Muriel Spark - The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
A Video Talk
In the glorious city of Edinburgh, teacher Miss Jean Brodie, who is in her prime, mentors 6 girls and tells them they are the ‘crème de la crème’. What damage does she do to them, and why is this brilliant and unsettling novel ranked amongst the 100 Best Books of Modern Literature?
First published in 1961, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie brought Muriel Spark international fame. Time magazine chose it in 2005 as one of the 100 best novels in English from 1923 to the present, and the Modern Library ranked it 76th in its ‘100 Best Novels of the 20thC’.
“The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie is near perfect in its design traditional and experimental. Rich in period detail, it is nevertheless as spare and taut as one of Simenon’s thrillers and as light as a soufflé.”
― Alan Taylor, Scottish Review of Books
The story of Miss Brodie and her ‘crème de la crème’ group of pupils has become a classic of Scottish literature. It is funny and tragic, sharp and unexpected, and it is set in one of the greatest cities in the world. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie is arguably Muriel Spark’s best novel and certainly her most celebrated. Discover why it is such a brilliant work of fiction and learn about its characters and themes.
Muriel Spark’s sixth novel is one of her most autobiographical. At her own school, she had been much impressed by her teacher Miss Kay, “that character in search of an author” as she once described her. Miss Kay borrowed reproductions of paintings from the art department to put on the classroom walls, and introduced her students to Da Vinci and Botticelli. She had on her wall a cutting showing Mussolini and his fascists. Miss Kay encouraged young Muriel Spark to become a writer and Jean Brodie, partly based on her, is Spark’s tribute to the power of a good educator.
Her own Edinburgh childhood, and the feeling that she was something of an outsider because of her heritage, also contributed to the book. As a girl, she wanted to learn about sex, she wanted to break free from Scottish Calvinism, she wanted to wear bright colours and travel. These longings went into the creation of her famous character. Her struggles over religion influenced the introduction of religion as a theme in the book, though I personally doubt that this is a novel that would encourage anybody to turn Catholic!
This Video Talk is a real treat! In it, I reveal intriguing stories about the author to help you understand what prompted this book to be written. I identify the main characters and their roles, analyse the themes behind the story, and describe the influence that the era, lifestyle and circumstances have on the book’s setting. It is illustrated with photographs, paintings, scenes from different film versions and book covers – you’ll have plenty to look at while you listen. Buy it now and receive a link to view your video immediately.
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Why is this brilliant and unsettling novel ranked amongst the 100 Best Books of Modern Literature? Let’s discuss it here.