User:Susfele/STG

Some Tame Gazelle is Barbara Pym's début novel, first published in 1950. It is considered a remarkable first novel, because of the way in which the youthful Pym - who began the book while a student at Oxford before World War II - imagined herself into the situation of a middle-aged spinster, living with her sister in the country.

Plot
Belinda and Harriet Bede, the main characters of Some Tame Gazelle, are middle-aged spinster sisters who live together in an unnamed English village. They occupy their time with their wardrobes, church work, gardening, light household chores, and socializing within a small circle of upper middle class  neighbors. Their friends includes the vicar of their church and his wife, Henry and Agatha Hoccleve. Henry is the man that Belinda loved when she was twenty and for whom, thirty years later, she still retains tender feelings. The narrative indicates that Agatha "by her scheming" made Henry an archdeacon. Another neighbor, the “tough and wiry” Miss Edith Liversidge, provides a home for an impoverished cousin, Miss Connie Aspinall. An Italian friend, Count Ricardo Bianco, shares with Harriet an interest in gardening, and proposes marriage to her "every now and then". The new curate, the Reverend Edgar Donne, is introduced at the beginning of the novel, and the reader learns that Harriet has a history of being "silly" about young curates. Donne corresponds with Agatha's niece, Olivia Berridge; Harriet is relieved when he denies a romantic interest.

Although the narrative reveals some friction and dissatisfaction among the neighbors, it is visitors to the vicarage that provide potential for disruption to the sisters' comfortable shared life. When Agatha travels abroad for her health, a friend of Belinda and Hoccleve visits, bringing a companion with him. The visitor is Dr. Nicholas Parnell, a friend from their University days, and now the Librarian of the University Library. The companion is Mr. Nathaniel Mold, the deputy Librarian whom Belinda regards as “not really a gentleman”. Though Harriet and Mold are attracted to each other, Harriet refuses his proposal, preferring the known comforts of a spinster's life to the unknown difficulties of a married life. Mold departs, feeling fortunate to have escaped.

Agatha returns from her trip abroad, bringing with her a colonial Bishop, Theodore Grote, who knew Harriet and Belinda when he was a curate. Harriet tries to engage the Bishop's attention, but he is interested in Belinda. He offers marriage because he desires a helpmeet and Belinda refuses him, stating that she loves another. At the end of the novel Bishop Grote is engaged to Connie Aspinall, and Father Donne is about to depart for a new post accompanied by his new wife, Olivia Berridge. Belinda and Harriet continue in comfort, Belinda cherishing her affection for the Archdeacon, and Harriet prepared to cherish the new curate.

Major themes
Spinsterhood, disappointments in romance and marriage, the role of the Anglican church and the clergy in a restricted, middle-class society. Themes that are explored in almost all of her novels.

Autobiographical elements
Though a number of critics have commented on the autobiographical elements in Pym's work, Some Tame Gazelle is the only one of her noverls in which Pym's friends directly appear. Pym, who was in her twenties when she began writing the novel, imagined herself and her sister Hilary as the middle-aged spinsters, Belinda and Harriet Bede. Archdeacon Hoccleve was Henry Harvey, an early love of Pym's during her Oxford days. Dr. Nicholas Parnell was Robert Liddell, who worked in the Bodleian Library when Pym first met him. Alison West-Watson was fictionalized as Agatha Hoccleve, Honor Tracy as Edith Liversidge, Roberto Weiss as Count Ricardo Bianco, Julia Pakenham as Lady Clara Boulding, and John Barnicot as John Akenside. Although Weiss was offended by his portrayal as Count Bianco, most of Pym's friends enjoyed their fictional doubles. Hilary Pym remarked on the "prophetic" nature of the novel: though it had not been their intent when Barbara was first writing Some Tame Gazelle, Barbara and Hilary did live together from 1946 until Barbara's final illness separated them in 1979, and their latter years were spent in "a country cottage in Oxfordshire" (That reference is for 1946 and the country cottage. As of now "1979" is original research.)Hazel Holt, commenting on Henry Harvey's visit to Barbara Pym three days before Pym died, wrote "It seemed, somehow, fitting that almost the last visitor Belinda had should be the Archdeacon."

Development and history
In September, 1934, Barbara Pym wrote in her diary that she had begun writing a story about herself and Hilary as middle-aged spinsters. She indicated that her friends also appeared in the story, and that it provided "an excuse for revealing some of my present feelings about Henry." Her diary for 1935 reveals that in November she sent the manuscript to be typed, and was still undecided whether to name the novel Some Tame Gazelle or Some Sad Turtle. Later in November she had decided on the title and sent the novel to the publishers Chatto and Windus. By early December the novel had been rejected by Chatto and Windus in a "very nice letter", and Pym was looking forward to revising it. 9 Dec. novel to Gollancz(p55). 2Jan36 novel back from Gollancz with "a nice notes"(p56)`1

some info about suggestions Robert Liddell made that were incorporated.

Publication history
~*year, country, publisher ISBN 1234567890, Pub date DD Month Year, binding~

Explanation of the novel's title
The title, Some Tame Gazelle, reflects Belinda's fondness for the work of "the minor English poets" and alludes to the romantic preoccupations of both the Bede sisters. It is derived from Something to Love by Thomas Haynes Bayly. In the first chapter of the novel Belinda quotes two lines (aloud, or in her head?????) of the poem: Some tame gazelle, or some gentle dove: Something to love, oh, something to love!

Though neither sister is an object of romantic love, both of them have "something to love". At the end of the novel Harriet has a new curate to cherish, and Belinda continues to feel drawn to Archdeacon Hoccleve.

Literary significance and reception
~description of the work's initial reception and legacy based on the work of literary critics and commentators over the years, give citations; if no literary significant should just be called reception~

Awards and nominations
~lists awards the work received, and significant nominations, if applicable; include in reception if brief~

Adaptations
I think there might be a radio adaptation

Excellent Women
Mildred and Dora's reminiscences of their school's chapel being dedicated recalls the dedication of the School Chapel at Barbara's school, Liverpool College, Huyton.

Less Than Angels
This contains some info on the original for Prof. Mainwarings house