Vile Bodies: Analysis of Major Characters
"Vile Bodies" is a novel that intricately weaves the lives of various characters navigating the complexities of early 20th-century England, particularly during the interwar period. The central figure, Adam Fenwick-Symes, is a young writer whose attempts to marry his fiancée, Nina Blount, are continually thwarted by a series of comedic and unfortunate events, including the confiscation of his manuscript and a series of financial blunders. Nina, caught in the whirlwind of these delays, eventually marries another man, yet remains connected to Adam through a series of entangled relationships.
The narrative also features a diverse cast, including Agatha Runcible, a vibrant member of the "Bright Young People," and Colonel Blount, Nina's father, whose preoccupations with filmmaking render him oblivious to his daughter's romantic entanglements. Other characters, such as Miles Malpractice, a gossip columnist, and the flamboyant Lottie Crump, add to the satirical portrayal of society, reflecting the era's frivolities and the consequential impact of war on personal lives. As the characters face their aspirations and disappointments, the story serves as a commentary on the absurdities of life and love amidst a backdrop of social change. The interplay between ambition, identity, and societal expectations offers a rich exploration of character dynamics, making the text a compelling study of human relationships during tumultuous times.
Vile Bodies: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Evelyn Waugh
First published: 1930
Genre: Novel
Locale: England
Plot: Social satire
Time: A twentieth century interval between wars
Adam Fenwick-Symes, a young writer. He returns from Paris to England to marry his fiancée but is forced to postpone his wedding because the manuscript of his autobiography is confiscated and burned by customs officials. Winning a bet of a thousand pounds, he renews his marriage plans, only to postpone them again when a drunken major, to whom he has given the money for a horse-race bet, disappears. His fiancée's father gives him a thousand-pound check to enable the couple to marry. After they happily spend a night together, Adam learns that his fiancée's father has absentmindedly signed Charlie Chaplin's name to the check, and the wedding is postponed again. Adam takes over a newspaper gossip column, loses his job, and permits another man to marry his fiancée in exchange for a small loan. Later, in the war, during a lull in the fighting, he meets his drunken major again on a battlefield. The major, now a general, offers to pay Adam the thirty-five thousand pounds (the horse won) on the spot, but Adam thinks the money will be useless. They find champagne in the general's car, and Adam drinks some of it and falls asleep.
Nina Blount, Adam's fiancée, whose marriage is repeatedly postponed. She marries the man who lent money to Adam, but after he is called up for military service, she takes Adam along, as her husband, to spend Christmas with her father.
Colonel Blount, her father, an absentminded film fan. He makes a film about the life of religious leader John Wesley and is too preoccupied with it to notice that his supposed son-in-law is a young man he had previously met as Fenwick-Symes.
Agatha Runcible, a leader of the Bright Young People. Returning to England, she is mistaken for a notorious jewel smuggler, stripped, and searched. After escapades that include a party at No. 10 Downing Street, she goes to the auto races and takes the wheel of a car, the driver of which has been disabled. Having established a course record for the lap, she leaves the track and drives across country until she crashes into a monument. Still thinking she is driving in a spinning world of speed, she dies in a nursing home.
Miles Malpractice, another leader of the Bright Young People. Thrown out of Throbbing House when his brother, Lord Throbbing, returns from Canada, Miles needs money and takes a job as successor to Adam as gossip columnist on the Daily Excess.
Lottie Crump, the proprietress of Shepheard's Hotel, where Adam stays. She bullies kings, advises members of Parliament, and is careless about bills if she likes her guests.
Captain Eddy (Ginger) Littlejohn, who is in love with Nina. He lends money to Adam in return for Adam's promise that he be allowed to marry Nina. Shortly after the honeymoon, Ginger is called up for military service.
Mrs. Melrose Ape, a female evangelist who travels with her troupe of singing angels. She confirms a sensational but false gossip-column account of scandalous confessions made by aristocrats whom she has converted, then departs with her angels to pep up religion at Oberammergau.
Baron Balcairn, Adam's predecessor as Mr. Chatterbox, a gossip columnist. Refused an invitation to Lady Metroland's party for Mrs. Ape, Balcairn goes in disguise. Suspected of spying on a secret conference, he is exposed. He gives his paper a false story of aristocratic scandal, then goes home and kills himself.
Lord Metroland, Father Rothschild, a Jesuit, and Mr. Outrage, the new prime minister. These three hold a secret political conference, on which Balcairn is suspected of spying.
Lady Metroland, at whose party for Mrs. Ape the uninvited Balcairn shows up in disguise.
Miss Brown, the daughter of Prime Minister Sir James Brown. Agatha Runcible, after staying overnight at No. 10 Downing Street after a party, appears the next morning wearing a grass skirt, to the delight of waiting photographers.
Sir James Brown, Miss Brown's father and Mr. Outrage's predecessor as prime minister. Reports of his daughter's wild parties result in a change of government.
Archie Schwert, whose costume party is responsible for Agatha wearing her grass skirt.
Judge Skimp, an American guest at Lottie Crump's.
Lord Throbbing, the brother of Miles Malpractice.
A drunken major, later a general, who fleeces Adam of thirty-five thousand pounds won on a horse race. Their paths cross fleetingly several times, but Adam never collects the money.
Chastity, one of Mrs. Ape's singing angels. She appears along with the champagne in the general's car, after Adam and the general meet on the battlefield. Falling asleep, Adam leaves Chastity and the general to entertain each other.