The Tragic Muse (published in 1890) - A classic written by Henry James

Henry James was one of the greatest literary figures of the 19th century and his works are considered mini masterpieces of the time. He was born in New York City into a wealthy and intellectual family. Young James was tutored in the many learning centers of Europe and also studied at the Harvard Law School for some time. But he liked his literary pursuits to the study of law. James preferred living in Europe than in America and even renounced his American Citizenship for its refusal to enter in to World War I. He was a regular contributor to literary magazines and started his first novel “Watch and Ward” in his early twenties. His masterpieces like “Daisy Miller” and “Portrait of a Lady” quickly followed. His protagonist are complex individuals battling personal and provincial prejudices and many a time bring about the complexities of American and European lives. Henry James died at the age of 65 and his ashes are interred at Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The Tragic Muse tells the angst of a man condemned to pursue the family line instead of his heart. This novel is a byproduct of Henry James's fascination for the theater and its artist. The protagonist is Nick Dormer who is passionate about art and hopes to pursue the career of an artist. But he is pressurized to tow the family diktat wherein politics is a chosen field. Nick's friend and guide Gabriel Nash also encourages his passion, but Nick despite his misgivings about politics gives up his artistic ambition and plunges head long in to the political Arena.
Peter Sheringham is a career diplomat who meets Mariam Rooth, an aspiring actress. Rooth is beautiful and full of passion even though her rough edges blunts her attractiveness. Sheringham does everything to help Rooth to attain her ambition of becoming a famous actress even to the extent of introducing her to Madame Carre to train her.



Nick Dormer roughs it out in the electoral field and wins the election to the parliament. His ambitious fiancée Julia is ecstatic as she envisages herself to a part of the race. Nick proposes to Julia who gleefully accepts him and both decide to wait to set the date. But Nick soon becomes tired with the rough and tumble of politics and quits. He even looses the patronage of many powerful people, but undettered he returns to his first love, painting. Meanwhile, a vastly improved Mariam reaches London in search of theatrical success and she agrees to pose for Nick's painting the “Tragic Muse”. During the course of the painting, Julia chances upon them and all hell break loose. Julia understands that nothing improper has happened, but is devastated by the realization that Nick would never return to public life. This scandal brings Mariam to the public gaze and she leverages it for her success. A wedge is created between Nick and Julia.
Sheringham proposes marriage to Mariam who turns him down and heartbroken he takes up an assignment in central America. Years go by and so does the fortunes of the protagonist. A much chastened Sheringham returns and accepts Biddy Dormer's hand and Nick pursues art with all his heart and soul courting success. Mariam also succeeds as an actress and the novel ends with a supposed reconciliation between Nick and Julia.
A good book perfectly written about the vagaries of fame and triumph.

The Light that Failed (published in 1890) - Written by Rudyard Kipling

Rudyard Kipling, a Nobel laureate was born in India to a vivacious Alice Kipling and sculptor Painter, John Kipling. His works range from poems, to children's books. Rudyard was a English language writer whose prose is peppered with colloquial usage and languages mainly from India which opens a window to the prevailing culture and customs of the time. His children's stories are the most endured classics of the time and his short stories are the most sought after. Many of his works are deemed to be controversial as the time progressed. Rudyard Kipling was the product of an imperial India where imperialism under Queen Victoria was at its heights. His poems like White Mans burden are often sited as a clarion call for the imperialist and has been criticized by subsequent humanists. But as an youngest Nobel Prize recipient for English Language, the place for Kipling in human history cannot be discounted and his prose and poems enthuse millions even today.
This novel was written when Rudyard returned to London after a successful stint in India with the Civil and Military Gazette. It is about a idealistic journalist and painter who looses his eyesight. The female protagonist Maisie is modeled on Florence Gerrard, his sister's fellow boarder for whom Kipling nursed a secret feeling.



Dick Heldar is a painter who is abused by his stepmother and goes wandering in the world taking all good and bad things in his stride. He has nursed a secret feeling for his childhood friend Maisie who is impenetrable as he is and maybe less talented. But she gives her whole and soul for her work. Dick meets Torpenshaw who is a special correspondent with a news syndicate. He is employed to cover the Sudan expedition for a pittance. He leaves anyway and survives the assignment with serious eye injuries.
Dick and Torpenshaw return to London and eke out a living by selling portraits. Dick soon realizes that his eye sight is soon fading and wants to draw an ultimate masterpiece. So he starts on “Melancholia” which is "the likeness of of a woman who had known all the sorrow in the world and was laughing at it”. He is also frustrated by his pursuit of Maisie who does not return his love.
Soon he starts his painting with Bessie, a waif whom Torpenshaw has befriended. But he drives Bessie to hysteria with his harsh ways to get the expressions right. Dick manages to finish his masterpiece in-spite of his bad eyes. He invites Maisie to view his masterpiece, but Bessie out of revenge blots out the painting. Maisie tries to keep the ruining a secret, but Bessie informs him anyway. A distraught Dick travels back to Sudan and insists on covering the war. Torpenshaw mounts him on a horse out of pity and he rides out only to be shot.
A melancholy novel which is very unlike Rudyard Kipling's upbeat style. But it shows his real life experiences in his school and foster parents in London. But Dick Heldar's motto in life to take triumph and disaster with equanimity reflects Kipling's philosophy too.