Zusammenfassung
Zusammenfassung von Der vollkommene Angler
Für wen es gedacht ist
For readers who love friendly prose, nature writing, English country life or the history of sport and food. It also suits anyone drawn to songs, good company and the small pleasures of a quiet life.
Worum es in diesem Buch geht
The Compleat Angler is a book about fishing, written as a conversation on a country walk. Izaak Walton, a London tradesman and devoted angler, first published it in 1653, in the uneasy years after the English Civil War. He kept revising it for the rest of his life. The fifth edition, in 1676, added a section on fly fishing by his friend Charles Cotton. The title page calls the book the contemplative man's recreation, and that phrase tells you what Walton cares about most.
Fishing is the frame, but the book holds much more. You get advice on rivers, baits and tackle, portraits of the fish themselves, recipes, old songs, country talk and a calm view of how to live when the world is noisy. Walton wants to win over a doubter and show him that patience and small pleasures are worth having. In the next few minutes you will follow his walkers along the water, hear what he says about fish and fishing, and see why people still pick the book up. First, meet the teacher and his pupil.
In dieser Zusammenfassung
- 1A teacher and a willing pupilFree
- 2Angling is a patient and thoughtful art
- 3Know the fish before you chase them
- 4Tackle, bait and weather matter
- 5Songs, inns and good company
- 6A quiet life that has lasted and been questioned
Punkt 1 von 6
A teacher and a willing pupil
The book is built as a dialogue. Its main speaker is Piscator, the Latin word for fisherman, an older angler who knows the rivers and loves to talk. His listener is Venator, whose name means hunter. At the start of the book the two meet other travellers on the road, among them Auceps, a falconer, and the three men fall into a friendly contest over which sport is best.
Each man praises his own pastime. The falconer speaks for the air and for his birds, and the huntsman speaks for the chase and his dogs. Piscator answers for the water, and he does it with good humour rather than heat. He does not abuse the other sports. He simply argues that his own is the most peaceful and the one that best suits a thoughtful mind.
This opening sets the tone for everything after it. Nobody in the book lectures in anger, and nobody is humiliated for not knowing something. Venator asks honest questions, Piscator answers at length, and the pupil slowly changes from a curious listener into a keen beginner.
The frame also lets Walton wander. A talk on a walk can turn to trout, to a song, to a bit of scripture or to a story from an old writer, and then return to the river. Walton treats this looseness as part of the pleasure. The reader is invited to stroll along rather than march toward a goal.
That’s 1 of 6 key points.
The rest of the summary, written and spoken, and the whole book: free to start.
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Who’s who
- Piscator
- Piscator is an experienced angler who teaches Venator about rivers, fish, and the pleasures of a patient life.
- Venator
- Venator is a hunter who becomes Piscator's willing pupil during their conversations and walks beside the water.
About this edition
Every format is free to start, and print and large print are at cost.
- LengthAbout 66,000 words
- Reading timeAbout 4 h 25 min
- FormatseBook, large-print eBook, audiobook, 15-minute summary
- LanguagesEnglish and 12 other languages
Questions about Der vollkommene Angler
What is The Compleat Angler about?
It is a conversation about fishing between an experienced angler, Piscator, and a newcomer, Venator. It covers fish, tackle and bait, and country songs and meals, while praising patience, friendship and a peaceful life.
Who are Piscator and Venator?
Piscator is the older angler who teaches. His name means fisherman in Latin. Venator, meaning hunter, is the pupil who starts as a lover of hunting and gradually becomes a keen learner of angling.
When was The Compleat Angler written?
Izaak Walton first published it in 1653 and revised it in later editions. The fifth edition, in 1676, added a section on fly fishing by his friend Charles Cotton.
Is The Compleat Angler hard to read?
Its tone is friendly and relaxed, and many readers enjoy it.
Is The Compleat Angler worth reading if you do not fish?
Yes, many readers enjoy it for its songs, its portraits of country life and its calm outlook. You do not need any fishing knowledge to appreciate its voice and ideas about patience.