The novel is set in 1926, leading up to the General Strike in May. In an episodic structure, the story follows a young simpleton called Dan Boleyn as he travels the London art world. Dan follows the directions of an infatuated sixty-year-old albino, Horace Zagreus, who believes him to be a genius. The 'Apes of God' that he meets are imitators of true creators; they are characterised as "prosperous mountebanks who alternately imitate and mock at and traduce those figures they at once admire and hate." (p. 123) In the story Zagreus is presented as a character that is only the imitator of another character, Pierpoint, who appears to be the origin of all the ideas that circulate in the society depicted in the novel. Pierpoint, though often mentioned and often maligned, never appears in the novel. He is described as 'a painter turned philosopher' (p. 129), a description that could be applied to Lewis himself (his 1927 book, Time and Western Man, contains a great deal of philosophical arguments).
Settingedit
A contributing basis on which the story was constructed was Lewis' belief that the English Victorian past constricts the "revolutionary consciousness", which potentially could be expressed through modern art and literature.[1]
Lewis's "enemies", such as his patron Sidney Schiff (and his wife), Edward Wadsworth (a fellow Vorticist) and John Rodker, along with members of the Bloomsbury Group, including Lytton Strachey, are recognisable under fictional names and are treated with savage humour. The longest chapter, 'Lord Osmund's Lenten Party' (over 250 pages), is a satirical account of a fancy-dress party held by three members of the 'Finnian Shaw' family, who are modelled on the Sitwell family, Osbert, Edith and Sacheverell.[2]
The political and cultural 'diagnosis' of England that the novel aspires to make is partly a development of the ideas put forward by Lewis in his 1926 book, The Art of Being Ruled.
Referencesedit
^Jaime, Carmelo Cunchillos (2007). Wyndham Lewis the Radical: Essays on Literature and Modernity. Peter Lang. p. 93. ISBN978-3-03911-200-5.
^"The Apes of God – Modernism Lab". campuspress.yale.edu. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
Bibliographyedit
Stinson, Emmett. "The Vortex as Ontology in The Apes of God: Self-Reflexive Satire and Apophaticism" (PDF). Journal of the Wyndham Lewis Society. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
Edwards, Paul (1980). "The Apes of God: Form and Meaning". In Meyers, Jeffrey (ed.). Wyndham Lewis : a revaluation : new essays. Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press. ISBN0-7735-0516-4. OCLC 6502570.
Cunchillos Jaime, Carmelo (2007). Wyndham Lewis the radical : essays on literature and modernity. Bern: Peter Lang. ISBN978-3-03911-200-5. OCLC 152580978.
Gutkin, Len. "The Apes of God – Modernism Lab". Yale University. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
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apes, this, article, about, 1930s, british, novel, pair, albums, released, american, band, gloom, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challe. This article is about a 1930s British novel For the pair of albums released by the American band Old Man Gloom see The Ape of God The Ape of God This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources The Apes of God news newspapers books scholar JSTOR March 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Apes of God is a 1930 novel by the British artist and writer Wyndham Lewis It is a satire of London s contemporary literary and artistic scene The Sitwells Gertrude Stein James Joyce and Virginia Woolf and the Bloomsbury group are among the writers satirised The Apes of GodFirst editionAuthorWyndham LewisIllustratorWyndham LewisCountryUnited KingdomLanguageEnglishPublisherThe Arthur PressPublication date3 June 1930Media typePrintPages625 Contents 1 Plot summary 2 Setting 3 References 3 1 BibliographyPlot summary editThe novel is set in 1926 leading up to the General Strike in May In an episodic structure the story follows a young simpleton called Dan Boleyn as he travels the London art world Dan follows the directions of an infatuated sixty year old albino Horace Zagreus who believes him to be a genius The Apes of God that he meets are imitators of true creators they are characterised as prosperous mountebanks who alternately imitate and mock at and traduce those figures they at once admire and hate p 123 In the story Zagreus is presented as a character that is only the imitator of another character Pierpoint who appears to be the origin of all the ideas that circulate in the society depicted in the novel Pierpoint though often mentioned and often maligned never appears in the novel He is described as a painter turned philosopher p 129 a description that could be applied to Lewis himself his 1927 book Time and Western Man contains a great deal of philosophical arguments Setting editA contributing basis on which the story was constructed was Lewis belief that the English Victorian past constricts the revolutionary consciousness which potentially could be expressed through modern art and literature 1 Lewis s enemies such as his patron Sidney Schiff and his wife Edward Wadsworth a fellow Vorticist and John Rodker along with members of the Bloomsbury Group including Lytton Strachey are recognisable under fictional names and are treated with savage humour The longest chapter Lord Osmund s Lenten Party over 250 pages is a satirical account of a fancy dress party held by three members of the Finnian Shaw family who are modelled on the Sitwell family Osbert Edith and Sacheverell 2 The political and cultural diagnosis of England that the novel aspires to make is partly a development of the ideas put forward by Lewis in his 1926 book The Art of Being Ruled References edit Jaime Carmelo Cunchillos 2007 Wyndham Lewis the Radical Essays on Literature and Modernity Peter Lang p 93 ISBN 978 3 03911 200 5 The Apes of God Modernism Lab campuspress yale edu Retrieved 14 December 2021 Bibliography edit Stinson Emmett The Vortex as Ontology in The Apes of God Self Reflexive Satire and Apophaticism PDF Journal of the Wyndham Lewis Society Retrieved 29 September 2016 Edwards Paul 1980 The Apes of God Form and Meaning In Meyers Jeffrey ed Wyndham Lewis a revaluation new essays Montreal McGill Queen s University Press ISBN 0 7735 0516 4 OCLC 6502570 Cunchillos Jaime Carmelo 2007 Wyndham Lewis the radical essays on literature and modernity Bern Peter Lang ISBN 978 3 03911 200 5 OCLC 152580978 Gutkin Len The Apes of God Modernism Lab Yale University Retrieved 6 March 2023 nbsp This article about a 1930s novel is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it See guidelines for writing about novels Further suggestions might be found on the article s talk page vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Apes of God amp oldid 1143110166, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
