The Secret Agent: Analysis of Setting
"The Secret Agent: Analysis of Setting" explores the intricate environments that shape the narrative of Joseph Conrad's novel, set against the backdrop of London's complex social and political landscape in the early 20th century. The novel's primary location, London, serves as a refuge for exiled revolutionaries and a point of tension for repressive governments, particularly reflected in the character of Mr. Vladimir. Central to the setting is Verloc's shop in Soho, a shabby establishment that symbolizes the mundane facade of its owner while concealing his secretive criminal activities. This duality extends to Verloc's home, which houses his family and serves as a meeting place for ineffective political conspirators, underscoring the theme of superficiality in revolutionary endeavors.
The narrative also includes pivotal locations such as the assistant commissioner's office and the London embassy, where the stark contrast between the functional world of law enforcement and the glamorous yet precarious realm of diplomacy is highlighted. These settings resonate with the novel’s exploration of societal dynamics, as they illustrate the intersection of personal ambition, political intrigue, and the often futile quest for meaningful change. Lastly, the drawing room of a "great lady" acts as a microcosm of London society, bringing together diverse characters and reflecting the social stratification and complexity of the era. Through these meticulously crafted settings, Conrad invites readers to consider the broader implications of the characters' actions within the societal framework of their time.
The Secret Agent: Analysis of Setting
First published: 1907
Type of work: Novel
Type of plot: Psychological realism
Time of work: 1880’s
Asterisk denotes entries on real places.
Places Discussed
*London
*London. Center of the British Empire and home to exiled revolutionaries and refugees from throughout Europe. During the time of the novel, the great latitude and freedom extended by the British government to these exiles was a perpetual source of irritation and concern for more repressive governments on the continent of Europe, especially the unnamed country represented by Mr. Vladimir.
Verloc’s shop
Verloc’s shop. Shabby establishment at 32 Brett Street in the Soho section of London. As a cover to his activities as a secret agent for a foreign government (probably Russian), Adolf Verloc operates a small shop where he sells stationery, inks, and questionable publications, most of them of a vaguely revolutionary or quasi-pornographic nature. During business hours, the shop’s door is left open and the coming and going of customers is signaled by a small, loud bell. Faded magazines, obscure newspapers, a few shabby bottles of ink, and other writing materials are displayed in the glass front of the shop and ranged along the shelves behind the counter. During much of the time, Verloc sits on a stool at the counter, hardly moving.
Verloc’s home
Verloc’s home. Behind the shop live Verloc and his wife, Winnie, along with Winnie’s aged mother and mentally deficient brother, Stevie. The home is furnished with what furniture remains with Winnie’s mother from earlier, more prosperous days of her own marriage. Together, the shop and home present a thoroughly unremarkable appearance; the business is adequate but hardly prosperous. In a similar fashion, Verloc’s secret life is only marginally successful. The parlor of the Verloc home is the meeting place of anarchists, socialists, and revolutionaries from throughout Europe, but these conspirators are merely ineffectual talkers, incapable of true action. Verloc’s establishment is an appropriate physical setting for his secret but sordid activities.
Assistant commissioner’s office
Assistant commissioner’s office. Office in the headquarters of the London police charged with investigating crimes such as Verloc’s and the site of a lengthy discussion between the assistant commissioner and the chief inspector on the Verloc case. The assistant commissioner’s office, barely described by Conrad, is a lean, functional place, much like the assistant commissioner himself. Its function defines its appearance: It is a place where solid, honest work is performed.
London embassy
London embassy. Typical diplomatic establishment of an unnamed European government. From the hints given by the narrative, the unnamed government is most probably the Russian Empire, although it might possibly be the Austrian-Hungarian Empire, both of which were highly fearful of international revolutionaries and employed secret agents such as Verloc against them. It is in these highly polished surroundings that Mr. Vladimir gives Verloc his instructions that lead to the bombing incident at the Greenwich Observatory.
Sir Ethelred’s chambers
Sir Ethelred’s chambers. Official chambers located near the Houses of Parliament in London. As the office of the secretary of state, a high-ranking ministry in the British government, Sir Ethelred’s dignified, solemn chambers represent the stability and solidity of Britain and its society. When the assistant commissioner reports to Sir Ethelred about the progress of the Verloc case, he does so in this setting.
Drawing room of a “great lady.”
Drawing room of a “great lady.” Highly decorated site of social events which draw together characters from all ranks of society, including the assistant commissioner, revolutionary friends of Verloc, and foreign diplomats such as Mr. Vladimir. In a sense, the drawing room is a microcosm of London society.
Bibliography
Fleishman, Avrom. Conrad’s Politics: Community and Anarchy in the Fiction of Joseph Conrad. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1967. The chapter on The Secret Agent discusses Conrad’s portrayal of the modern world in fragmentation and his advocacy of social order and human community.
Guerard, Albert J. “Two Versions of Anarchy.” In Conrad the Novelist. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1966. Discusses Conrad’s use of an elevated, ironic style, his narrative stance, and his aesthetic plan in The Secret Agent.
Hay, Eloise Knapp. The Political Novels of Joseph Conrad: A Study. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1963. Discusses how Conrad caricatures the aristocracy and mocks revolutionaries. Points out that Winnie Verloc suffers and faces despair alone, her condition made worse by anarchists.
Karl, Frederick R. A Reader’s Guide to Joseph Conrad. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1969. Examines the novel’s moral purpose, its characters, and its style. Argues that the book’s concern is the moral corruption of all people. A good starting place.
Tillyard, E. M. W. “The Secret Agent Reconsidered.” In Conrad: A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by Marvin Mudrick. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1966. Discusses Conrad’s use of irony to create a necessary distance between the reader and the horrible lives of the characters.