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Decline and Fall

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755: 253:, in 1928, praised the book as "a great lark; its author has an agreeable sense of comedy and characterisation, and the gift of writing smart and telling conversation, while his drawings are quite in tune with the spirit of the tale". The newspaper also compared the superficial presentation in the novel to that employed by 228:
running a chain of high-class brothels in Latin America. She however wants to marry him. First he has to fly to Marseille, where a consignment of her girls bound for Brazil has been held up by the police, who need bribing. Paul's activities there are shadowed by his college friend Potts, who now works for the
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Back in London, he is arrested on the morning of the wedding and, taking the fall to protect his fiancée's honour, is sentenced to seven years in prison for traffic in prostitution. In jail he meets several former staff from Llanabba, which has been closed. Unable to wait seven years, Margot marries
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Attracted to the mother of one of his pupils, a wealthy widow called the Honourable Margot Beste-Chetwynde, he is delighted to be hired by her as tutor to her son during the vacation. Living in her country mansion, he becomes aware of her lovers and drug use but fails to realise that her business is
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Waugh read both Gibbon and Spengler while writing his first novel. Waugh's satire is unambiguously hostile to much that was in vogue in the late 1920s, and "themes of cultural confusion, moral disorientation and social bedlam ... both drive the novel forward and fuel its humour". This "undertow
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Deciding to resume his interrupted theological studies, Paul grows a heavy moustache and applies under his own name to Scone, saying he is a distant cousin of the dead criminal. The novel ends as it started, with Paul sitting in his room listening to the distant shouts of the Bollinger Club.
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without his trousers. Having thereby defaulted on the conditions of his inheritance, he is forced to take a job teaching at an obscure private school in Wales called Llanabba, run by Dr Fagan. Paul soon discovers that the other masters are all failures in life.
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called it "delicately constructed and pitch-perfect." Ellen E. Jones remarked on the show's "many enjoyable performances," especially that of Hodge as the "drink-soaked deviant" Captain Grimes, adding, "Give him a spin-off series immediately."
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a government minister, who arranges for Paul to be rushed from prison to a private clinic for an urgent operation. The clinic is run by Dr Fagan, who certifies that Paul died under anaesthetic and puts him on a boat to Greece.
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of moral seriousness provides a crucial tension within , but it does not dominate them". Waugh himself stated in his author's note to the first edition "Please bear in mind throughout that IT IS MEANT TO BE FUNNY".
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visited me and brought a copy. He began to read out some favourite passages and was literally unable to read them to the end because he and I were so overcome by laughter."
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as the book he would take to a desert island, calling it "one of the funniest books I've ever read" and "exactly the sort of novel I would like to have written."
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In the text of the 1962 Uniform Edition of the novel Waugh restored a number of words and phrases which he had been asked to suppress for the first edition.
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as Mr Prendergast. The production was the book's first television adaptation, and received largely positive reviews. Alastair Mckay with the
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that employs the author's characteristic black humour in lampooning various features of British society in the 1920s.
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Modest and unassuming theology student Paul Pennyfeather falls victim to the drunken antics of the
158: 769: 994: 185: 949: 351: 1198: 799: 143:, first published in 1928. It was Waugh's first published novel; an earlier attempt, titled 1037: 1018: 918: 910: 894: 216: 145: 8: 1002: 599: 292: 553: 1161: 886: 382: 1061: 986: 870: 629: 575: 537: 492: 463: 440: 229: 509:"Penguin UK Issue TV Tie-in Edition of Decline and Fall | The Evelyn Waugh Society" 414: 409: 339: 327: 83: 779: 1131: 934: 774: 261:
hailed it as "an uncompromising and brilliantly malicious satire" and the writer
254: 180: 161:, and his experience as a teacher at Arnold House in north Wales. It is a social 154: 1119: 862: 393: 358: 319: 258: 1218: 1125: 878: 760: 645: 579: 405: 370: 366: 347: 331: 262: 169: 670: 1178: 1143: 822: 401: 397: 374: 343: 335: 249: 200: 140: 49: 1188: 1155: 1137: 854: 378: 323: 284: 124: 547: 1149: 362: 273: 35: 735:
Jones, Ellen E (31 March 2017). "Twenties school daze for Whitehall".
