Hangover Square

Hangover Square

Company type	Novel
Industry	Literature
Founded	1941
Founder	Patrick Hamilton
Headquarters	London , United Kingdom

Hangover Square is a 1941 novel authored by English playwright and novelist Patrick Hamilton. The narrative explores the life of George Harvey Bone, an alcoholic afflicted with dissociative identity disorder, and his anguished affection for Netta Longdon during the months preceding World War II. Bearing the subtitle A Tale of Darkest Earl's Court, the story unfolds in the London district of Earl's Court in 1939.

Classified as a black comedy, it is frequently considered Hamilton's masterpiece, addressing themes such as social disparity, the ascent of fascism, and the imminent global conflict.

Synopsis

The plot is set shortly before Britain's declaration of war against Germany and revolves around George Harvey Bone, a solitary borderline alcoholic who experiences dissociative identity disorder—referred to as "dead mood"—and sometimes diagnosed as temporal lobe epilepsy. George harbors an intense obsession with Netta, a failed actress within his drinking circle. Although she is repulsed by him, Netta, along with her associate Peter, manipulates George to obtain money and alcohol.

In his dissociative episodes, George feels an uncontrollable urge to kill Netta but retains no memory of these acts afterward. When not in these states, he attempts unsuccessfully to win her affection, including a disastrous visit to Brighton, where Netta brings along Peter and another man with whom she engages in sexual relations next door.

Netta values George beyond his financial resources because of his acquaintance with Johnnie, who is employed by a theatrical agent. She hopes this connection will facilitate an introduction to Eddie Carstairs, a prominent figure in theatre. Ironically, it is George—not Netta—who attends a gathering of theatrical elites, where Eddie dismisses Netta but expresses sincere interest in George.

This hopeful development ends abruptly when George slips into a dead mood and murders both Netta and Peter (the latter described as a "fascist" prior to his death). He then escapes to Maidenhead, which he idealizes as a symbol of traditional English values and happier times shared with his deceased sister Ellen. However, this idealization collapses as Maidenhead proves indistinguishable from Earl's Court. Destitute, George takes his own life by gas poisoning in a boarding house.

Reception and adaptations

Upon its release, Hangover Square was met with critical praise. James Agee described it in the Daily Express as "a magnificent thriller." Michael Sadleir, a friend of Hamilton's, considered it his finest novel, while John Betjeman writing for The Spectator ranked it among "the top class of English novels."

The novel's popularity resulted in a swift film adaptation in 1945 starring Laird Cregar, Linda Darnell, and George Sanders. Notably, the film altered the setting to the Edwardian era rather than the original pre-war period.

External links

• Novelist John Lucas on 'Hangover Square'