Posted by Lale on 14/2/2009, 13:17:49
72.138.111.169
I read Jealousy and enjoyed it very much.
If you haven't read it yet, then do not read this.
First, let me identify the version I have: "Two Novels by Robbe Grillet - Jealousy / In the Labyrinth" Translated by Richard Howard.
I knew nothing of Robbe-Grillet except that he had a rock-solid place in French Literature. His name often came up in my French classes when I lived in Paris.
As usual, I skipped the introductions (in this case called "Introductory Essays") which always give too much about the book. Before Jealousy starts there is an illustration of the premises. (It is not clear who made this plan, I assumed it was an editor, or the translator... But now I am thinking that maybe it was drawn by the author himself.) I examined this drawing in detail before starting to read Jealousy. On the opposite page, there is a legend which identifies the rooms and the furniture. For "veranda" it says:
1. Franck's chair
2. A...'s chair
3. Empty chair
5. Cocktail table
I immediately noticed that number 4 was missing. I thought this was a mistake in the edition. A couple of pages into the story, however, it became clear why one of the chairs was not identified.
The story and the writing were very compelling. I was interested and curious, and wanted to keep reading.
The minute detail in placement of things, the whole geometry of everything, the relative position of one object with respect to another, or with respect to the observer were too much at times but once I figured out that that was the whole point, it was easier to bear with it. Sometimes I got lost and read without really visualizing but, that was OK too.
When the narrative started to repeat itself, I couldn’t be sure that it was indeed a repetition. I thought some things (similar things) were happening again. Later on it became evident that certain moments were being retold. The timeline was a bit confusing. I couldn’t be sure of the sequence of the events.
I loved the way the narrator told us about the answers to his questions without putting himself in the story.
I thought the style was a work of genius. The counting of the banana trees was a little over the board but went well within the general style of the book.
After I finished reading Jealousy I read the “introductory essays” and learned that Jealousy was brutally criticized at the time, so much so that it was forced out of the bookstores. What a shame.
The only really annoying thing was A…’s name. Why not call her Anne or something. I don’t understand why in the olden days it was so popular to call people and places with an initial followed by three dots.
Now to the story itself:
At first I wasn’t sure if it was the narrator or A… who actually ran the plantation. Because the narrator is so busy with observations and minute calculations, I didn’t think he had anything else to do. Later we learn that it is the narrator who is in charge of the plantation. I wonder how he found the time to run the place. He doesn’t seem to be the type.
(I will continue shorty)
