Reginald Blake, Financier and Cad
The novel revolves around the life of Reginald Blake, a wealthy financier who uses his wealth and influence to manipulate those around him for personal gain. He is depicted as a ruthless and cunning individual who has no qualms about using underhanded tactics to achieve his objectives. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Blake's actions have far-reaching consequences, affecting not only those closest to him but also the broader social landscape. The novel explores themes of power, corruption, and the darker aspects of human nature. Through Blake's character, the author critiques the excesses of capitalism and the ways in which wealth and privilege can be used to exploit others. The novel is a scathing indictment of the social elite and their values, raising important questions about morality, ethics, and the responsibilities that come with power.
By Jerome K. Jerome · First published 1906 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Drama, Social Satire · 3,795 words
First lines
The advantage of literature over life is that its characters are clearly defined, and act consistently. Nature, always inartistic, takes pleasure in creating the impossible. Reginald Blake was as typical a specimen of the well-bred cad as one could hope to find between Piccadilly Circus and Hyde Park Corner. Vicious without passion, and possessing brain without mind, existence presented to him no difficulties, while his pleasures brought him no pains. His morality was bounded by the doctor on the one side, and the magistrate on the other. Careful never to outrage the decrees of either, he was at forty-five still healthy, though stout; and had achieved the not too easy task of amassing a fortune while avoiding all risk of Holloway. He and his wife, Edith (_nee_ Eppington), were as ill-matched a couple as could be conceived by any dramatist seeking material for a problem play. As they stood before the altar on their wedding morn, they might have been taken as symbolising satyr and saint. More than twenty years his junior, beautiful with the beauty of a Raphael's Madonna, his every touch of her seemed a sacrilege. Yet once in his life Mr. Blake played the part of a great gentleman; Mrs. Blake, on the same occasion, contenting herself with a singularly mean _role_ -- mean even for a woman in love.
What this Textopian page supports
Reginald Blake, Financier and Cad is listed on Textopian as a short story by Jerome K. Jerome, dated 1906 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Jerome K. Jerome
- Date: 1906 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Literary Fiction, Drama, Social Satire, Romance, Psychological Fiction
- Length: 3,795 words
- Structure: 1 section, 76 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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- Work identity for Reginald Blake, Financier and Cad by Jerome K. Jerome
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Discussion starters
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Similar titles
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- At The Sign Of The Cat And Racket by Honore De Balzac
- An Item Of Fashionable Intelligence by K. Jerome
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- In The Express by Ludovic Halevy
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Genres
- Literary Fiction — The work explores complex characters and moral dilemmas, focusing on social commentary and human relationships.
- Drama — The narrative features intense emotional conflicts and character interactions that resemble a theatrical play.
- Social Satire — The text critiques societal norms and the hypocrisy of social conventions, particularly regarding marriage and morality.
- Romance — The story involves romantic entanglements and the exploration of love, desire, and betrayal.
Tags
Satire · Social Commentary · Financial Fiction · Comedy of Manners · Novel of Morals · Character Study · Upper Class Life · London Setting · Edwardian Era · Romance · Marriage · Deception