The Burning Spear by John Galsworthy

Name: The Burning Spear
Author: John Galsworthy

The novel revolves around the life of a young man who becomes involved with a group of revolutionaries fighting against an oppressive government. He witnesses the brutal suppression of their uprising and begins to question his own involvement in the movement. The story explores themes of idealism, morality, and the complexities of human nature.

By John Galsworthy · First published 1908 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Drama, Social Commentary · 21 chapters · 58,301 words

First lines

In the year -- there dwelt on Hampstead Heath a small thin gentleman of fifty-eight, gentle disposition, and independent means, whose wits had become somewhat addled from reading the writings and speeches of public men. The castle which, like every Englishman, he inhabited was embedded in lilac bushes and laburnums, and was attached to another castle, embedded, in deference to our national dislike of uniformity, in acacias and laurustinus. Our gentleman, whose name was John Lavender, had until the days of the Great War passed one of those curious existences are sometimes to be met with, in doing harm to nobody. He had been brought up to the Bar, but like most barristers had never practised, and had spent his time among animals and the wisdom of the past. At the period in which this record opens he owned a young female sheep-dog called Blink, with beautiful eyes obscured by hair; and was attended to by a thin and energetic housekeeper, in his estimation above all weakness, whose name was Marian Petty, and by her husband, his chauffeur, whose name was Joe.

What this Textopian page supports

The Burning Spear is listed on Textopian as a novel by John Galsworthy, dated 1908 CE.

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

Work type: Novel
Author: John Galsworthy
Date: 1908 CE
Language: English
Genres: Literary Fiction, Drama, Social Commentary, Historical Fiction, Philosophical Fiction
Length: 58,301 words
Structure: 21 chapters, 1,275 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

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Discussion starters

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Where does Literary Fiction first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Literary Fiction — The work explores complex characters and themes, focusing on human experiences and societal issues.
Drama — The narrative involves intense emotional conflicts and character-driven plots typical of dramatic literature.
Social Commentary — The text critiques social norms and issues, reflecting on the human condition and societal structures.
Historical Fiction — The setting and context provide a backdrop that reflects historical realities and influences on the characters.