Extended Analysis of The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins - Essay Example

? Extended Annotated Bibliography on Wilkie Collins’ The Moonstone Allingham, Philip V. “The Moonstone and British India (1857, 1868, 1876).” victorianweb.org, 2000. Web. 11 May 2012. Philip Allingham’s article “The Moonstone and British India (1857, 1868, 1876)” analyzes important aspects of the novel. For Wilkie Collins, The Moonstone presents the main characteristics of human needs: “material and spiritual.” Collins shows that the diamond has known a history of theft. The Moonstone is, for Europeans, just a commodity, but for its faithful guardians, the Brahmins, “a sacred artifact beyond price.” There is a historical link between the last Sikh who ruled the Punjab and Queen Victoria to whom he gave a diamond. Mr. Murthwaite narrates the story almost exactly as it happened in history. The diamond has already been stolen many times before landing on John Herncastle’s hands. Through the portrayal, the sacred object changes into a symbol of “wealth and power that no mere mortal should possess.” However, despite this curse many warriors have attempted to get it therefore increasing the myth around the gem. The link between the Moonstone and Rome and Greece demonstrates that India is an ancient civilization instead of a ‘barbarous” nation like the colonialists believe. The “barbarism” of the Moslems is foregrounded while the British Army kills a whole village. Besides, following his theft, Colonel Herncastle is dishonorably discharged. Conscious of the curse of the diamond, he gave it to Rachel Verinder in order to punish his own family. On the other hand, dedicated to their god, the Brahmins risked their lives to retrieve the gem. The recovery of the diamond leads to the revelation of Godfrey Ablewhite’s hypocrisy. The novel mainly focuses on crime and detection. Contemporary readers aware of the British religious, economic and political domination in India may see The Moonstone as a reflection over Great Britain’s imperial domination over India: “Collins's mythical Moonstone stands for an India that is not the world's most populous democracy as we know it today, but the India of the Raj.” Finally the Moonstone was restored as a spiritual object at the forehead of the Moon god and ceased to be a symbol of wealth. Godfrey’s death at the end seems justified since the Brahmins deserve their victory because of the personal sacrifice they make. With the exception of Rachel and Franklin all the European “possessors” are thieves in search of wealth and power. For the Indians the Moonstone “inspires faith in the community of believers” whereas for the Europeans “it excites the Christian sins of lust, envy, greed, and even murder.” There is a contrast between the Brahmins’ devotion to their god and the Europeans’ search for power and wealth. Only Franklin and Rachel succeed in preserving their selflessness, and only those who do not try to conquer the diamond get to maintain their “emotional and moral growth.” The main point Philip Allingham makes in this article is about the Europeans’ interest in wealth and power whereas the Indians seek spirituality, which is a valid point. Indeed, even the basis for the British imperialism in India is grounded on the search for wealth. Despite the claims of barbarism of the native, the intention to civilize Indians, their primarily concerned was economic and political domination. However, The Moonstone mainly focuses on Europeans’ multiple thefts of the diamond of the Moon god and the Indians relentless efforts to retrieve the gem. Allingham presents the situation as follows: “To Wilkie Collins, the Moonstone is the signifier of all things that humanity strives for, material and spiritual.” The Europeans search for the material while Indians seek the spiritual. This explains why, John Herncastle, a high-class bourgeois, takes the risk to steal the Moonstone, ruin his career and honor and stain his reputation and that of his family. This is the outcome of his action: “Dishonoured forever, Herncastle is compelled to renounce his commission in the Guards before he is 22, the remainder of his life being given over to the hedonistic pursuit of pleasure” (Allingham). Even though Herncastle was aware of the curse around the diamond, he kept it in his family and maliciously decided to give it to Rachel Verinder for her 18th birthday. However, the theft of the Moonstone within the family leads to a painful investigation that will be destructive and reveal the greed of the British. Despite his social class, Godfrey Ablewhite steals the diamond thereby confirming Allingham’s theory and demonstrating the materialistic nature of the British people regardless of their class. However, the Indians’ successful retrieval and restoration of the Moonstone to the forehead of the Moon god also show their pure interest in spirituality. The article is very relevant, informative and explicit. It provides an accurate and thorough analysis of the novel that gives a better understanding of The Moonstone. Allingham’s emphasis on the parallel between the material and the spiritual is very significant and goes beyond the theft of the diamond. Even though the multiple thefts of the gem have finished establishing the greed of the British, the link between these thefts and the colonialism in India raises a deeper concern about the exploitation involved. Published in 2000, the article is still current and provides contemporary readers with new elements allowing them to comprehend Victorian issues. In this article, the triumph of Rachel and Franklin’s love over the greed of Godfrey Ablewhite facilitates new readers’ understanding of the point being raised. Rachel and Franklin’s selflessness is similar to the Indians’ spiritualism, which explains