Enoch Soames, A Memory of the Eighteen-nineties
Enoch Soames is a struggling poet in 1890s London. He is convinced that he is a genius, but his work is largely ignored by the literary establishment. Desperate for recognition, he makes a deal with the devil: in exchange for his soul, he will be allowed to travel forward in time to the year 1997, to see if his work has been remembered. Soames travels to the future and discovers that he is indeed remembered, but not in the way he had hoped. He is remembered as a joke, a figure of fun, and his work is largely forgotten. He returns to the past, his soul intact, but his dreams of literary immortality shattered.
By Max Beerbohm · First published 1919 · Genre: Fantasy, Satire, Historical Fiction · 11,330 words
First lines
When a book about the literature of the eighteen-nineties was given by
Mr. Holbrook Jackson to the world, I looked eagerly in the index for
What this Textopian page supports
Enoch Soames, A Memory of the Eighteen-nineties is listed on Textopian as a novella by Max Beerbohm, dated 1919 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novella
- Author: Max Beerbohm
- Date: 1919 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fantasy, Satire, Historical Fiction, Humor
- Length: 11,330 words
- Structure: 1 section, 252 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Enoch Soames, A Memory of the Eighteen-nineties by Max Beerbohm
- 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 Enoch Soames, A Memory of the Eighteen-nineties?
- How does this novella by Max Beerbohm fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fantasy first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Fantasy — The book follows the story of Enoch Soames, a fictional character who travels through time to the future to discover his literary legacy.
- Satire — The book is a satirical take on the literary world of the late 19th century, poking fun at the vanity of authors and the pretentiousness of literary critics.
- Historical Fiction — The book is set in the late 19th century and is heavily influenced by the culture and events of the time period.
- Humor — The book is full of witty dialogue and humorous situations, making it a lighthearted read.
Tags
Character sketches · Short stories · afternoon · art · berthe · book · chair · comedy · day · devil · enoch · eyes