On Chesil Beach (novel)
Cover of UK hardback
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| Author | Ian McEwan |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Chris Frazer Smith |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Fiction |
| Publisher | Jonathan Cape |
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Publication date
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2007 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback) |
| Pages | 166 |
| ISBN | |
| OCLC | 76797966 |
| 823.914 | |
On Chesil Beach is a 2007 novel/novella by the Booker Prize-winning British writer Ian McEwan. The novel was selected for the 2007 Booker Prize shortlist.
The Washington Post and Pulitzer Prize-winning book critic Jonathan Yardley placed On Chesil Beach on his top ten for 2007, praising McEwan's writing and saying that "even when he's in a minor mode, as he is here, he is nothing short of amazing".
In July 1962, Edward Mayhew, a graduate student of history, and Florence Ponting, a violinist of a string quartet, have just been married and are spending their honeymoon in a small hotel on the Dorset seashore, at Chesil Beach. The two are very much in love despite being from drastically different backgrounds.
During the course of an evening, both reflect upon their upbringing and the prospect of their futures. Edward is sexually motivated and though intelligent has a taste for rash behaviour, while Florence, bound by the social code of another era and perhaps having been sexually abused by her father, is terrified of sexual intimacy. Florence tries to mentally prepare herself for the inevitable consummation, but the thought of it continues to repulse her.
When the couple is finally about to have sex, Edward becomes overexcited and ejaculates on Florence's stomach before the intercourse can begin. Disgusted, Florence storms out. When Edward follows, the couple gets into an argument where Florence makes it clear that she is not interested in ever having sex. Edward accuses her of lying to him during their marriage vows (in which there is a vow of sexual fulfillment), and is further angered when Florence suggests he sleep with other women to fulfill his sexual desires. In turn, Florence accuses him of being insensitive and aggressive. The couple separates, and the lack of consummation annuls the marriage.
Edward summarizes the following decades of his life. A year after the annulment, he ruminates on Florence's proposal and no longer finds it insulting, though he still refuses to reunite with Florence. He eventually loses interest in writing history books and manages multiple stores. After his mother's death, he moves back home to take care of his ailing father. He enjoys good relationships with his friends and family, and explores other romances including a brief marriage with another woman, though he admits that he never loved anyone as much as he loved Florence. Meanwhile, Florence enjoys critical and commercial success with her string quartet, though Edward does not attend any performance and avoids even reminders of it, unaware that Florence thinks of him after every performance. Edward chooses not to revisit her, choosing to keep his youthful memory of her.
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