their survival from the destructive effects of the theft of the Moonstone. Philip Allingham is a faculty member at Lukehead University in Ontario; he is well-qualified to write the article. His research is objective and well-documented, and its publication on the Victorian Web makes it scholarly and reliable. Munjal, Savi. “Collins’s Representation of the ‘cursed Indian Jewel:’ Orientalism in the Sensational Novel.” victorianweb.org, 2007. Web. 11 May 2012. Savi Munjal’s article “Collins’s Representation of the ‘cursed Indian Jewel:’ Orientalism in the Sensational Novel” considers The Moonstone to be a satire of Victorian religious hypocrisy through Miss Clark and Godfrey Ablewhite. The novel focuses on “colonial invasion, expatriation, and exploitation” and at the same time opposes the negative stereotypes advanced to justify British imperialism. The Moonstone is a serious challenge to colonial domination. Even though most of the events take place in England, the setting of the prologue and epilogue in India roots “The Moonstone within the context of the colonial experience in India.” The novel portrays the theft of the jewel carried out by john Herncastle, an upper class Englishman. The Moonstone embodies colonial greed and presents both a private and domestic versions of colonial domination considering national and international spheres. It points out the spread of social and moral chaos within British upper class. Hostile critics denounce the sensation novel Collins writes for “for destabilizing the Victorian domestic ideal.” Disruption entered the households of the gentry first with Herncastle’s theft and then by Sergeant Cuff’s investigation. Cuff’s decision to investigate not only the servants but all the members of the family and the insinuation that Rachel may be the thief demonstrate the vulnerability of the gentry. This lack of distinction between classes causes a disruption in the family and is reflected in the name “shivering sands” referring to the estate surrounding the Verinder home. The name symbolizes the status of the aristocracy which is really shaken. Besides, the British also set up negative stereotypes about the Indians, and these images are present in the literature of the period. However, each culture regardless of geographical location, racial or ethnic background has its own “outcasts.” Collins does not condone these categorizations based on race or ethnicity. He sees India as an “exotic” and mysterious land with a moonlit wilderness. Instead of following the usual negative portrayal of the three Brahmins, Collins chooses to focus on the disorder and hypocrisy of the English society. He dares to express sympathy for Godfrey Ablewhite’s murder in a century filled with racist discourse. His novel questions rather than empower colonial domination. The Moonstone deserves a deeper analysis than just be seen as a sensational novel. There is a link between the destabilization of the bourgeois and colonial exploitation. Munjal’s article mainly points out the destructive effects of the Moonstone’s theft over the gentry, and these effects are visible throughout the whole novel and are reflected in the characters’ lives. When John Herncastle steals the “cursed jewel” from India and brings it home, he also causes the disruption of his own family. Indeed, the investigation and detection following another theft of the Moonstone expose his family’s vulnerability. The article informs: “The Moonstone, in a similar fashion, records the infiltration of the country-house of the landed gentry” (Munjal). This intrusion of police officers in this bourgeois household creates chaos and disorder within the family but is just the effect of their own greed. The necessity to establish the truth about the theft of the Moonstone requires Sergeant Cuff to take measures violating the set up hierarchy in the estate and exposes this upper class family to humiliation and stress. Cuff’s decision to interrogate each and every member of the family regardless of his or her class status makes the gentry uncomfortable and frustrated. Moreover, Cuff’s insinuation that Rachel Verinder, the heiress, may be responsible for the theft completely destabilizes the family and reveals their weaknesses. Munjal notes: “This intrusion is symptomatic of a culture in transition. The vulnerability of the landed gentry is evident in the detective's insinuation that Rachel, a lady, is the thief and his disregard of hierarchies when he decides to investigate not just the servants and maids of the household but 'everybody.” Nevertheless, the final report not only proves the guilt of Godfrey Ablewhite but also exposes the greed and hypocrisy of the gentry. Munjal’s article is very informative and detailed and will be very helpful for any research paper on The Moonstone. The article puts forward a specific reading of the novel that emphasizes the link between colonialism and the destabilization of the gentry. To many readers that connection may not be obvious; however, Munjal establishes a close relationship between the Moonstone that embodies the colonial exploitation of India and the destructive impact of the diamond’s theft on the bourgeois. The greed that motivated British soldiers, especially John Herncastle, to steal the gem from the Moon god is reflected in their own households in Great Britain. The article is recent, objective and well-researched. The secondary sources used to document the article make it very reliable and helpful in a research paper, and its publication in the Victorian Web gives it more credibility. Savi Munjal was a MPhil candidate at the University of Delhi when she wrote this article; she is well-qualified to write this document. Her academic experience combined with her knowledge of Indian culture makes her a good candidate for the