The Judas Tree
Encyclopedia
The Judas Tree is a 1961 novel
by A. J. Cronin
. It begins with the story of David Moray, his early career as an ambitious young doctor away on business. He has promised to return to marry a woman he loves, Mary Douglas. Early on in the story he is introduced to successful people and is invited to accompany a prominent family on their ship as their personal physician. In doing so he breaks his promise to Mary and goes in another direction. Instead he briefly marries and divorces Doris, the daughter of the wealthy family he has befriended, whom he indicates was unsound mentally.
Later in David's life he is a wealthy, retired Scottish doctor living in Switzerland, who is haunted by the memory of Mary. Attempting to go back to an earlier time, and too late, he returns home to seek her out and make amends. He learns that she has died.
Instead, he encounters her young, penniless daughter, Kathy, and indulges in a friendship which evolves into more. Logically doubtful and not believing he can have a life with Kathy, David marries Frida, a countess, whom he does not love. Not reading a letter Kathy sent, he is unaware Kathy believes they are soon to reunite. Awaiting their departure for a honeymoon cruise his ruminations are interrupted by a brief thought of the unopened letter. He then overhears his butler speaking to Kathy downstairs, who has just made a difficult journey to reach him. Overwhelmed that he could have been with her on his own terms at this location and not the mission, he is at a loss for words - David cannot explain that he has just married someone.
Frida asks to speak to Kathy alone, explaining that David found her by seeking her mother whom he failed to return for, and that David would never have returned to help her in her mission as a doctor. He needed a woman who would be strong enough to master him. Underestimating the reaction, Kathy, runs out into the night to her accidental death.
Kathy was betrayed more by David's cynicism, doubt and lack of courage than by the ambition that detoured him years earlier, although that is still evidently present in his choosing a countess for social advantages.
In the end, distraught in his loss, David looks outward toward the garden. Dramatically he has not only failed his first love, but her daughter resulting in her death. It is not so much ironic as it is illustrative of the span of time in which he has made similar choices with consequences. David looks out toward the garden and a Judas tree comes into focus - an unhappy ending is clear.
Previously in the book, a Judas tree was referred to as "The Tree of Lost Souls". Some might assume David has realized at the end that he is a lost soul
after having caused such sadness due to his lack of morality
. Others might infer the character is moral and has clearly a suffering conscience, and upon looking back, merely took small steps in the wrong direction, to which the writer has dramatically illustrated.
film, Mausam, directed by Gulzar and starring Sharmila Tagore
and Sanjeev Kumar
, is loosely based on Cronin's novel.
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 A. J. Cronin
A. J. Cronin
Archibald Joseph Cronin was a Scottish physician and novelist. His best-known works are Hatter's Castle, The Stars Look Down, The Citadel, The Keys of the Kingdom and The Green Years, all of which were adapted to film. He also created the Dr...
. It begins with the story of David Moray, his early career as an ambitious young doctor away on business. He has promised to return to marry a woman he loves, Mary Douglas. Early on in the story he is introduced to successful people and is invited to accompany a prominent family on their ship as their personal physician. In doing so he breaks his promise to Mary and goes in another direction. Instead he briefly marries and divorces Doris, the daughter of the wealthy family he has befriended, whom he indicates was unsound mentally.
Later in David's life he is a wealthy, retired Scottish doctor living in Switzerland, who is haunted by the memory of Mary. Attempting to go back to an earlier time, and too late, he returns home to seek her out and make amends. He learns that she has died.
Instead, he encounters her young, penniless daughter, Kathy, and indulges in a friendship which evolves into more. Logically doubtful and not believing he can have a life with Kathy, David marries Frida, a countess, whom he does not love. Not reading a letter Kathy sent, he is unaware Kathy believes they are soon to reunite. Awaiting their departure for a honeymoon cruise his ruminations are interrupted by a brief thought of the unopened letter. He then overhears his butler speaking to Kathy downstairs, who has just made a difficult journey to reach him. Overwhelmed that he could have been with her on his own terms at this location and not the mission, he is at a loss for words - David cannot explain that he has just married someone.
Frida asks to speak to Kathy alone, explaining that David found her by seeking her mother whom he failed to return for, and that David would never have returned to help her in her mission as a doctor. He needed a woman who would be strong enough to master him. Underestimating the reaction, Kathy, runs out into the night to her accidental death.
Kathy was betrayed more by David's cynicism, doubt and lack of courage than by the ambition that detoured him years earlier, although that is still evidently present in his choosing a countess for social advantages.
In the end, distraught in his loss, David looks outward toward the garden. Dramatically he has not only failed his first love, but her daughter resulting in her death. It is not so much ironic as it is illustrative of the span of time in which he has made similar choices with consequences. David looks out toward the garden and a Judas tree comes into focus - an unhappy ending is clear.
Previously in the book, a Judas tree was referred to as "The Tree of Lost Souls". Some might assume David has realized at the end that he is a lost soul
Soul
A soul in certain spiritual, philosophical, and psychological traditions is the incorporeal essence of a person or living thing or object. Many philosophical and spiritual systems teach that humans have souls, and others teach that all living things and even inanimate objects have souls. The...
after having caused such sadness due to his lack of morality
Morality
Morality is the differentiation among intentions, decisions, and actions between those that are good and bad . A moral code is a system of morality and a moral is any one practice or teaching within a moral code...
. Others might infer the character is moral and has clearly a suffering conscience, and upon looking back, merely took small steps in the wrong direction, to which the writer has dramatically illustrated.
Film versions
The 1975 HindiBollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
film, Mausam, directed by Gulzar and starring Sharmila Tagore
Sharmila Tagore
Sharmila Tagore is an Indian film actress. She has won National Film Awards and Filmfare Awards for her performances.She has led the Indian Film Censor Board from October 2004 till March 2011...
and Sanjeev Kumar
Sanjeev Kumar (actor)
Sanjeev Kumar was one of the most prominent Indian actors in Bollywood.-Personal life and background:Sanjeev Kumar was born as Jariwala in Gujarat to a Gujarati family. His first home was in Surat and family based in Mumbai. A stint in the film school took him to Bollywood, where he eventually...
, is loosely based on Cronin's novel.