Under the Volcano

Malcolm Lowry

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'Under the Volcano' by Malcolm Lowry is a novel that delves into the life of Geoffrey Firmin, an alcoholic British consul in a Mexican village. The story unfolds on the Day of the Dead, one year after his wife has left him, capturing his liquor-induced day that ultimately ends with his death in a ditch in the jungle. The novel is heavily saturated with themes of alcoholism, self-destruction, and failed relationships, all narrated in a stream of consciousness style that weaves intricate literary devices, metaphors, and allusions into the characters' inner lives and the Mexican setting.

The book intricately explores the internal struggles of the main characters, their motivations shrouded in mystery amidst a backdrop of historical tumult and personal turmoil. Through vivid prose and intense imagery, 'Under the Volcano' transcends being just a novel about alcoholism, offering a poetic and complex narrative that delves deep into themes of love, loss, and the human psyche. The novel's rich descriptions of rural Mexico and the characters' psychological explorations provide a compelling exploration of self-destruction and the complexities of human relationships.

Characters:

The characters are complex and nuanced, reflecting a range of emotional and psychological struggles, particularly around addiction, love, and loss.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is characterized by its dense, lyrical prose with a stream-of-consciousness approach, capturing the chaotic inner life of the characters.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative centers on the last day of Geoffrey Firmin, a British consul battling deep alcoholism amid personal and existential crises.

Setting:

The setting is a central element, rich in cultural detail and symbolic significance, underscoring themes of mortality and existential crisis.

Pacing:

Pacing is largely slow and introspective, enhancing the sense of despair and inevitability in the protagonist's decline.

Two mountain chains traverse the republic roughly from north to south, forming between them a number of valleys and plateaus. Overlooking one of these valleys, which is dominated by two volcanoes, lie...

Notes:

The novel takes place in Mexico on the Day of the Dead, a significant cultural celebration that symbolizes the relationship with death and the afterlife.

Geoffrey Firmin, the main character, is a British consul and represents a tragic figure struggling with severe alcoholism.

The book is largely autobiographical, reflecting Malcolm Lowry's own battles with addiction and his time in Mexico.

Under the Volcano spans less than 24 hours but is rich in detail, delving into the characters' pasts and the socio-political landscape of the time.

Malcolm Lowry spent ten years writing and rewriting this novel, which includes elements of stream of consciousness and complex literary allusions.

Throughout the narrative, various languages including Spanish, French, and German are used, adding depth to the characters' experiences and the setting.

The novel has been described as a giant of Modernism and has drawn comparisons to works by T.S. Eliot and James Joyce, particularly for its stylistic experimentation.

It tackles heavy themes such as love, loss, the effects of addiction, and the struggle for redemption in the face of an existential crisis.

The imagery of the volcanoes, Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, serves as a powerful metaphor for the brewing tensions and the destructive path of the characters' lives.

Many readers describe the prose as both beautiful and dense, often requiring multiple readings to fully appreciate their complexity.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Triggers include high levels of alcoholism, mental health issues, existential despair, and death.

Has Romance?

There is a medium level of romance present in the narrative, centered around the relationships between the protagonist and his estranged wife, as well as the tensions involving his brother.

From The Publisher:

One of the twentieth century's great undisputed masterpieces, Malcolm Lowry's Under the Volcano includes an introduction by Michael Schmidt in Penguin Modern Classics.

It is the fiesta 'Day of the Dead' in the small Mexican town of Quauhnahuac. In the shadow of the volcano, ragged children beg coins to buy skulls made of chocolate, ugly pariah dogs roam the streets and Geoffrey Firmin - ex-consul, ex-husband, an alcoholic and a ruined man - is living out the last day of his life. Drowning himself in mescal while his former wife and half-brother look on, powerless to help him, the consul has become an enduring tragic figure. As the day wears on, it becomes apparent that Geoffrey must die. It is his only escape from a world he cannot understand. His story, the image of one man's agonised journey towards Calvary, became a prophetic book for a whole generation.

Malcolm Lowry (1909-1957) was born and died in England. Between school and studying English at St Catherine's College, Cambridge he spent five months at sea as a deckhand, an experience which gave him the material for his first novel, Ultramarine (1933). After marrying in Paris, he moved to New York where he completed In Ballast to the White (1936). Under The Volcano was begun in Hollywood, coloured by a short stay in the Mexico that it describes, and eventually finished in Dollarton, British Columbia.

'A Faustian masterpiece'

Anthony Burgess

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About the Author:

Malcolm Lowry (1909 - 1957) was raised in England and died there but lived much of his troubled life semi-nomadically - in New York, Mexico and British Columbia.

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