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called it Waugh's "most perfect novel ... a ruthlessly comic plot."
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David Bradshaw xxv/xxvi introduction 2001 Penguin edition
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The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
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It was dramatised again in 2015 by BBC Radio 4, with
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David Bradshaw, Introduction p. xviii Penguin 2001,
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London: Everyman's Library. p. x. 279:recalled, "I was in a nursing home when 434: 1240:Novels set in the University of Oxford 1217: 646:"Desert Island Discs – David Mitchell" 565: 556:, Evelyn Waugh Newsletter, Winter 1974 168:The novel's title is a contraction of 795: 734: 719: 713: 554:Vile Bodies: A Revolution In Film Art 322:, and also by Jeremy Front in a 2008 243: 1046:Decline and Fall... of a Birdwatcher 728: 315:Decline and Fall... of a Birdwatcher 696:"Meet the cast of Decline and Fall" 613:Evelyn Waugh, the Critical Heritage 611:Quoted in Martin Stannard(editor), 219:for running through the grounds of 13: 215:and is subsequently expelled from 14: 1266: 1250:British novels adapted into films 746: 307: 296:, the British actor and comedian 232:investigating human trafficking. 139:is a novel by the English author 21:Decline and Fall (disambiguation) 821: 753: 688: 663: 638: 618: 605: 437:Decline and Fall (Introduction) 206: 593: 566:Heffer, Simon (29 July 2016). 559: 526: 501: 491:Oxford, Basil Blackwell, 1983 481: 472: 453: 428: 1: 968:The Ordeal of Gilbert Pinfold 602:The Guardian. 12 October 1928 422: 203:, "in homage and affection". 671:"BBC One – Decline and Fall" 489:The Writings of Evelyn Waugh 7: 404:as Margot Beste-Chetwynde, 390:three-part TV dramatisation 388:In 2017 the BBC produced a 346:as Margot Beste-Chetwynde, 199:The novel was dedicated to 10: 1271: 903:Scott-King's Modern Europe 18: 1171: 1112: 1029: 978: 838: 829: 626:Evelyn Waugh: A Biography 157:, undergraduate years at 119: 107: 99: 89: 79: 71: 63: 55: 45: 33: 16:1928 book by Evelyn Waugh 1245:Chapman & Hall books 159:Hertford College, Oxford 995:When the Going Was Good 958:Unconditional Surrender 435:Kermode, Frank (1993). 408:as Captain Grimes, and 186:The Decline of the West 1235:Novels by Evelyn Waugh 950:Officers and Gentlemen 534:Memoirs of an Aesthete 513:evelynwaughsociety.org 396:as Paul Pennyfeather, 1230:British comedy novels 1199:Aloysius (teddy bear) 290:In a 2009 episode of 1203:Brideshead Revisited 1094:Brideshead Revisited 1054:Brideshead Revisited 1019:The Temple at Thatch 895:Brideshead Revisited 624:Sykes, Christopher. 