Comedies of Manners SUCK!

[Robert E Lee]

I just cannot stand this genre of English literature. The only two novels I have quit reading before being even halfway done in the past year were Point Counter-Point by Aldous Huxley and Howards End by E.M. Forster. Although the former is more of an experimental satire, it still bears the agonizing characteristics of the novel of manners. It was absolutely atrocious, too bad for words in fact. I stopped reading it after 15 pages.

As for Howards End I almost reached the halfway point (after a month). I just couldn't connect (pardon the pun) with the themes explored in the book. So, Mr Forster, there are two conflicting types of aristocrats in turn of the century England: the materialists and the intellectuals. So what? Who the hell cares? The characters' dinner party discussions never even touch something deeper than our day's stoner philosophy.

A few months prior to attempting to read Howards End I saw the film directed by James Ivory, one of my favorite directors. I couldn't sit through even one hour of it. Argh.

[IWilKikU]

hah! Ive seen a copy of Howard's End sitting in Oxfam (charity shop {thrift store} with high book turnover) for like 2 months! By the way, I HATED A Room with a View.

[Vronaqueen]

Personally, I like the genre, but in saying this, I have to say that not all of them are any good. Howards End, for instance, is dreadfully boring because the characters are so shut up in their own bureacracy and emotionally impaired that they can't talk about anything decent. That is also why the movie is so dry. A Room with a View is a chick novel--at least that's how I took it. Only teenage girl and hopeless romantics enjoy it. One of the best of the genre is The Misanthrope by Moliere. Ok, so its not novel, but if you read plays like novels they work the same way. Its funny, the characters are interesting and you'll find yourself laughing out loud.

[odersven]

I think they are amazingly funny. Funny in the way that I think of The things they carried as funny.

They really take patience to get through. And its a nice way to condition yourself for idiots in life. Mostly, I like looking at them from critique in morality. Makes me warm inside.

[hal9000]

Originally posted by Robert E Lee


So, Mr Forster, there are two conflicting types of aristocrats in turn of the century England: the materialists and the intellectuals. So what?

LOL!

[Dick Diver]

Hey! Stoner philosophy is deep, man.....