This analysis of The Comfort of Strangers depicts a British couple in Venice, experiencing the disaster of their life.
Starting off at a slow pace, Ian McEwan’s The Comfort of Strangers quickly turns into a gripping novel that will stick in its readers’ minds. Written in 1981, the events narrated could have taken place any time, making it into a timeless story and a diverting read. The rather overt, heterodiegetic narrator provides the frame for the course of action in a fascinating and latently dangerous Venice in the height of summer. The story is embedded in the setting of Venice very well, and those who have visited the city already - or like to indulge in Venetian crime literature - will recognize numerous places. Not surprisingly, McEwan included quite a few of them, along with many other writers. Henry James pointed out more than a century ago: “It would be a sad day indeed when there should be something new to say” (James 1882), and Tony Tanner, who analysed the particular attraction Venice had for writers like James, states: “Venice is always the already written as well as the already seen, the already read” (Tanner 1993). Therefore, one can assume that coming up with a successful new crime novel about Venice is a challenging task, which McEwan does not fail at. Having set the mood, the author’s descriptions of the scenery consistently suggest an underlying gloominess that becomes almost palpable for the reader, with a lingering, ever-intensifying sense of menace. McEwan incorporates various elements of Venetian Gothic, like tourists getting lost in dark alleyways and falling prey to sinister creatures, or cemeteries in the lagoon.
At a glance
- Grade: 1.0 (1.0 is the best grade)
- Compares Robert with Iago in Shakespeare’s Othello
Contents
1. Ian McEwan’s The Comfort of Strangers
Objective and Themes
This literary essay examines how Ian McEwan’s The Comfort of Strangers uses its Venetian setting, character relationships and narrative perspective to create an atmosphere of danger. It considers how deception and manipulation shape the experiences of Mary and Colin.
- Venice as a Gothic and labyrinthine setting
- Communication and conflict in Mary and Colin’s relationship
- Robert’s manipulation and his comparison with Iago
- Violence, deception and the relationship between Robert and Caroline
- Narrative perspective and the treatment of time
Excerpt from the Book
Ian McEwan’s The Comfort of Strangers
An uncanny feeling emerges, which helps the reader visualize the seemingly desperate situation the couple are in and suggests that there is no way out. However, it becomes soon obvious that there have been plenty of red flags all along; still, neither of the couple tries to alter the course of action – Mary and Colin literally sleep-walk into their own personal nightmare, by ignoring the signs of disaster lying ahead of them.
Colin shows a tendency to avoid conflict, as can be seen in various day-to-day situations – the talk with Mary, where each of them is having their own conversation, or his confrontation with a waiter at a restaurant. Their repeated instances of talking at cross-instances imply some fundamental problems; they seem to agree on very little to nothing, and at times even eager to maintain the status quo. Often tiptoeing around their partner and trying not to hurt each other’s feelings, they always hold back on something, even while being intimate. They ask few questions and feed on assumptions instead, which suggests a severe lack of trust on both sides. An overall dissatisfaction of the couple with their circumstances of living can be sensed. Notwithstanding, neither of them takes any significant steps to make things improve. All of this paves the way for a sad end.
While Colin is wary of Robert at first – and Mary of Caroline – things get reversed soon, as Colin’s initially uncomfortable feeling towards Robert shifts to Mary. Strangely, Colin just seems to have warmed up to Robert, when the latter crosses a boundary – he hits Colin into the stomach. The conversation turns violent in an almost casual manner. Despite this clear warning sign, Colin gradually adopts some of Robert’s views which contain all the obvious hints of misogyny. He completely fails at seeing through the other couple’s cunning scheme. Mary’s behaviour surprises, too. She is not usually such a gullible person, so her lack of criticism towards Robert, a seemingly coincidental encounter, is just the more astounding. Meeting Robert appears to have blurred the couple’s minds. Soon, Colin and Mary are entirely in Robert’s thrall.
Unlike Iago, the obviously manipulative villain in Shakespeare’s Othello, Robert’s character deceives the reader at first. However, there are some parallels to be found, such as the targeting of foreigners in Venice. Initially, Robert appears sympathetic and innocent; nevertheless, he follows Mary and Colin like an evil ghost in friendly disguise. A mental picture of Robert as a skilled manipulator who knows how to approach people, playing the oblivious couple like puppets, emerges in the reader early on. Robert always seems to be in charge by deciding on the next step, and acts in a much more subtle way than Iago, who openly poisons the atmosphere right from the beginning. The dark secret Robert harbours cannot be anticipated yet, but an eerie feeling remains.
Chapter Summary
Ian McEwan’s The Comfort of Strangers: The essay interprets the novel’s Venetian atmosphere, its central relationships and its presentation of manipulation and violence. It also considers Robert alongside Shakespeare’s Iago and discusses narrative perspective and chronology.
Keywords
Ian McEwan, The Comfort of Strangers, Venice, Venetian Gothic, literary analysis, manipulation, deception, violence, relationships, narrative perspective, Othello, Iago
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this work about?
It is a literary essay on Ian McEwan’s novel The Comfort of Strangers, focusing on its setting, characters and atmosphere.
What are its central themes?
The essay explores deception, manipulation, violence, communication between partners and the unsettling character of Venice.
What is the essay’s main objective?
It examines how the novel’s setting and character relationships contribute to its sense of danger and menace.
What method does the essay use?
It uses interpretive literary analysis, discussing the novel’s characters, setting and narration and drawing a comparison with Shakespeare’s Othello.
What does the main discussion cover?
It considers Mary and Colin’s relationship, their encounters with Robert and Caroline, and the roles of disguise and manipulation.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms include Venetian Gothic, deception, manipulation, violence, narrative perspective and Othello.
How does the essay interpret Venice?
It discusses the city as a labyrinthine setting whose Gothic associations and atmosphere of mystery reinforce the novel’s sense of threat.
Why does the essay refer to Shakespeare’s Othello?
It compares Robert’s manipulation with Iago’s and notes a parallel in their targeting of foreigners in Venice.
How does the essay discuss the novel’s narration?
It considers the narrator’s outward perspective and the largely chronological sequence of events, alongside the characters’ occasional reflections on the past.
- Quote paper
- Romy Zhang (Author), 2021, "The Comfort of Strangers". An analysis of Ian McEwan's Venice novel, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1588069
