The House of Arden
Encyclopedia
The House of Arden is a novel for children
, written in 1908 by English author Edith Nesbit.
The final episode, in which the children rescue their father from a lost civilization in South America, is reminiscent of the legends of El Dorado
and other Cities of Gold
.
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
, written in 1908 by English author Edith Nesbit.
Plot summary
Two impoverished children, Edred and Elfrida Arden, inherit the decrepit Arden Castle and search for the lost family fortune that will allow them to rebuild it. With the assistance of the magical Mouldiwarp, they travel back in time to earlier periods of English history, searching for clues.Allusions and references in The House of Arden
During their journeys into the past, the children encounter several historical events:- 1807: Napoleon's planned invasion of the United Kingdom, the British military responseBritish anti-invasion preparations of 1803–1805British anti-invasion preparations of 1803–1805 were the military and civilian responses in the United Kingdom to Napoleon's planned invasion of the United Kingdom. They included mobilisation of the population on a scale not previously attempted in Britain, with a combined military force of over...
, and the smugglingSmugglingSmuggling is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
around DymchurchDymchurchDymchurch is a village and civil parish in the Shepway District of Kent, England. The village is located on the coast five miles south-west of Hythe, and on the Romney Marsh. It is typical of this part of the coast, having been a village which became larger during the 1930s...
Bay (called "Lymchurch" in the story) - ca. 1705: a visit from the "Chevalier St. George" (the Old Pretender) during the reign of Queen Anne
- 1605: the Gunpowder PlotGunpowder PlotThe Gunpowder Plot of 1605, in earlier centuries often called the Gunpowder Treason Plot or the Jesuit Treason, was a failed assassination attempt against King James I of England and VI of Scotland by a group of provincial English Catholics led by Robert Catesby.The plan was to blow up the House of...
and a meeting with Sir Walter Raleigh in the Tower of LondonTower of LondonHer Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
, from which the children escape using the same stratagem Lady Nithsdale would use in 1717 - ca. 1535: a May DayMay DayMay Day on May 1 is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday; it is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures....
celebration with Anne BoleynAnne BoleynAnne Boleyn ;c.1501/1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536 as the second wife of Henry VIII of England and Marquess of Pembroke in her own right. Henry's marriage to Anne, and her subsequent execution, made her a key figure in the political and religious upheaval that was the...
and Henry VIII, with premonitions of Anne's execution.
The final episode, in which the children rescue their father from a lost civilization in South America, is reminiscent of the legends of El Dorado
El Dorado
El Dorado is the name of a Muisca tribal chief who covered himself with gold dust and, as an initiation rite, dived into a highland lake.Later it became the name of a legendary "Lost City of Gold" that has fascinated – and so far eluded – explorers since the days of the Spanish Conquistadors...
and other Cities of Gold
City of Gold
-Myth and legend:*Quivira and Cíbola, two of the mythical seven Cities of Gold*El Dorado, Mythical city of gold**El Dorado *City of the Caesars, Mythical South American city of great wealth...
.
External links
- HTML text with original illustrations, at UPenn
- The House of Arden at Google Books