Good Morning, Midnight (Rhys novel)
| Company type | Novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Literature |
| Founded | 1939 |
| Founder | Jean Rhys |
| Products | Modernist novel |
Good Morning, Midnight is a 1939 modernist novel authored by Jean Rhys. Regarded as a follow-up to her previous works—Quartet (1928), After Leaving Mr. Mackenzie (1931), and Voyage in the Dark (1934)—this experimental narrative delves into themes of female fragility, despair, and solitude set against the backdrop of the interwar period.
Although the book received critical acclaim for its prose, its bleak atmosphere led to disappointing sales initially. After publication, Rhys's presence in the literary world diminished until renewed attention emerged when Selma Vaz Dias adapted the story into a 1957 BBC radio drama.
Background
The novel’s title is inspired by a poem from American poet Emily Dickinson, whose verses echo the motifs of fatigue and loneliness found throughout the text.
Plot introduction
Sasha Jansen, an Englishwoman in her middle years, returns to Paris after a lengthy absence. Financially unstable and reliant on a friend's loan, she grapples with memories of a troubled marriage and the loss of her child. Battling alcoholism and neglecting herself, Sasha wanders through a city that embodies both painful memories and lingering ties.
Reception and resurgence of popularity
Although early reviewers recognized the novel’s literary merit, many were discouraged by its dark tone.
Following the 1939 publication, Rhys vanished from public literary view, with some believing she had passed away. When Selma Vaz Dias sought to adapt the novel for theater in 1949, her husband placed advertisements to locate Rhys and obtain her approval, which she gave eagerly. Rhys credited Dias with rekindling her motivation to write. The adaptation was broadcast on BBC radio in 1957.
In 1973, V. S. Naipaul described it as "the most subtle and complete of [Rhys'] novels, and the most humane."
The novel’s themes and Rhys's personal hardships inspired Irish folk artist Maija Sofia’s track 'The Glitter' on her debut album Bath Time, which focuses on women historically marginalized.
Sources
- Frickey, Pierrette M. (1990). Critical Perspectives on Jean Rhys. Washington, DC: Lynne Rienner Publishers. .
- Lindfords, Bernth, and Reinhard Sander. (1992). Dictionary of Literary Biography, Volume 117: Twentieth-Century Caribbean and Black African Writers, First Series. The Gale Group. pp. 258–278.
- Savory, Elaine. (1998). Chapter 5. Dangerous spirit, bitterly amused: Good Morning, Midnight, pages 109–132 in Jean Rhys. Cambridge University Press. .