An Old Meerschaum
"An Old Meerschaum" by David Christie Murray: A literary analysis of the themes of nostalgia and the passage of time.
By David Christie Murray · First published 1897 · Genre: Mystery, Adventure, Historical · 5 chapters · 18,211 words
First lines
The market-place at Trieste lay in a blaze of colour under the June sunlight. The scent of fruits and flowers was heavy on the air. A faint-hearted breeze which scarcely dared to blow came up from the harbour now and again, and made the heat just bearable. Mr. William Holmes Barndale, of Barndale in the county of Surrey, and King's Bench Walk-, Temple, sat in shadow in front of a restaurant with his legs comfortably thrust forth and his hat tilted over his eyes. He pulled his tawny beard lazily with one hand, and with the other caressed a great tumbler of iced beer. He was beautifully happy in his perfect idleness, and a sense was upon him of the eternal fitness of things in general. In the absolute serenity of his beatitude he fell asleep, with one hand still lazily clutching his beard, and the other still lingering lovingly near the great tumbler. This was surely not surprising, and on the face of things it would not have seemed that there was any reason for blushing at him.
What this Textopian page supports
An Old Meerschaum is listed on Textopian as a novel by David Christie Murray, dated 1897 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: David Christie Murray
- Date: 1897 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Mystery, Adventure, Historical, Romance, Detective
- Length: 18,211 words
- Structure: 5 chapters, 310 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for An Old Meerschaum by David Christie Murray
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering An Old Meerschaum?
- How does this novel by David Christie Murray fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
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Genres
- Mystery — The book focuses on the solving of an enigmatic situation, resembling a classic whodunit mystery story.
- Adventure — The protagonist embarks on a quest filled with action and danger, suggestive of adventure genre.
- Historical — Two timelines are used, leading to a historical plot set in the Victorian era.
- Romance — There are subplots and elements involving romantic relationships between characters.
Tags
literature · fiction · 19th century · novel · character study · social commentary · British literature · cultural themes · identity · nostalgia · relationships · personal growth