Morte d'Urban: Analysis of Major Characters
"Morte d'Urban" presents an exploration of character dynamics within a Catholic religious community, primarily centered around Father Urban Roche, an ambitious and worldly priest. Urban's desire to elevate the Order of St. Clement contrasts sharply with his reassignment to a rural retreat house, where he faces conflicts with his superiors and fellow clergy. His character embodies the struggle between worldly ambitions and spiritual growth, suggesting the fleeting nature of material success.
Key figures include Father Boniface, the traditional provincial who inadvertently guides Urban towards a spiritual awakening through a series of challenging experiences. Father Wilfrid, the stern rector, emphasizes the importance of community and routine over Urban's indulgent lifestyle, serving as a foil to Urban's character. Young Father John represents innocence and devotion, aspiring to learn from both Urban and his superiors while striving to maintain harmony within the group.
Supporting characters such as the astute bishop and the cantankerous Mrs. Thwaites further complicate Urban's journey, illustrating themes of ambition, superficial relationships, and the quest for deeper meaning. Overall, "Morte d'Urban" examines the interplay of human desires and spiritual obligations, offering readers a nuanced look at the complexities of faith and ambition within a religious context.
Morte d'Urban: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: J. F. Powers
First published: 1962
Genre: Novel
Locale: Chicago, Illinois, and Minnesota
Plot: Social realism
Time: The late 1950's
Father Urban Roche, a middle-aged, handsome, and ambitious Catholic priest in the Order of St. Clement. Urban is the most worldly, cultured, and sophisticated member of a small, undistinguished religious community. His motto, “Be a Winner,” describes his ambition to make the order noteworthy, wealthy, and influential by courting wealthy patrons. Fond of the world's good things and accustomed to moving freely, Urban grows restless when he is reassigned from a Chicago lakefront parish to a rural Minnesota retreat house. His restlessness brings him into quiet, but serious, conflict with his religious superiors. These conflicts are resolved only after a series of trials that, though painful, are not without a strong element of comedy and that prove to him how fleeting and unreliable are the world's glories.
Father Boniface, the provincial of the Order of St. Clement, Urban's superior. He is an older priest, pious, conservative, and traditional. Although Urban regards him as pleasant but ineffectual, Boniface is a keen judge of priests' souls. Boniface's decision to transfer Urban is literally providential because it sets in motion a chain of events that culminates in Urban's spiritual death and resurrection. Urban is reborn in the image and likeness of Boniface.
Father Wilfrid, the rector of the retreat house to which Urban is transferred. Blunt, stubborn, and unimaginative, he stresses that members of his small religious community must work together in tasks that reinforce the small pieties of daily life. In his unthinking devotion to sentimental religious rituals, he contrasts with Urban's delight in worldlier pleasures. Taking seriously his duty to form the spiritual character of his subordinates, he does not hesitate to embarrass Urban for his self-centeredness.
Father John, a young priest assigned to the retreat house. Unlike Urban, he is simple, devout, and intelligent, trusting to the wisdom of his provincial and of Providence in sending him to a rural mission. The youngest member of the community, he is impressed by Urban and likes him, but he resists the temptation to imitate him. He plays peacemaker between Urban and Wilfrid, even losing at checkers to keep Urban happy. He writes a pamphlet version of the Lancelot and Guinevere story that becomes a consolation to Urban during his tribulations.
The bishop of the Grand Plains Diocese, the head of the diocese in which the retreat house is located. He considers taking over St. Clement's Hill as a seminary, which would frustrate Urban's plans to upgrade the retreat house. Portly, sanguine, and astute, the bishop accepts Urban's oblique challenge to a duel, a golf match with the hill as the stakes. The bishop hits an errant shot that sends Urban to the hospital and begins his slow process of spiritual regeneration.
Mrs. Thwaites, a Catholic dowager. She is elderly, frail, and cranky; she sits all day in the gloomy light of her television set. Her own care in life is her wayward son, Dickie. Although Urban regularly courts her as a donor, she is in fact a miser and skinflint. She cheats her own servant girl out of a few dollars in a game of cards. When Urban tries to mediate, she refuses to speak with him again. Her action initiates Urban's spiritual trials.
Billy Cosgrove, a wealthy businessman whom Urban courts as a benefactor to the Clementines. He is wealthy but loud, brash, and arrogant. Although he enjoys Urban's company, he makes no serious financial commitment. While Urban is recuperating from the golf ball injury, Billy takes him hunting. Cruelly, Billy leaves Urban stranded when the priest protests a wanton attempt to drown a stag. He thus demonstrates the superficiality of his intentions to benefit the Clementines.
Sally Hopgood Thwaites, Mrs. Thwaites's daughter. Outwardly sophisticated but inwardly young and reckless, Sally is an attractive woman, without her mother's pretense to piety. She rescues Urban when Billy abandons him and straightforwardly attempts to seduce the priest. When he resists, she similarly leaves him stranded.
Monsignor Renton, an elderly priest and a friend of Urban. He offers Urban good advice, not all of which Urban is inclined to take. He sees through the sham faith of the wealthy persons Urban so vigorously courts. Renton is a man at peace, aware of the world's pretenses, accepting of his own imperfections, and confident in Providence.