The Marriage of William Ashe

by Mrs. Humphry Ward

Excerpt from The Marriage of William Ashe

Certainly. They can't have taken more than an hour to speechify after the declaration of the poll. And I know William meant to catch that train if he possibly could.

Genres: Fiction, Classics

595 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1905

About the author

Mary Augusta Ward CBE (nee Arnold) was an English novelist who wrote under her married name as Mrs. Humphry Ward. Mary Augusta Arnold was born in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, into a prominent intellectual family of writers and educationalists. Mary was the daughter of Tom Arnold, a professor of literature, and Julia Sorrell. Her uncle was the poet Matthew Arnold and her grandfather Thomas Arnold, the famous headmaster of Rugby School. Her sister Julia married Leonard Huxley, the son of Thomas Huxley, and their sons were Julian and Aldous Huxley. The Arnolds and the Huxleys were an important influence on British intellectual life.Mary's father Tom Arnold was appointed inspector of schools in Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania) and commenced his role on 15 January 1850. Tom Arnold was received into the Roman Catholic Church on 12 January 1856, which made him so unpopular in his job (and with his wife) that he resigned and left for England with his family in July 1856. Mary Arnold had her fifth birthday the month before they left, and had no further connection with Tasmania. Tom Arnold was ratified as chair of English literature at the contemplated Catholic university, Dublin, after some delay. Mary Augusta Ward died in London, England, and was interred at Aldbury in Hertfordshire, near her beloved country home Stocks.

Reviews

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I were ever to make an argument that the human race is getting dimmer as we go along—which I have long believed—this book could be part of the discussion. The Marriage of William Ashe was the best-selling book of 1905 in the United States. It was probably looked down on by some of the literary elite of the time, not just because of its popularity, but because of its melodrama and extravagance. However, comparing it to popular fiction of today, it is hard to escape the conclusion that our intellectual capacity is much less than it used to be. Maybe technology has made us dumber, or maybe peaks and valleys of achievement are natural, but it's hard to imagine a novel dealing with the meaning of love, loyalty, and the place of religion in modern life achieving a similar popularity today. At the time, The New York Times review of William Ashe said:

It reveals new depth and beauty with each reading; one appreciates how superbly the author has triumphed over unusual difficulties of situation and of character; and with what noble conclusions she has charged a story which might easily have sunk into a moral morass. Its place is with the books that do not die. Its author stands among the few living writers of fiction to whom the immortals have passed the torch.

Compare that with how, a mere one hundred years later, Publishers Weekly described the best-selling book of 2005, The Broker by John Grisham: "the novel reads like a contented afterthought to a memorable Italian vacation, with little action or tension, plastic characters and plot turns that a tricycle could maneuver." Quite a contrast to William Ashe, a novel that forces the reader to ponder issues such as the meaning of higher law:

Is it, as all the sages have said, the pursuit of some eternal good, the identification of self with it—the 'dying to live'? And is this the real meaning at the heart of Christianity?—at the heart of all religion?—the everlasting meaning, let science play what havoc it please with outward forms and statements?

Even the artwork mentioned in William Ashe points up the contrast between then and now. In the course of a Venetian holiday, the protagonists visit the Basilica di San Giorgio Maggiore to see The Last Supper by Tintoretto.



The author describes the painting in glowing detail, concluding

For there is in it an appeal which torments them—like the winding of a mystic horn, on purple heights, by some approaching and unseen messenger. Ineffable beauty, offering itself—and in the human soul, the eternal human discord: what else makes the poignancy of art—the passion of poetry?

Contrast that with the artwork our society reveres now. Such as White Painting by Robert Rauschenberg:



It's part of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art collection and is described on the website in glowing terms:

In each case, Rauschenberg’s primary aim was to create a painting that looked untouched by human hands, as though it had simply arrived in the world fully formed and absolutely pure. Considered shocking and even characterized as a cheap swindle when they were first exhibited publicly in 1953, the White Paintings have gradually secured a place in art history as important precursors of Minimalism and Conceptualism.

Clearly, the human race has peaked.

[Katt Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

William Ashe needs a wife. He's of age, and as his political career grows, it seems prudent to marry. Only he finds the most unsuitable Kitty - a girl who is flighty and strange, who has no care for her actions or his ambitions and does exactly what she pleases. While he struggles to salvage what he can of a path that had been leading to him being the next prime minister, his wife disappears with another man.

Wild and unpredictable, this reads like Austen would in a more modern setting (by modern, meaning late 19th century, early 20th century) - only with a lot more scandal. Also, the heavy moralistic tone at the end (definitely an earmark of 19th century writing) is there, yet the book still ends beautifully, albeit a bit poignant and bittersweet.

Not exactly a romance...not entirely sure how to classify this one. Still, I did enjoy it immensely and could easily see this as a movie someday. Hmm....

[Roderick Wolfson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an entertaining, unknown novel. Beautiful language, and well-drawn characters. The outlandish behavior of Lady Kitty drives the plot. I’m not sure if the supportive and not controlling husband is Ms. Ward’s ideal or is this a cautionary tale?

[Debbie Wenzel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best seller of 1905. I'm on a journey. The story of faithful love by one spouse and infatuation coupled with impetuousity by another. Worlds collide as society and politics look on. The ending is tragic, almost expected and very abrupt. What could have been for several people never comes to fruition because of the choices starting with this marriage. It makes one ponder paths taken and in taken. Mary Humphrey Ward was an eloquent author.

[Kay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating unsure. Very conflicted. Mainly just sad.

Kitty I read as ADHD and with attachments issues/childhood trauma (I know the fallacy, she's a literary character and from before those were categories but the character just screamed this at me). so relatable. I need to pair this with the Heir of Redcliffe and write an essay on it.

why do the troubled people always have to die to have redemption?

I'm so glad we have more understanding of neurodiversity and mental health issues nowadays.

[Robin Paull · Rating 4 out of 5]

A compelling but frustrating portrait of a young woman with (in modern terms) Narcissistic personality disorder.