Possession: A Romance is a 1990 bestselling book written by English author A. S. Byatt. It won the 1990 Booker Prize for Fiction. The book is part of a type of story that mixes historical events with stories about how stories are told.
The story follows two modern-day scholars who study the hidden love story between two famous fictional poets, Randolph Henry Ash and Christabel LaMotte. The book takes place in both the present day and the Victorian era. It shows differences and similarities between these time periods, while also making fun of how scholars behave today and how people find love. The book uses many styles, such as diary entries, letters, and poems, to explore questions about how stories shape our understanding of history. The title Possession relates to themes like the power of love, the way people collect important cultural items, and how biographers feel a strong connection to the people they write about.
The book was made into a movie in 2002 with the same name. It was also turned into a radio play that aired on BBC Radio 4 from 2011 to 2012. In 2005, Time Magazine listed the book as one of the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to 2005. In 2003, the book was included in the BBC’s The Big Read survey.
Background
The novel is about the relationship between two imaginary Victorian poets, Randolph Henry Ash (whose life and work are inspired by those of the real-life English poet Robert Browning or Alfred, Lord Tennyson, whose writing matches the themes in Ash's work, as well as Tennyson's role as Queen Victoria's poet-laureate) and Christabel LaMotte (based on the real-life poet Christina Rossetti). This story is uncovered by modern scholars, Roland Michell and Maud Bailey. By following clues in letters and journals, they work together to learn the truth about Ash and LaMotte's relationship before their rivals find out. Byatt includes many letters, poems, and diaries from important characters in the story, along with poems written by the fictional Ash and LaMotte.
A. S. Byatt partly wrote Possession as a response to John Fowles' novel The French Lieutenant's Woman (1969). In an essay from Byatt's nonfiction book, On Histories and Stories, she wrote: /think
Plot summary
A little-known scholar named Roland Michell, while researching at the London Library, finds handwritten drafts of a letter written by Randolph Henry Ash, a famous Victorian poet. These drafts make him think that Ash, who was married, may have had a secret romantic relationship. Michell secretly takes the documents, which is not a proper action for a scholar, and begins to look into the matter. His search leads him to Christabel LaMotte, a less-known poet who lived at the same time as Ash, and to Dr. Maud Bailey, a respected modern scholar of LaMotte and a distant relative of LaMotte. Bailey, who cares deeply about protecting LaMotte's legacy, helps Michell investigate. Together, they find more letters and evidence suggesting that Ash and LaMotte had a love affair, including hints that they may have spent time together during a trip. The two scholars become deeply focused on uncovering the truth. Meanwhile, both Michell and Bailey are unhappy with their own personal relationships and begin to develop feelings for each other, mirroring the relationship between Ash and LaMotte. The stories of the two couples are told at the same time, including letters and poems written by the poets.
Discovering that Ash and LaMotte had an affair would be a major event in academic circles because of their fame. Colleagues of Michell and Bailey compete to find the truth for different reasons. It is revealed that Ash’s marriage was never completed, though he loved and stayed loyal to his wife. Ash and LaMotte had a brief but intense affair, which led to the suicide of LaMotte’s companion, Blanche Glover, and the secret birth of LaMotte’s child during a year in Brittany. LaMotte left the child with her sister to raise, pretending the child was her own. Ash was never told that he and LaMotte had a child.
As the Great Storm of 1987 hits England, Michell and Bailey meet at Ash’s grave to dig up documents that Ash’s wife had buried with him, believing they hold the final answer to the mystery. They also find a strand of hair. When Maud Bailey reads the documents, she learns that she is not related to LaMotte’s sister, as she had always believed, but is instead directly descended from LaMotte and Ash’s child. This makes her the heir to the letters written by the poets. With the original letters now in her possession, Michell avoids serious consequences for stealing them from the library. He sees a future in his academic career. Bailey, who has always kept her emotions hidden, begins to see the possibility of a happy future with Michell.
In an ending scene, Ash meets his daughter, Maia, in the countryside. Maia speaks with Ash briefly. Ash makes her a crown of flowers and asks for a strand of her hair. This hair is the same strand found buried with Ash, which the scholars had believed belonged to LaMotte. It is now clear that the scholars and readers misunderstood the meaning of one of Ash’s important keepsakes. Ash asks Maia to tell LaMotte that he has moved on from their relationship and is happy. After Ash leaves, Maia goes home, breaks the crown of flowers while playing, and forgets to deliver the message to LaMotte.
Reception
American writer Jay Parini, writing in The New York Times, said, "many surprises await the reader of this beautifully written novel. A. S. Byatt is a writer in the middle of her career, and her book Possession is an outstanding work that shows all the ways English fiction can be written, without ever losing its ability to please." He also noted, "The most impressive part of Possession is Ms. Byatt's clever creation of letters, poems, and diaries from the 19th century."
Critic Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, writing in The New York Times, described Possession as a "richly detailed novel" that is "clearly titled 'A Romance.'" He said the book is both "a detective story" and "a story about an affair."
In an online article for The Guardian, Sam Jordison, who previously did not believe much in Byatt's work, wrote that he was "surprised by Possession's warmth and humor." He said, "Everything in the book is a source of fun." He added that the invented historical texts "create a strong impression" and that "fun and knowledgeable ideas are shown throughout the book." He also noted that "more than 1,700 lines of original poetry" appear in the book. He concluded, "The whole book is a big challenge—yet it is satisfying on an intellectual level. However, the real strength of Possession is the warmth and spirit that Byatt has given her characters. These qualities make readers care about them, not just their clever ideas. In the end, I loved the book."
Adaptations
The novel was made into a 2002 movie with the same name. Gwyneth Paltrow played Maud Bailey, Aaron Eckhart played Roland Michell, and Jeremy Northam and Jennifer Ehle played the fictional poets Randolph Henry Ash and Christabel LaMotte. The movie is very different from the novel.
The novel was also made into a radio play. It was broadcast in 15 parts from December 19, 2011, to January 6, 2012, on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour. Jemma Redgrave played Maud, Harry Hadden-Paton played Roland, James D'Arcy played Ash, and Rachael Stirling played LaMotte.