Evan Harrington — Volume 6

"Evan Harrington — Volume 6" by George Meredith is a novel written in the late 19th century. The narrative focuses on the complex relationships and societal challenges faced by the protagonist, Evan Harrington, and his love interest Rose, amidst various social and familial tensions. The story explores themes of identity, class conflict, and the emotional turmoil stemming from misunderstandings and loyalty. The opening of the sixth volume depicts a pivotal moment in a gathering where a picnic takes place, marred by prior tensions and intrigue among the characters. Rose confronts Juliana about her suspicions regarding Evan, who is portrayed as an honorable man caught in a web of social prejudice and family drama. As Rose grapples with her feelings and the apparent betrayals, conversations reflect the undercurrents of jealousy, pride, and love that shape their interactions. This portion sets the stage for deeper conflicts, highlighting Evan's struggle to navigate his emerging identity in a world that judges him for his background and choices. (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.