Complete Short Works of George Meredith

"Complete Short Works of George Meredith" by George Meredith is a collection of short stories and prose written during the late 19th century. This anthology encompasses a variety of tales that delve into themes like romance, adventure, and social commentary, showcasing Meredith's unique narrative style and rich characterizations. The opening story, “Farina,” introduces readers to rich historical settings and characters, particularly focusing on the merchant Gottlieb von Groschen and his daughter, Margarita, as they navigate the complexities of love, honor, and societal expectations. The opening of “Farina” sets the stage in Cologne during an enchanting yet dangerous time, where the fortunes of a wealthy merchant, Gottlieb, and the affections of his beautiful daughter, Margarita, become the center of youthful rivalry and chivalric exploits. The narrative unfolds with a lively depiction of the “White Rose Club,” a group of young men who vie for Margarita’s attention, resulting in humorous and competitive encounters. As the story progresses, the tension mounts with the appearance of the menacing Baron Werner’s band, indicating that love and danger are intricately woven into the fabric of this tale, foreshadowing an exciting mix of romance and adventure that characters like Farina, a brave outsider, and the young men of the club will experience. (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.