Gentlemen in England: A Vision: Analysis of Major Characters
"Gentlemen in England: A Vision" presents a complex exploration of familial and individual struggles through its major characters, primarily the Nettleship family. At the center is Horace Nettleship, a geology professor whose relentless focus on his work has led to a disconnection from his wife, Charlotte, and a gradual loss of faith in both God and humanity. Charlotte, feeling trapped in her unfulfilling marriage, grapples with her desires for excitement and romance, leading her to misinterpret the affections of family friend Timothy Lupton. Their children, Lionel and Maudie, navigate their own crises; Lionel experiences a spiritual upheaval while contemplating a life as a priest, only to face disillusionment after a tumultuous stay at a monastery. Meanwhile, teenage Maudie becomes embroiled in the conflict between her parents, learning to manipulate their attention while struggling with her own desires and frustrations. Supporting characters like Timothy Lupton, a bohemian artist, and Father Cuthbert, a charismatic monk, further complicate the family dynamics, highlighting different responses to faith and personal aspirations. The interplay of these characters illustrates the themes of disconnection, longing, and the quest for meaning in a changing world.
Gentlemen in England: A Vision: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: A. N. Wilson
First published: 1985
Genre: Novel
Locale: Victorian England
Plot: Satire
Time: 1880
Horace Nettleship, a geology professor at London University who specializes in volcanoes. Bald and quiet, with gray whiskers, Horace has chosen to be consumed by his work so as to ignore the reality that he has lost his Christian faith in God and humanity. In addition, because of his retreat into his research, he gradually loses the affection of Charlotte, his wife. Their relationship is reduced to public formalities; when at home, they communicate with each other by addressing their comments to their children, Lionel and Maudie.
Charlotte Nettleship, Horace's angry and discontented wife. Only thirty-nine years old, she is dissatisfied with the drudgery of her daily life and is angry that she was allowed to marry in her naïveté at the age of eighteen. Although she views Horace as a worthy and honest man, through the years she has come to realize that she does not like him. Bored with her own life, she looks for the excitement and romance that she believes her husband does not provide in their relationship. Mistaking the attention that Timothy Lupton, a family friend, displays toward Maudie as intended for herself, Charlotte convinces herself that Timothy is her lover and plans a rendezvous with him on the Continent.
Lionel Nettleship, Horace and Charlotte's oldest child, who is away from home to study at a university. Influenced by various students as well as driven by his own inner longings, Lionel explores the doctrine of the Catholic church and undergoes what he believes is a spiritual conversion. After shocking his family, in particular his father, by announcing in a letter to his sister Maudie that he intends to become a priest, he retires to a monastery for a few weeks, during which time he witnesses unspeakable atrocities and injustices committed by the young men and boys who reside there. This experience causes him to question his own beliefs and results in confusion and loss of faith.
Maudie Nettleship, Horace and Charlotte's teenage daughter. Described as a doe with brown eyes and chestnut hair, the sixteen-year-old still lives at home and finds herself caught in the tension between her parents. Throughout the novel, she learns how to manipulate each parent so as to achieve her desires, but she fails to comprehend completely that her parents are using their relationships with her to hurt each other. This dynamic climaxes when Maudie, who has a racking cough, is forced at the last minute by her mother to stay home rather than attend an important ball for which she has spent the previous year preparing. She pleads with her father to overturn the decision, but he is forced to acknowledge his powerlessness over his wife.
Timothy Lupton, a bohemian painter who becomes obsessed with Maudie. He has dark eyes and thick blond hair and whiskers, and his artistic temperament makes him very attractive to women. He becomes so engrossed with Maudie that she appears in all of his works, but she does not return his affections. Instead, Charlotte misinterprets his attention to the family as devotion to her and even approaches Horace for a divorce so that she can be with Lupton.
Father Cuthbert, a charismatic monk who encourages Lionel in his spiritual pursuits. Standing only five feet, six inches tall, he is described as a Roman emperor with a sharp nose and beady eyes. Although physically small, he captivates large audiences with his emotionally charged speeches.
Doctor Jenkinson, a master at Oxford. Whereas Father Cuthbert provides emotional impetus for Lionel, Doctor Jenkinson offers intellectual stability. Lionel turns to him after his monastic experience, and they discuss faith on a philosophical level.