The Blue Castle was written
by L. M. Montgomery in 1926. It is the only novel by L. M. Montgomery
fully set outside of her beloved Prince Edward Island and was her first
attempt at an adult novel. Set is Muskoka, Ontario, The Blue Castle details
the life of twenty-nine year old Valancy Stirling. Valancy escapes
her drab and sorrowful world with imaginary escapes to her Blue Castle
in Spain where she is beautiful, charming, admired and loved - everything
her true life lacks. When diagnosed with a heart ailment, Valancy's
complaisance is shattered and she rebels, wanting to "live" for
a short time before she died. She finally breaks from her shell,
saying and doing exactly as she pleases. L. M. Montgomery's beautiful story
of Valancy's revolt against the Stirling clan, her new life and growing
love for the swarthy, unacceptable Barney Snaith is a modern fairy-tale.
As a reference tool, you can look up Blue Castle information in The
Blue Castle Encyclopedia. Warning: it contains spoilers.
Personal Comments:
This novel is one of my favorites
by L. M. Montgomery, despite it's prolonged introduction and it's contrived
ending. In some ways, it in a major break in the mold of Montgomery's
other novels. Though designed as a fairy tale, elements of reality juxtapose
with the unlikely plot twists to create a tale, encompassing a very enchanting,
ethereal property. In some ways it is blunt and realistic, with the
Stirling's emotional abandonment and rejection of Valancy, Abel Gay's alcoholism,
and Cissy's out-of-wedlock pregnancy and death. The censure and rejection
by the town of the main characters (Valancy, Barney, Abel and Cissy) is
depicted as a profound social commentary. These
are some aspects of The Blue Castle that Montgomery probes here,
which she wouldn't dare to touch with Anne.
Barney, of all of Montgomery's male characters I've thus far run into, is the
best developed and most interesting. Valancy is perhaps more human than
most of the females maybe because she has a bit of evil and a bit of a cynic
in her. As a rejected and fatherless child, Valancy fits in with the
other Montgomery heroines, but she stands apart
in her courage because of the fact that she is so alone. She lacks the
friendship of a Diana or an Ilse, and the lacks the protection of a Judy Plum
or a Mr. Stuart. This gives her and her rebellion a different quality
as she enters the real world and leaves behind her world of dreams.
For some reason I took in this book 3 summers ago. I found it at the library after a bit of a search and when I was through with it I tried to find some more info on it. I found a few critical works on it, but there was not a thing online about it.
That fact is what is responsible
for this page and my website, which I created as the first website devoted
to The Blue Castle. It bothered me that this book was so overlooked
because I think there is something very special about it.
Controversy:
The storyline of Ladies of Missalonghi by
the Australian author Colleen McCullough is remarkably similar to
The Blue Castle. McCullough is most famously known for her
book The
Thorn Birds. The book Theosophic thoughts concerning
L. M. Montgomery ; including a 'conference' concerning the Ladies
of
Missalonghi and The Blue Castle by Sylvia DuVernet discusses
the similarities between the stories. From what I remember, Colleen
McCullough read The Blue Castle as a child and believes
she unconsciously and unintentionally plagiarized the plot.
External Blue Castle links (will open in new windows):
L.
M. Montgomery Virtual Museum Exhibit Blue Castle covers
Bala
Museum - setting of the Blue Castle
Valancy
and her Blue Castle
"And
Then There's Maud" by Deborah at Marigold Zine
A review of The
Blue Castle
Last Updated 07.26.07
© An L.M. Montgomery Resource Page and TickledOrange.com