Novel Under The Volcano

Under the Volcano was first published in 1947, but the real story began 11 years before that in 1936 when the writer Malcolm Lowry went to Mexico and lived in Cuernavaca with his first wife, Jan Gabrial.

Lowry wrote this novel after seeing a man dying on the side of the road while traveling through Mexico by bus. Lowry and his wife are advised to not get off the bus and disturbing. Then they saw a pelado (Vagrant) stole his money. This story evolved into a novel completed in 1940, but Lowry feels still needs to be revised again and again, just end up getting published in 1947.

Except for the chapter frame the story, a story in this novel only lasted for one day. The main character is Geoffrey Firmin aka Consul, middle-aged men who are addicted to alcohol in Quauhnahuac (Cuernavaca), Mexico. A month ago he and his wife Yvonne separated. During a break, Yvonne has several times sent a letter asking to make it up again (it turns out all these letters have never been accepted by Geoffrey). and on that day he returned to Cuernavaca to make one last attempt to save their marriage. On that day the Consul's half-brother, Hugh has come in Cuernavaca from the United States

This book is a tragedy: each of the three leaders met with guilt: Consul who became a drunkard, Yvonne cheating on her husband and leave her marriage, and Hugh felt his youth will fail.

This novel takes the background while. A celebration in Mexico to pray and remember your friends and family members who have died. When the people of Mexico are happy, Counsul, Yvonne, and Hugh, feel their life is over and has no meaning anymore.

Under The Volcano itself has been filmed in the know, 1984, directed by John Huston with a starring Albert Finney, Jacqueline Bisset, Anthony Andrews and Katy Jurado. The film received Oscar nominations for Best Actor (Albert Finney) and Best Music, Original Score.

Novel Data:

Author: Malcolm Lowry
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English
Genre: Tragedy, Drama