326:production starring 146:The Temple at Thatch 19:For other uses, see 1225:1928 British novels 1086:Bright Young Things 1003:A Tourist in Africa 572:The Daily Telegraph 381:as Prendergast and 293:Desert Island Discs 40:First edition cover 30: 1162:Combe Florey House 887:Put Out More Flags 383:Geoffrey Whitehead 244:Critical reception 28: 1255:1928 debut novels 1212: 1211: 1070:A Handful of Dust 1011:A Little Learning 987:Robbery Under Law 871:A Handful of Dust 468:978-0-14-118090-8 361:as Pennyfeather, 330:as Pennyfeather, 277:Christopher Sykes 230:League of Nations 132: 131: 100:Publication place 29:Decline and Fall 1262: 1102:Decline and Fall 1065:(TV movie, 1987) 847:Decline and Fall 816: 809: 802: 793: 792: 781:Decline and Fall 770:Decline and Fall 763: 758: 757: 741: 740: 737:Evening Standard 732: 726: 725: 722:Evening Standard 717: 711: 710: 708: 706: 692: 686: 685: 683: 681: 667: 661: 660: 658: 656: 642: 636: 622: 616: 609: 603: 597: 591: 590: 588: 586: 563: 557: 551: 545: 530: 524: 523: 521: 519: 505: 499: 487:Ian Littlewood, 485: 479: 476: 470: 461:Decline and Fall 457: 451: 450: 432: 415:Evening Standard 410:Vincent Franklin 350:as Flossie, and 340:Edward Hardwicke 338:as Prendergast, 328:Alistair McGowan 302:Decline and Fall 281:Decline and Fall 151:Decline and Fall 136:Decline and Fall 120:Followed by 91:Publication date 84:Chapman and Hall 38: 31: 27: 1270: 1269: 1265: 1264: 1263: 1261: 1260: 1259: 1215: 1214: 1213: 1208: 1167: 1140:(granddaughter) 1132:Alexander Waugh 1108: 1081:(TV film, 2001) 1078:Sword of Honour 1025: 974: 935:Sword of Honour 834: 825: 820: 775:Standard Ebooks 759: 752: 749: 744: 733: 729: 718: 714: 704: 702: 694: 693: 689: 679: 677: 669: 668: 664: 654: 652: 644: 643: 639: 623: 619: 610: 606: 598: 594: 584: 582: 564: 560: 552: 548: 531: 527: 517: 515: 507: 506: 502: 486: 482: 477: 473: 458: 454: 447: 433: 429: 425: 310: 255:P. 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Wodehouse 246: 209: 181:Oswald Spengler 155:Lancing College 112: 92: 41: 24: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1268: 1258: 1257: 1252: 1247: 1242: 1237: 1232: 1227: 1210: 1209: 1207: 1206: 1196: 1186: 1175: 1173: 1169: 1168: 1166: 1165: 1159: 1153: 1147: 1141: 1135: 1129: 1123: 1120:Evelyn Gardner 1116: 1114: 1110: 1109: 1107: 1106: 1098: 1090: 1082: 1074: 1066: 1058: 1050: 1042: 1033: 1031: 1027: 1026: 1024: 1023: 1015: 1007: 999: 991: 982: 980: 976: 975: 973: 972: 964: 963: 962: 954: 946: 931: 923: 915: 907: 899: 891: 883: 875: 867: 863:Black Mischief 859: 851: 842: 840: 836: 835: 830: 827: 826: 819: 818: 811: 804: 796: 790: 789: 777: 765: 764: 748: 747:External links 745: 743: 742: 727: 712: 687: 662: 637: 617: 604: 592: 558: 546: 525: 500: 480: 471: 452: 445: 426: 424: 421: 394:Jack Whitehall 359:Kieran Hodgson 352:Richard Pearce 320:Robin Phillips 309: 308:In other media 306: 298:David Mitchell 283:came out, and 259:Arnold Bennett 245: 242: 213:Bollinger Club 208: 205: 130: 129: 121: 117: 116: 113: 108: 105: 104: 103:United Kingdom 101: 97: 96: 93: 90: 87: 86: 81: 77: 76: 73: 69: 68: 65: 61: 60: 57: 53: 52: 47: 43: 42: 39: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1267: 1256: 1253: 1251: 1248: 