Beauchamp's Career — Volume 2

“Beauchamp's Career — Volume 2” by George Meredith is a novel likely written in the late 19th century. This work continues the story of Nevil Beauchamp, a complex character who grapples with personal ambition, societal expectations, and romantic entanglements while navigating the political landscape of his time. The opening of the second volume begins with a focus on the social and political aftermath of war, as Beauchamp reacts to perceived inequities in how heroes are honored and rewarded by society. He is particularly frustrated by the favoritism shown to certain individuals over others who have equally demonstrated bravery and sacrifice. Amid all this, Beauchamp seeks to pursue a romantic interest in a young French woman, but his ambitions are complicated by misunderstandings and the ongoing influence of his uncle. As the narrative unfolds, Rosamund, his ally, worries about his decisions and associations, particularly with a radical doctor who has gained Beauchamp’s loyalty and shaped his political aspirations. This sets the stage for a deeper exploration of themes such as love, loyalty, and the struggle for personal identity amidst societal pressures. (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.