Résumé
Résumé de The Power of Mesmerism
À qui s’adresse-t-il ?
Readers of Victorian literary history, collectors of erotic fiction, and students of how nineteenth century writers mocked clergy and respectable family life will find a revealing specimen here.
De quoi parle ce livre ?
What happens when a young man learns he can bend any mind to his will? The Power of Mesmerism is an anonymous Victorian erotic novel. It follows Frank Etheridge, who comes home from Germany to a Devon country house and uses hypnotic suggestion on his family and neighbours. The book is explicit pornography that treats coercion and cruelty as pleasure. Its first idea is the homecoming itself.
Dans ce résumé
- 1A son comes home to Brackley HallFree
- 2Frank uses mesmerism to override consent
- 3Cruelty is the education Frank received
- 4Ethel has her own schooling in Paris
- 5Frank turns his mesmerism on his parents
- 6Respectability is a fragile cover
- 7What kind of book this is
Point clé 1 sur 7
A son comes home to Brackley Hall
The story opens at Brackley Hall, an old estate in Devon held by the Etheridge family for centuries. Mr. Etheridge is a gentle, well-liked man of about forty. His Spanish-descended wife is admired for her beauty, and their seventeen-year-old daughter Ethel has just come back from school in Paris.
The family waits at the railway station for Frank, who has been finishing his education in Germany. The young man who steps off the train is tall and handsome, but his parents notice a dreamy languor in him. He also has a habit of staring as if he were reading the thoughts of whoever stands before him.
The author spends little effort on character beyond physical description. The scene sets the pattern for the whole book. A respectable country house is shown as a place with a hidden appetite, and Frank is the one who will bring it out.
That’s 1 of 7 key points.
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Questions about The Power of Mesmerism
What is The Power of Mesmerism about?
It follows Frank Etheridge, who returns to a Devon country house after studying in Germany and uses mesmerism to control his sister, parents and neighbours. It is an explicit erotic novel.
What does mesmerism mean in this book?
Mesmerism is Frank's way of putting people into a trance. Frank gazes at people, holds their thumbs and makes passes with his hands. They fall asleep, obey his orders and wake without memory.
Who wrote The Power of Mesmerism and when?
The author is anonymous. The work dates from 1891.
Is The Power of Mesmerism a true story?
It is presented as an erotic narrative mixing facts and fantasies, not as a reliable factual account. Its settings include a Devon estate, a Paris school and a village rectory.
What is the main message of the book?
The book has little message beyond its subject. It shows power over another's will, mocks clergy and respectability, and treats the family as a place of hidden appetites.