The Adventures of Harry Richmond — Complete

"The Adventures of Harry Richmond — Complete" by George Meredith is a novel likely written in the late 19th century. The story revolves around Harry Lepel Richmond, a young boy caught in the emotional turmoil stemming from his family's conflicts, particularly concerning his father and mother. The narrative unfolds through Harry's eyes as he navigates childhood adventures, family complexities, and societal expectations. At the start of the novel, we are introduced to Riversley Grange, where Harry lives with his grandfather, the Squire Beltham, and other members of the family. A dramatic midnight encounter shakes the household as Mr. Richmond, Harry's estranged father, arrives unannounced, seeking to reconcile with his wife, Marian. This meeting evokes strong reactions, particularly from the Squire, who fiercely resents Mr. Richmond for past grievances. The tension escalates into a scene filled with confrontation and emotional appeals that emphasize the themes of familial loyalty, love, and conflict. This opening sets the stage for Harry's journey through his childhood entangled with the complexities of his parents’ tumultuous relationship. (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.