Celibates

by George Moore

"Celibates" by George Moore delves into the lives of three individuals resisting traditional marital norms. Set in 19th-century Dublin, the novel unfolds the stories of a painter, a musician, and a writer navigating the challenges of celibacy. Moore's narrative explores the tension between passion and societal expectations, offering a nuanced portrayal of human desires and the consequences of unconventional choices. With vivid characters and social commentary, the novel becomes a provocative exploration of the limitations and freedoms inherent in defying societal conventions.

570 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1895

About the author

George Augustus Moore was an Irish novelist, short-story writer, poet, art critic, memoirist and dramatist. Moore came from a Roman Catholic landed family who lived at Moore Hall in Carra, County Mayo. He originally wanted to be a painter, and studied art in Paris during the 1870s. There, he befriended many of the leading French artists and writers of the day.

As a naturalistic writer, he was amongst the first English-language authors to absorb the lessons of the French realists, and was particularly influenced by the works of Émile Zola. His writings influenced James Joyce, according to the literary critic and biographer Richard Ellmann, and, although Moore's work is sometimes seen as outside the mainstream of both Irish and British literature, he is as often regarded as the first great modern Irish novelist.

Reviews

[Michael D · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this; three tales of lives gone awry that are both psychologically penetrating and narratively compelling. The first one, 'Mildred Lawson' is probably my favourite and the most complex, the others somewhat more prosaic in nature. Quite Russian in tone but still strikingly modern - each tale illustrates various examples of developmental trauma strikingly well.

[Abi Clarke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read John Norton novella in gm celibates

[Sketchbook · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eschewing tradition, Geo Moore posits that marriage is
the Unhappy Ending.