The Comfort of Strangers
Encyclopedia
The Comfort of Strangers is a 1981 novel
by British writer Ian McEwan
. It is his second novel, and is set in an unnamed city (though the detailed description strongly suggests Venice). It was adapted into a film in 1990 (The Comfort of Strangers
), which starred Rupert Everett
, Christopher Walken
, Helen Mirren
and Natasha Richardson
. The film is set in Venice
.
One evening, the couple gets lost amongst the canals and are befriended by a forceful native named Robert, who takes them to a bar. Later, he insists on bringing them to his house where they meet his wife Caroline. Although the guests are at first shown great hospitality, it becomes clear that the hosts have a peculiar relationship with each other - Robert is the product of a sadistic upbringing and Caroline, who is disabled, has an uncomfortable view of men as being masters to whom women should yield.
The liberal English couple withdraw from the house, but the events of the evening have set in chain a series of increasingly disturbing occurrences which neither foresaw.
The disturbing climax of the narrative suggests that McEwan is concerned with two main themes. First, the sadistic behaviour of Robert and the subservience of Caroline are manifestations of a raw and haunting human sexuality. Second, Robert's acts are placed in the context of his adolescence, suggesting that his highly-sexed family upbringing was responsible for his behaviour.
, the critic John Leonard
wrote "No reader will begin 'The Comfort of Strangers' and fail to finish it; a black magician is at work." Leonard called McEwan "one of the few English writers of fiction who belong these days to a dark Europe; he is a Samuel Beckett with some genital organization" and "a writer of enormous talent."
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by British writer Ian McEwan
Ian McEwan
Ian Russell McEwan CBE, FRSA, FRSL is a British novelist and screenwriter, and one of Britain's most highly regarded writers. In 2008, The Times named him among their list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945"....
. It is his second novel, and is set in an unnamed city (though the detailed description strongly suggests Venice). It was adapted into a film in 1990 (The Comfort of Strangers
The Comfort of Strangers (film)
The Comfort of Strangers is a 1990 film directed by Paul Schrader. The screenplay is by Harold Pinter, adapted from a short novel of the same name by Ian McEwan. The film stars Natasha Richardson, Christopher Walken, Rupert Everett and Helen Mirren...
), which starred Rupert Everett
Rupert Everett
Rupert James Hector Everett is an English actor. He first came to public attention in 1981, when he was cast in Julian Mitchell's play and subsequent film Another Country as an openly gay student at an English public school, set in the 1930s...
, Christopher Walken
Christopher Walken
Christopher Walken is an American stage and screen actor. He has appeared in more than 100 movies and television shows, including Joe Dirt, Annie Hall, The Deer Hunter, The Prophecy trilogy, The Dogs of War, Sleepy Hollow, Brainstorm, The Dead Zone, A View to a Kill, At Close Range, King of New...
, Helen Mirren
Helen Mirren
Dame Helen Mirren, DBE is an English actor. She has won an Academy Award for Best Actress, four SAG Awards, four BAFTAs, three Golden Globes, four Emmy Awards, and two Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Awards.-Early life and family:...
and Natasha Richardson
Natasha Richardson
Natasha Jane Richardson was an English actress of stage and screen. A member of the Redgrave family, she was the daughter of actress Vanessa Redgrave and director/producer Tony Richardson and the granddaughter of Michael Redgrave and Rachel Kempson...
. The film is set in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
.
Plot summary
Mary and Colin are an English couple on holiday abroad in an unnamed city. Mary is divorced with two children; Colin is her angelically handsome lover who has been with her for seven years. Although they do not usually live together, their relationship is deep, passionate and intimate.One evening, the couple gets lost amongst the canals and are befriended by a forceful native named Robert, who takes them to a bar. Later, he insists on bringing them to his house where they meet his wife Caroline. Although the guests are at first shown great hospitality, it becomes clear that the hosts have a peculiar relationship with each other - Robert is the product of a sadistic upbringing and Caroline, who is disabled, has an uncomfortable view of men as being masters to whom women should yield.
The liberal English couple withdraw from the house, but the events of the evening have set in chain a series of increasingly disturbing occurrences which neither foresaw.
Themes
McEwan's novella explores the closeness that exists between Mary and Colin. They have known each other for seven years and "often forget that they are two separate people". As well as being an expression of their love, this closeness makes them weak and puerile. It causes them pain, and enables Robert to take advantage of them.The disturbing climax of the narrative suggests that McEwan is concerned with two main themes. First, the sadistic behaviour of Robert and the subservience of Caroline are manifestations of a raw and haunting human sexuality. Second, Robert's acts are placed in the context of his adolescence, suggesting that his highly-sexed family upbringing was responsible for his behaviour.
Reception
The novel was nearly universally praised both in the United Kingdom and in the United States. In The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, the critic John Leonard
John Leonard
John Leonard may refer to:* John Leonard , American literary, television, film, and cultural critic* John Leonard , Australian poet* John Leonard , Gaelic footballer...
wrote "No reader will begin 'The Comfort of Strangers' and fail to finish it; a black magician is at work." Leonard called McEwan "one of the few English writers of fiction who belong these days to a dark Europe; he is a Samuel Beckett with some genital organization" and "a writer of enormous talent."