Ready Reference Treatise: The Black Prince

By Raja Sharma

“The Black Prince” by Iris Murdoch was first published in the year 1973. It was the author’s fifteenth novel. The title alludes to Hamlet.

It is regarded as one of the best novels written by Iris Murdoch. The book won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize in the year of its publication.

Like most of her other novels, “The Black Prince” was highly successful, and it was deeply admired by both readers and reviewers.

“The Black Prince” has a unique narrative structure. There is a central story bookended by forewords post-scripts by characters within the story.

Bradley Pearson, and ageing London author, is the central character. The book basically describes a period of the London author’s later life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Raja Sharma
• Release date: Feb 2, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301203444

Raja Sharma

Raja Sharma is a retired college lecturer.He has taught English Literature to University students for more than two decades.His students are scattered all over the world, and it is noticeable that he is in contact with more than ninety thousand of his students.

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Ready Reference Treatise: The Black Prince

Raja Sharma

Copyright

Ready Reference Treatise: The Black Prince

Raja Sharma

Copyright@2013 Raja Sharma

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Chapter One: Introduction

The Black Prince by Iris Murdoch was first published in the year 1973. It was the author’s fifteenth novel. The title alludes to Hamlet.

It is regarded as one of the best novels written by Iris Murdoch. The book won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize in the year of its publication.

Like most of her other novels, The Black Prince was highly successful, and it was deeply admired by both readers and reviewers.

Chapter Two: Plot Summary

The Black Prince has a unique narrative structure. There is a central story bookended by forewords post-scripts by characters within the story.

Bradley Pearson, and ageing London author, is the central character. The book basically describes a period of the London author’s later life.

Pearson’s friend Arnold Baffin happens to be his literary rival, but he falls in love with Baffin’s daughter.

Bradley and Arnold had a long relationship of many years, though it was mostly tense. Bradley regarded himself as the one who had discovered the younger writer. Bradley is mostly tensed because he does not find Arnold’s literary credentials proper.

Later in the novel, the other characters say that Bradley had a kind of Oedipus complex or jealousy.

Right from the opening of the novel, the readers are told about the closeness between Bradley and Arnold.

The action in the story starts when Arnold phones Bradley. He is worried and he thinks that he has killed his wife, Rachel, in a domestic quarrel. While attending to the phone call, Bradley has another character, Francis Marloe, with him.

Bradley in the process of writing his ‘masterpiece’, but he is often interrupted in his work. He feels that his family, friends, and his associates do not allow him the isolation he feels necessary for the creation of his work.

While creating his ‘masterpiece’, Bradley falls in love with Julian, the young daughter of his friend, Arnold Baffin.

Bradley vows to himself that he will never tell about his love to anyone, but he blurts it out to Francis. After that he loses self control. He gets more deeply involved in love with Julian. He takes Julian to a rented sea side cottage. Though he is needed at home, Bradley neglects almost everything.

Priscilla is Bradley’s sister. In his absence, his depressed sister commits suicide. Bradley does not come back.

Arnold arrives at the sea side cottage to take his daughter back.