangerous worlds.
Hi Ben, hope you're well? I hope you enjoy it when you come to it, even if it's not until 2027! Oh, yes, I know the sadistic Marquis and others from The Bloody Chamber & Other Stories. I too like Angela Carter's dangerous, dark worlds, although I have to be in a certain mood for them!
DeleteI'm good thanks.Actually I will not be working next year so I probably will get through more reading. It's a massive pleasure that went missing in my later 40's and 50's but is well and truly back in place these days.
DeleteGlad to know you have met Angela. I love book recomendations, the enthusiasm exudes from the print.
That all sounds good. I know what you mean about not reading as much in your 40s and 50s, I've had big gaps too when my consumption has been a bit sporadic. But it's something that never disappoints and right now I'm back to being a total bookworm again. Enjoy your time reading and not working next year!
DeleteNever read it and at first got confused with The Woman In Black, but no, a very different kind of story. Like with the others it is now on my radar. I also got confused by the picture of Fosco - his arm seemed to come from the middle of his body but a bit of an optical illusion because of where the book is. Maybe just me.
ReplyDeleteI’ve been racking my brain but not coming up with a Fosco-like character of my own. I might have to get back to you on that one.
(This comment disappeared for some reason but I retrieved it!)
DeleteI think you'd like it... but I know everyone has long and ever-increasing lists to get through! Know what you mean about Fosco's furthest arm, when you look more closely you can see it's half hidden behind his very generous, bulging belly but with the book in the way it throws you off.
Yes, please do get back to me if you can think of a literary scoundrel to recommend. Rapscallions and ne'er do wells all welcome (I love those words!)