The Fortress (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. A Cumbrian Family Saga of Ancestral Conflict, Passion, and Fate in the Lake DistrictBy Hugh Walpole
Length23h 3m
About this audiobook
The Fortress, a central volume in Hugh Walpole's Herries Chronicle, continues the turbulent history of the Herries family amid the stark grandeur of Cumberland. Combining historical romance, family saga, and psychological melodrama, Walpole presents inheritance as both material possession and emotional burden. His prose is richly pictorial, shaped by the landscapes of the Lake District and by a literary lineage that includes Scott, the Brontës, and the Victorian chronicle novel, yet it also reflects the interwar appetite for expansive, fate-haunted narratives. Hugh Walpole (1884–1941), born in New Zealand and educated in England, became one of the most widely read British novelists of his generation. His deep attachment to Cumberland, where he lived for many years, directly nourished the Herries books. A writer influenced by Henry James but drawn to broader popular storytelling, Walpole brought to The Fortress his fascination with place, ancestry, social ambition, and the unstable passions beneath respectable life. This novel is recommended to readers who value atmospheric historical fiction, dynastic conflict, and morally complex characters. It rewards those who enjoy a capacious narrative in which landscape, memory, and family destiny are inseparably entwined.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
GenreGeneral Fiction, Historical Fiction
Length23 hrs 3 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateDec 4, 2023
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Introduction
25PART III
2Introduction
26UHLAND’S JOURNAL
3Synopsis
27WAX FLOWERS AND THE REVOLUTION
4Historical Context
28CHILDE ROLAND TO THE DARK. TOWER
5PART I
29EXHIBITION
Show all chaptersShow less
6MADAME
30THE FUNERAL
7THE SHADOW AGAINST THE SKY
31CLIMAX TO A LONG SEQUENCE
8AT WESTAWAYS
32CLIMAX TO A LONG SEQUENCE
9ADAM’S WORLD
33CLIMAX TO A LONG SEQUENCE
10THE SUMMER FAIR
34PART IV
11THE BEGINNING OF THE FORTRESS
35BIRTH OF VANESSA
12JUDITH AND ADAM IN LONDON
36SAYERS VERSUS HEENAN
13WESTAWAYS: FATHER AND SON
37SHE VISITS THE FORTRESS FOR. THE LAST TIME
14ENTRY OF THE FORTRESS
38ON CAT BELLS: ESCAPE FROM ECSTASY
15END OF PART I
39A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A VERY OLD. LADY
16PART II
40AT VICTORINE’S
17ADAM AND MARGARET
41BATTLE WITH PANGLOSS
18THE BATTLE
42THE HUNDREDTH BIRTHDAY
19THE CHARTISTS
43THE END
20HISTORY OF ELIZABETH
44Footnote
21THE GOVERNESS
45Footnote
22FAMILY LETTERS
46Analysis
23HOMECOMING IN WINTER
47Reflection
24THE WILD GOOSE
48Memorable Quotes
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