1246: 1243: 1241: 1238: 1236: 1233: 1231: 1228: 1226: 1223: 1222: 1220: 1204: 1200: 1197: 1194: 1190: 1187: 1184: 1180: 1177: 1176: 1174: 1170: 1163: 1160: 1157: 1154: 1151: 1148: 1145: 1142: 1139: 1136: 1133: 1130: 1127: 1126:Auberon Waugh 1124: 1121: 1118: 1117: 1115: 1111: 1104: 1103: 1099: 1096: 1095: 1091: 1088: 1087: 1083: 1080: 1079: 1075: 1072: 1071: 1067: 1064: 1063: 1059: 1056: 1055: 1051: 1048: 1047: 1043: 1040: 1039: 1038:The Loved One 1035: 1034: 1032: 1028: 1022:(unpublished) 1021: 1020: 1016: 1013: 1012: 1008: 1005: 1004: 1000: 997: 996: 992: 989: 988: 984: 983: 981: 977: 970: 969: 965: 960: 959: 955: 952: 951: 947: 944: 943: 939: 938: 937: 936: 932: 929: 928: 924: 921: 920: 916: 913: 912: 911:The Loved One 908: 905: 904: 900: 897: 896: 892: 889: 888: 884: 881: 880: 876: 873: 872: 868: 865: 864: 860: 857: 856: 852: 849: 848: 844: 843: 841: 837: 833: 828: 824: 817: 812: 810: 805: 803: 798: 797: 794: 787: 783: 782: 778: 776: 772: 771: 767: 766: 762: 761:Novels portal 756: 751: 738: 731: 723: 716: 701: 697: 691: 676: 672: 666: 651: 647: 641: 635: 634:0-316-82600-6 631: 627: 621: 614: 608: 601: 596: 581: 577: 573: 569: 562: 555: 550: 543: 542:9780571247660 539: 535: 529: 514: 510: 504: 498: 497:9780631136064 494: 490: 484: 475: 469: 465: 462: 456: 448: 442: 438: 431: 427: 420: 417: 416: 411: 407: 406:Douglas Hodge 403: 400:as Dr Fagan, 399: 395: 391: 386: 384: 380: 376: 372: 371:John Sessions 368: 367:Tom Hollander 364: 360: 355: 353: 349: 348:Emma Fielding 345: 341: 337: 333: 332:Jim Broadbent 329: 325: 321: 317: 316: 305: 303: 299: 295: 294: 288: 286: 282: 278: 275: 271: 266: 264: 263:John Mortimer 260: 256: 252: 251: 241: 237: 233: 231: 225: 222: 221:Scone College 218: 214: 204: 202: 197: 194: 190: 188: 187: 182: 178: 176: 171: 170:Edward Gibbon 166: 164: 160: 156: 152: 148: 147: 142: 138: 137: 128: 126: 122: 118: 114: 111: 110:Dewey Decimal 106: 102: 98: 94: 88: 85: 82: 78: 74: 70: 66: 62: 58: 54: 51: 48: 44: 37: 32: 26: 22: 1202: 1192: 1182: 1179:William Boot 1144:Arthur Waugh 1122:(first wife) 1100: 1097:(film, 2008) 1092: 1089:(film, 2003) 1084: 1076: 1073:(film, 1988) 1068: 1060: 1052: 1049:(film, 1968) 1044: 1041:(film, 1965) 1036: 1017: 1009: 1001: 993: 985: 966: 956: 948: 940: 933: 925: 917: 909: 901: 893: 885: 877: 869: 861: 853: 846: 845: 832:Bibliography 823:Evelyn Waugh 780: 768: 736: 730: 721: 715: 703:. 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Index

Decline and Fall (disambiguation)

Evelyn Waugh
Chapman and Hall
Dewey Decimal
Vile Bodies
Evelyn Waugh
The Temple at Thatch
Lancing College
Hertford College, Oxford
satire
Edward Gibbon
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
Oswald Spengler
The Decline of the West
Harold Acton
Bollinger Club
Oxford
Scone College
League of Nations
The Guardian
P. G. Wodehouse
Arnold Bennett
John Mortimer
biography
journalist
Christopher Sykes
Tom Driberg
Desert Island Discs
David Mitchell

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