The Sea, the Sea by Iris Murdoch
Review by Amanda Read
Charles Arrowby retires from life in the theatre to seclusion in a barely-habitable residence by the sea. He intends to write his memoirs but life has a habit of interrupting. His dreams of a rural-maritime idyll, where he can swim every day and potter into the village for bread and a pint, are dashed by the villagers’ contempt, his friends turning up uninvited, and the sea itself.
In this secluded coastal village, he rediscovers his first love, now a dowdy, brow-beaten woman locked in (seemingly) a loveless marriage. Is his determination to rescue her based on love or on reminiscence of the past?
Arrowby isn’t a likeable character; he’s egotistical, self-delusional, obsessive, jealous and superior in belief (if not in actuality). He also takes pleasure in, frankly, odd little meals, described in unappetising detail. Despite this, Murdoch weaves the story so that we care what happens. Along the way, she comments on religion and the unforgiving nature of marriage.
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