So many famous novels analyse friendship between hero or heroine and a close companion. How, amongst the myriad of such books, does one select just a few for a volume called Great Literary Friendships?
Author Janet Phillips took on the task and has succeeded beautifully. Her book discusses a fabulous variety of friendships in novels and novellas, from Don Quixote and Sancho Panza (featured image) in Cervantes’ classic, to Sam and Frodo in Tolkien’s trilogy. There are chapters on Anne and Diana from L.M. Montgomery’s superb series of Canadian novels, Emma and Jane Fairfax from what is, in my view, the greatest novel ever written, the coterie of young people in Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, Elena and Lina from the Elena Ferrante Neapolitan novels, and the immortal Ratty and Mole from The Wind in the Willows. And more (Of Mice and Men, Harry Potter, Brideshead Revisited, Hamlet, Winnie-the-Pooh) … and I loved every chapter. I had read all of the books included except for Anita & Me by Meera Syal, but now feel encouraged to read that one too.
Each chapter analyses the origin and progression of the friendship, shows what each friend means to the other and what they learn from the friendship, and also includes quotes from the book which reveal character and mateship. Physical descriptions of each friend were also given and I found it really helpful to have drawn together such information which is often spread loosely through a book.
Not every friendship ends happily – some prove destructive or upsetting – but we all know something of friendships that haven’t really worked, and the balance of the book between happy and unhappy relationships is exactly right.
The book left me thinking. If I were to write a book about great friendships in literature, which ones would I choose? Possibly I’d have added Milly-Molly-Mandy and Little Friend Susan because that’s the first true friendship I ever encountered in books (and Little Friend Susan’s name is so perfect for such a volume), and maybe Jim and Wally from the Billabong books would have crept into my list to add some ‘Aussie mateship’ to the list, but otherwise I think my choice would have been identical to that of Janet Phillips (who is an editor at Bodleian Library Publishing).
I think this book is the perfect gift for any friends who love to read. It explores 24 literary friendships, is succinct, elegantly written and is a testament to the power of human friendship.
Can you suggest a favourite literary friendship? Let me know by leaving a comment.
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Melody
One of my favourites is from Tove Janssen’s Moomin books: the friendship between Moomintroll and Snufkin, which is immediate, deep and strong despite frequent absences.
John
It seems to me a stretch to call Emma and Jane Fairfax friends?
How about Charles Ryder and Sebastian Flyhte in Brideshead Revisited? Castle Howard is one of the last places I visited at the end of my thirty years in Britain, it being such a favourite of mine despite poor public transport connections.
Maria
A favourite literary friendship of mine is that between Elizabeth and Jane Bennet. Of course, they were sisters, but they also shared a true and selfless friendship. I think they would have been firm friends had they not been sisters. I first read the book as a teenager and their friendship showed me that close bonds can exist between people of very different temperaments. At that age, all my close friendships were with girls who had a lot in common with me, so it was quite eye-opening and instructive.
Honey
A bit offbeat for this subject, but in war men learn immense respect for
excellent foes. In Coriolanus, there is great mutual respect between Aufidius and Coriolanus, two great leaders of armies in conflict with each other.
In Othello, the fact that the hero chooses someone else as his aid instead of Iago, sends Iago off the deep end and thereby hangs a tale.