Lower than Vermin
| Industry | Publishing |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
Lower than Vermin is a novel published in 1950 by the English writer Dornford Yates (Cecil William Mercer). Despite its publication, the book did not achieve commercial success, as it depicted a lost pre-war world of aristocratic figures that failed to resonate with readers of the 1950s.
The title is inspired by a 1948 address from Labour minister Aneurin Bevan, who labeled the Conservative Party as "lower than vermin."
Plot
The story follows the journey of an aristocratic family from the time of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee up to the period after the Second World War, with much of the narrative delivered through the perspective of their governess, Miss Carson.
Background
Mercer was critical of the social changes following the war and, in response to audience demand, returned to his preferred pre-war era. He expressed, "What we used to call the nobility and gentry of England have been so monstrously misaligned and misrepresented... that I felt it was only right that some author of standing should present a true picture of them and their habits and manners before it was too late."
Critical reception
According to Mercer's biographer AJ Smithers, Mercer maintained a persistent idealization of the English gentry shaped before 1914 and preserved "like a fly in amber." The novel did not perform well commercially, as post-war readers regarded it as an outdated stereotype disconnected from contemporary life.