Audiobook2 hours
The Birthplace
Written by Henry James
Narrated by LibriVox Community
Rating: 0 out of 5 stars
()
About this audiobook
Neither the name of Shakespeare nor that of Stratford appears directly in this short piece by James, and yet both are absolutely central to his plot. The story has to do with Mr. and Mrs. Gedge, tempted away from a dreary northern town library, which he runs, to become the wardens – caretakers and tour guides – of the house where the greatest writer of the English language was born, and in which he grew up.Or did he? There is, after all, a paucity of facts about His life (in James's text, that pronoun is always capitalized, as befits a deity) and only the slenderest of historical evidence about the existence of such a man. No matter; what is important is the myth of his life, and the myth needs to be cared for and fostered so that crowds upon crowds of tourists may come, and, with a proper reverence, worship at His Birthplace.And yet it is only myth, and the more he thinks of it, the unhappier poor honest Gedge becomes (to Mrs. Gedge, however, a job is a job, and too much speculation on reality might perhaps lead to dismissal). James himself was high skeptical about the Shakespeare question (who actually did write all those plays?) But that's not the point here. Rather the story has to do with the making of a shrine, the selling of its wares (commodification, to use a fancy word) and the priesthood needed to protect the myths necessary to its existence.
What should the skeptical Gedge do about it? What, if anything, will he do? (Introduction by Nicholas Clifford)
What should the skeptical Gedge do about it? What, if anything, will he do? (Introduction by Nicholas Clifford)
Author
Henry James
Henry James (1843-1916) was an American author and master of literary realism. He split his time between America and Europe, eventually settling in England. Consequently, his novels are known for their interactions between American and European characters. He was one first American novelists to explore first-person consciousness and perception.
More audiobooks from Henry James
Classic Tales of Horror Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The American Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Turn of the Screw Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Portrait of a Lady Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Golden Bowl Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Related to The Birthplace
Related audiobooks
Papers Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Altar of the Dead Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Spoils of Poynton Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Chaperon Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSanctuary (version 2) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Altar of the Dead: A spiritual and philosophical fable about life, death and love. Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Jolly Corner Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Beast in the Jungle Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Owen Wingrave Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Small Boy and Others Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Figure in the Carpet Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Death of the Lion Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Confession of a Child of the Century Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThird Person Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSir Dominick Ferrand Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSir Edmund Orme Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Lesson of the Master Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsZuleika Dobson Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Treasure of the Humble Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Adventures of Peregrine Pickle (Volume I.) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Reverberator Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings6 Short Stories by Guy de Maupassant Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWings of the Dove Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsClarissa Harlowe, or the History of a Young Lady - Volume 5 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLiar Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAmelia (Vol. 1) Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Amelia (Vol. 2) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHonoré de Balzac - A Short Story Collection: One of the founders and popularizes of realism in World literature Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNightmare Abbey Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Short Stories For You
Everything's Eventual: 14 Dark Tales Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Finn Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird: Stories Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Stories of Your Life and Others Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Only Living Girl on Earth Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Maktub: An Inspirational Companion to The Alchemist Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Two Scorched Men Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Best of Edgar Allan Poe Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Four Past Midnight Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5LT's Theory of Pets Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Trigger Warning: Short Fictions and Disturbances Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Orgy: A Short Story About Desire Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Fragile Things Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Just After Sunset: Stories Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Yellow Wallpaper: Classic Tales Edition Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I Have No Mouth & I Must Scream and Other Works Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Bazaar of Bad Dreams: Stories Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Skeleton Crew: Selections Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This Is Salvaged: Stories Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Gingerbread Girl Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5What We Talk About When We Talk About Love Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Her Body and Other Parties: Stories Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Good Man Is Hard To Find And Other Stories Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Love in Color: Mythical Tales from Around the World, Retold Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Illustrated Man Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Minority Report and Other Stories Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Galatea Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related categories
Reviews for The Birthplace
Rating: 0 out of 5 stars
0 ratings
0 ratings0 reviews