One of Our Conquerors — Volume 4

"One of Our Conquerors — Volume 4" by George Meredith is a novel written during the late 19th century. The narrative explores intricate social dynamics and personal relationships, focusing on the character Nataly and her interactions with an array of other characters, including her husband Victor and the enigmatic Dartrey Fenellan. The story unfolds amidst themes of love, loyalty, and societal expectations, showcasing the internal conflicts faced by these characters as they navigate their intricate lives. The opening of the novel introduces us to Nataly as she engages with various visitors following Victor's return to London. As conversations unfold, we see glimpses of Nataly's emotional turmoil, particularly upon hearing news about a woman linked to the noteworthy Dartrey Fenellan. The atmosphere is charged with unspoken tensions, jealousy, and revelations that affect Nataly deeply. She grapples with her feelings toward Victor and the implications of Dartrey’s past, which adds layers of complexity to her character as she balances her roles as a wife and as an individual with her own desires and hopes. The text sets the stage for conflicts that revolve around love, identity, and the struggle for autonomy within societal constraints. (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.