Lothair by Benjamin Disraeli (1870)

Name: Lothair
Author: Benjamin Disraeli

Lothair is a young English orphan of immense inherited wealth, raised in Scotland under the guardianship of his stern Presbyterian uncle, Lord Culloden, while his other guardian, the fervent convert Cardinal Grandison, has been kept at a distance; a chancery suit forces his uncle to send him to Christ Church, Oxford, where he befriends Bertram, heir of the Duke and Duchess of Brentham, and spends a joyous, formative visit at their estate, Brentham, falling in love with Bertram's sister, Lady Corisande, and even asking the duchess's permission to propose, which she gently defers on grounds of Corisande's youth. In London, Lothair calls on the solicitor Mr. Putney Giles to raise money privately for a friend in trouble, and through Giles and his wife Apollonia meets Cardinal Grandison properly for the first time, beginning a warm guardianship relationship; the same evening he glimpses a striking woman called Theodora, wife of an American, Colonel Campian, and linked to revolutionary causes. Cardinal Grandison and his circle, including Monsignore Berwick and the devout Lady St. Jerome, discuss Church strategy in Scotland and Ireland, hoping Lothair might eventually be won to Rome. Drawn increasingly into the household of Lord and Lady St. Jerome and their niece, the intense, devout Clare Arundel, Lothair spends Holy Week at their country house, Vauxe, attending Tenebrae and Catholic ceremonies, absorbing arguments from Father Coleman and Monsignore Catesby on Church unity, art, and doctrine, and conceiving a plan to build a great cathedral, to be dedicated to St. Clare. Returning to London, he is presented at court, becomes a fixture of high society (balls, dinners, pigeon-shooting at the Duke of Brecon's), and grows anxious and unsettled, torn between the Catholic influences surrounding him and his continuing feelings for Lady Corisande, who worries over rumors of his impending conversion and mild estrangement from Bertram. Preparations proceed for the lavish celebration of Lothair's coming-of-age majority, arranged by Mr. Putney Giles and complicated by his uncle's refusal to cooperate with anything "papal." Restless one night, Lothair wanders into a Fenian meeting in London, is nearly attacked as a suspected spy, and is rescued by a mysterious, commanding stranger called Captain Bruges, who is revealed (in a separate scene) to be a revolutionary general sought out by an international committee, the Standing Committee of the Holy Alliance of Peoples, over a proposed Irish rising backed by American arms, toasted under the name "Mary-Anne." Lothair, increasingly preoccupied with Theodora after their meeting near Oxford (where he lent his carriage after her husband's accident) and a shared excursion to Blenheim, visits her at her house, Belmont, as Lady St. Jerome and Clare Arundel press him toward a public Catholic religious ceremony inaugurating a society for the "restoration of Christendom." The text breaks off as Lothair arrives at Belmont and is greeted by Theodora in her garden.

By Benjamin Disraeli · First published 1870 · Genre: Political Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romantic Fiction · 60 chapters · 211,389 words

First lines

"I remember him a little boy," said the duchess, "a pretty little boy, but very shy. His mother brought him to us one day. She was a dear friend of mine; you know she was one of my bridesmaids?"

"And you have never seen him since, mamma?" inquired a married daughter, who looked like the younger sister of her mother.

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Lothair is listed on Textopian as a novel by Benjamin Disraeli, dated 1870 CE.

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Work type: Novel
Author: Benjamin Disraeli
Date: 1870 CE
Language: English
Genres: Political Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romantic Fiction, Literary Fiction
Length: 211,389 words
Structure: 89 chapters, 2,666 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

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Genres

Political Fiction — The central themes are political and religious debates in society. The novel actively engages in England's political scene during the time of its publication.
Historical Fiction — The novel is set in the late 19th century and includes actual historical events with a blend of fictional characters and plot.
Romantic Fiction — The book includes the character Lothair's love interests and romantic entanglements throughout the story.
Literary Fiction — The book delves into complex social and cultural discussions, showcasing a high literary style and exploring character emotions and development.