Thomas Hardy's 'A Laodicean'-A Story of Today' (1881)

                                            One of Hardy's Neglected Novels 

The term 'Laodicean'  comes from the Book of Revelation, chapter 3, meaning 'lukewarm' and 'non committal' or even 'incapable of making a real commitment'.

[14] And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
[15] I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
[16] So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth

I can not trace any TV,radio, or stage adaptations. A screenplay has been written with an audio version uploaded on to You Tube in seven parts, not sure if this was ever performed. This highlights the storyline's more comic elements.  Hardy was ill in bed when constructing working on the novel,dictating the text to his wife Emma. 'A Laodicean' was originally published in 13 installments by 'Harpers New Monthly' magazine, from December 1880- December 1881. A three volume edition appeared in December in 1881.  THS 

'A Laodicean'  is essentially a romance, without tragic elements. There is quite a detachment from rural life, rustic customs, and the natural world which one normally  associates with the author. Central figures are the architect and medievalist George Somerset, along with heiress Paula Power, whose inherited a castle on land belonging to  her  late father's railway business which she wants to repair. Paula's companion.  Charlotte De Stancy ,is from a declining aristocratic family who lives with her on a grace and favour basis. . A couple of scoundrels manipulate photography and telegraphy to crush George in the eyes of Paula. Unlike some Hardy novels- such as 'The Return of The Native' - which are set in a generation ago in the past, there is a determination to place 'A Laodicean' in the time of its creation. 

Paula initially appears as quite an independent woman.  She refuses  to be baptised, and her ability to debate finer details of theology a preacher is noticeable. Her boudoir contains books, maps and magazines from America and Europe. In fact Barbara Hardy,writing in an introduction to the 1975 reprint, has been one of the few critics to find some merit in the book : "A Laoadicean is a feminist novel and its defects and merits need to be placed in the context of the novels about women in the 1870's and 1880's." HARDY(1) . But Paula as a careerless woman from a moneyed background is destined to only have superficial level of education HARDY(2), and as the storyline develops she appears to be gullible and dithering. And this sense of floundering carries on throughout the novel. 

The portrayal of George Somerset's work as a 'hands on'  architect with a great motivation towards restoring old stoneworked buildings, draws on the author's own past. From 1856-1861 Hardy was articled to the architect John Hicks in South Street, Dorchester. And from 1862-1867 Hardy worked for London architect Arthur Blomfield, and employed again by Hicks and his successor Crickway 1867-1870 BIOG . George was a failed poet, whilst Hardy's literary career rose to prominence.

The novel contains curious elements such as how Victorians viewed castles ( with references to mid-19th century Gothic and the work of  Pugin). The castle has its own art gallery which again draws on Hardy's own interest in painting during his London days . Settings that are not normally associated with the more popular  Hardy novels. 

Yet somehow the essence of the novel gets lost.Paula's intellectual abilities seem to lessen, her confidence in asserting her own choices and not immediately succumbing to male attention decline into a sort of dizziness.  There is a rambling European tour, which reads like an uninspiring travelogue with characters chasing each other on the Continent. The two rotters who are trying to undermine the affable George ultimately fail. There is a romantic happy ending. 

But there is an overall sense of the novel not quite working. In fact Hardy biographer Claire Tomalin refers to 'A Laodicean' as a 'failure' TOMALIN. The Victorian Web entry for the book emphasises its " poor credibility and numerous inconsistencies" Even the Thomas Hardy Society is unenthusiastic in its relevant webpage, claiming that "Loose ends and improbabilities abound" in the novel. 

What is frustrating about 'A Laodicean'  is that it covers so many themes from Hardy's previous  novel ' A Pair of Blue Eyes' (1873) . In this tale a young architect by the name of Stephen Smith appears in a rural parish in West Cornwall, and starts a love affair with one Elfride Swancourt. Some elements of Hardy's own courting of his wife Emma are reflected. Elfride can not make a firm commitment to Stephen, but starts to become a published writer. This leads her to begin a new affair with an older and more sophisticated literary critic Henry Knight.  Elfride's secrets begin to unravel leading to tragedy.

In Hardy's first published novel 'Desperate Remedies' (1871)  there is the character Edward Springrove, an architect who comes from a family of architects.  There is also the Hardy poem 'The Heiress and the Architect ' (1867) which takes in the themes explored by 'A Laodicean' .Hardy appeared to be revisiting previous ideas but somehow losing his way. 

A Laodicean' seems destined to remain as a work of interest to Hardy devotees and students of cultural history, researching for clues how Victorians viewed the past and how they regarded conservation work.

Acknowledgements 

Picture ' Old Chelsea Bridge' (1890) Camille Pissaro,  In the Public domain, courtesy of 'Wikipedia' 

Thanks to the  ongoing  'A Laodicean' discussion that has emerged on the (public) Thomas Hardy Fans  Facebook group.

Thank you to the 'Victoria List' Email discussion group for all their help.

Books

Barbara HARDY (1)  'Introduction' to the 1975 New Wessex Edition of 'A Laodicean' Thomas Hardy,Macmillan London, Ltd.

Barbara HARDY (2) 'Imagination in Hardy's Poetry and Fiction' , Athlone Press, 2000

Claire TOMALIN 'Thomas Hardy- The Time-Torn Man' , Viking, 2006

I have used the biographical 'timeline' from New Wessex Edition of 'A Laodicean' Thomas Hardy,Macmillan London, Ltd.1975, cited as 'BIOG'. 

Poem

Heiress and Architect   by Thomas Hardy

Links

'A Laodicean' webpage  Maintained by the Thomas Hardy Society (THS) 

Castles, camera and telegraph'  -'ancient and modern in Thomas Hardy's A Laodicean : VICTORIAN WEB entry for 'A Laodicean' written by Dr Andrzej Diniejko,

Other 'Hardy' related posts from this blog 

The Return of the Native -Egdon Heath

Lady Dedlock ('Bleak House') v Tess of the d'Urbevilles ( looking at fictional portrayals of women who had a child outside of marriage) 

The Return of the Native- Bonfire Night

Once again, welcome all visitors to the blog from all over the world. Appreciate your interest. 

Mr Bleak 

Brighton 

22nd February 2024 

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