Mortal Summer

"Mortal Summer" by Mark Van Doren is a novel written in the early 1950s, exploring themes of love, betrayal, and the human connection to both the divine and the mortal. The story intricately intertwines mythological figures with the lives of ordinary people in a rural setting, presenting a poignant commentary on the nature of life and relationships. Set against a backdrop of a fleeting summer, the book reflects on the beauty and tragedy of human existence. The narrative revolves around the lives of Daniel, Dora, and Bruce, with a focus on Daniel's internal struggles as he grapples with his feelings for Dora while being haunted by the consequences of their prior affair. As summer unfolds, the tension between the characters escalates, revealing their concealed emotions, societal expectations, and the looming presence of divine entities who influence their lives. Through a series of events that culminate in Dora’s painful childbirth and tragic death, the novel highlights the complexity of love, loss, and the idea of duty. The gods watch over these mortal struggles, embodying the tension between divine will and human frailty, ultimately illustrating the transient yet profound nature of human experiences. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Mark Van Doren was an American poet, writer and critic. He was a scholar and a professor of English at Columbia University for nearly 40 years, where he inspired a generation of influential writers and thinkers including Thomas Merton, Robert Lax, John Berryman, Whittaker Chambers, and Beat Generation writers such as Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac. He was literary editor of The Nation, in New York City (1924–1928), and its film critic, 1935 to 1938.