research. The historical background she places at the beginning of the article and the other topics she tackles render the work very relevant and helpful. Sahni, Rashmi. “Collins’ ‘Detective Business:’ The Moonstone as a Detective Novel.” victorianweb.org, 2007. Web. 11May 2012. Rashmi Sahni’s article is inspired from Sergeant Cuff’s quotation: “We shall have more detective business on our hands, sir, before the Moonstone is many months older” (qtd. in Sahni). The novel itself is an inspiration for literary “detective business” and the starting point of a new genre. Collins succeeds both in engaging the reader’s attention in the theft but also uses detection as a critic of Victorian Bourgeois life. The novel mainly focuses on bourgeois domesticity and imperialism. Collins refers to a “knowable universe” with new fields like “medical and criminal sciences.” Even if today’s readers do not question the status of The Moonstone as a detective novel, the work is also closely related to the sensation novels of 1860s and gothic fiction. The novel keeps some characteristics of the sensation novel like the ‘exotic’ the “wild’ and ‘irrational elements.” The Indians’ ability to predict the future draws much attention and reveal the existence of irrational realities. However, the “rational inquiry” related to the theft is also overwhelming. As a detective story, the novel seeks to link the past with the present through a logical process. It foregrounds the complexity of the investigation that requires a thorough analysis of puzzling elements that do not seem to be related. Sergeant Cuff finds all clues important and does not neglect anything. All elements are important for a detective story. It appears that Collins emphasizes trifles instead of seeking the hidden truth; however, the hidden aspects are also important. Detection requires finding the ways and means to establish the truth. Collins’ “Self-reflexivity” makes him a literary detective. He takes into consideration all the elements “the production, the circulation, and distribution of discourses—including his own.” The Moonstone is made of seven narratives by characters, which also makes it a novel about writing. Apart from Betteredge and Miss Clark, Collins also focuses on the “art of writing.” Franklin Blake’s advice for each character to write his own story of the Moonstone about the part concerning his or her personal experience and involvement about the issue stems from a desire to reveal the truth. Collins raises the point about the relationship between writing and truth: “Truth is linked to systems of power, which produce and sustain it.” Any act of writing takes into consideration class position, conditions of work and ideologies. Miss Clark was asked to narrate the past without considering the present. The writers analyzed the truth according to the perception they had about it in the past even though the reality may have changed since then. The main point Sahni raises in this article is the search for truth either through the detection or the narratives, and she rightfully establishes the complexity of that search. Mainly based on the theft of the diamond, The Moonstone depicts a painful and thorough investigation Sergeant Cuffs conducts in an attempt to find the truth. This search for truth proves very delicate because none of the clues seem to reveal the reality. Even though Cuff decides to consider all elements, both trifles and relevant, he fails to establish the truth within the limits of reason. Sahni reflects: “Sergeant Cuff, who is called to unravel the mystery of the Moonstone, encounters effects without apparent causes and events whose chronology has become jumbled.” The complexity of the investigation explains the impossibility to link causes and effects. In fact, the investigation reveals that even though Rachel seems to be distraught, she is not responsible for the theft as Sergeant Cuff thought. This assumption proves totally wrong as Cuff fails to identify the real cause of Rachel’s attitude and wrongly accuses her for being responsible for the theft. However, even though Ezra Jennings’ explanation finally establishes the truth about the Moonstone, it seems very unrealistic and hard to believe in the beginning. Indeed, it appears unlikely for Franklin Blake to have taken the diamond because he does not remember having done it even though Rachel and Rosanna claim to have seen him. This unlikely solution about medical experiment demonstrates the difficulty to establish the truth because Jennings had to use unconventional methods to prove that Franklin took the diamond under the influence of drug. If unconventional methods have to be used to find the truth, then more philosophical questions need to be raised. In the same way, the attempt to find the truth through the narratives was overwhelming because of the lack of distinction between the past and the present. Sahni notes: “The writers are asked to speculate on truth and to comment on reality as they once knew it, even though it may have since been proved to be no reality at all.” Sahni’s article is very relevant and informative, but too short to focus on the elements in detail. However, it is still very helpful for the research paper because of the crucial point it makes about the difficulty to establish truth. Sahni’s analysis of the process is very unique and acknowledges Collins’ commitment to the search for truth. This new perspective gives readers an opportunity to ponder over the complexity around truth. The article is recent, well-documented and reliable. The research is objective, well-presented and scholarly. Rashmi Sahni was a MPhil candidate at the university of Delhi, India, when she wrote this article. She is well-qualified to write the document and cites credible sources in her research. Read More