Celt and Saxon — Volume 2

"Celt and Saxon — Volume 2" by George Meredith is a novel written in the early 20th century. This work delves into the complexities of identity and cultural clashes between the Celtic and Saxon peoples in a historical setting, exploring themes of social hierarchy, morality, and personal relationships. The narrative appears to center around characters such as Mrs. Adister O'Donnell and Patrick O'Donnell, along with various members of the Mattock family, as they navigate interpersonal dynamics amid the larger sociopolitical landscape. The opening of this volume introduces us to Mrs. Adister O'Donnell, who is grappling with the challenge of composing a letter that balances her feelings with those of her brother, Edward. She calls on Patrick O'Donnell for assistance, highlighting her introspective nature and complex familial ties. The narrative then shifts to Miss Jane Mattock, a character described with both strength and vulnerability, as she engages in discussions regarding business aspirations and personal values. Through the blending of various conversational exchanges and internal reflections, Meredith sets up a tapestry of interconnected lives, hinting at future conflicts and bonds developed through cultural disagreements and personal ideals. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

George Meredith was an English novelist and poet of the Victorian era. At first, his focus was poetry, influenced by John Keats among others, but Meredith gradually established a reputation as a novelist. The Ordeal of Richard Feverel (1859) briefly scandalised Victorian literary circles. Of his later novels, the most enduring is The Egoist (1879), though in his lifetime his greatest success was Diana of the Crossways (1885). His novels were innovative in their attention to characters' psychology, and also portrayed social change. His style, in both poetry and prose, was noted for its syntactic complexity; Oscar Wilde likened it to "chaos illumined by brilliant flashes of lightning". Meredith was an encourager of other novelists, as well as an influence on them; among those to benefit were Robert Louis Stevenson and George Gissing. Meredith was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature seven times.