Arundel by E.F. Benson (1914)

Name: Arundel
Author: E.F. Benson

The novel "Arundel" by E.F. Benson is a gothic horror story that explores themes of isolation, madness, and the supernatural. The protagonist, a young man named David, inherits a mysterious and isolated estate called Arundel from an unknown relative. Upon his arrival, he discovers that the estate is filled with strange and ominous occurrences, including ghostly apparitions and unexplained noises. As David delves deeper into the history of the estate and the strange happenings within its walls, he begins to question his own sanity and the true nature of reality. The novel builds towards a climactic confrontation between David and the malevolent forces that haunt Arundel, leading to a shocking and unsettling conclusion.

By E.F. Benson · First published 1914 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Adventure, Romance · 14 chapters · 123,891 words

First lines

Colonel Fanshawe was riding slowly back to his bungalow about an hour before the sunset of a hot and brilliant day in the middle of March. He had spent a long day in the saddle, for the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Forces was at Peshawar on a visit of inspection, and he had reviewed and inspected and inspected and reviewed and given medals and colours and compliments and criticism till the whole garrison, who had been under arms on the parade ground since an early hour that morning, was ready to drop with a well-earned fatigue. That evening there was to be a great dinner-party followed by a dance at the house of the Resident. To-morrow the Commander-in-Chief was to go up the Khyber pass, returning just in time to catch the night train to Lahore, arriving there at daybreak, and prepared to spend another day similar to this.

What this Textopian page supports

Arundel is listed on Textopian as a novel by E.F. Benson, dated 1914 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Novel
Author: E.F. Benson
Date: 1914 CE
Language: English
Genres: Historical Fiction, Adventure, Romance
Length: 123,891 words
Structure: 14 chapters, 1,694 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for Arundel by E.F. Benson
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
Readability and classroom-planning context
Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph

Discussion starters

What should a reader notice first when entering Arundel?
How does this novel by E.F. Benson fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Historical Fiction first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Historical Fiction — The novel follows the historical elements of the time period and historical figures such as Richard Coeur de Lion, making the genre most applicable Historical Fiction.
Adventure — The plot features extensive travel and dramatic situations involving main characters, which aligns with the conventions of an Adventure genre.
Romance — Throughout the novel, several romantic relationships are pursued and intricately detailed, making Romance a suitable genre.