The Magus
"John Fowles"
"The Magus" is a suspenseful novel written by John Robert Fowles.
It was first published in 1965 and tells the story of a young man
named Nicholas Urfe. The book revolves around Nicholas, who becomes
friends with a dangerous and captivating millionaire after
accepting a teaching position on a secluded island.
John Robert Fowles, the author of the novel, was known for his
best-selling works and his career as a teacher across Europe before
becoming a full-time novelist. He had a strict and traditional
upbringing, which influenced his writing style. Fowles often
explored the theme of escaping oppressive authority figures in his
works, including "The Magus." In addition to novels, he wrote
critical essays, introductions to other novels, and book
reviews.
The protagonist, Nicholas Urfe, is portrayed as a young man who
lacks a clear purpose in life, despite his advantageous
circumstances. He comes from a wealthy background and has
successfully graduated from Oxford University with an excellent
degree. Nicholas also works as a teacher at a prestigious public
school in England. However, he remains unsatisfied with his life,
constantly yearning for something better, whether it's a new
relationship or a new project.
At the beginning of the story, Nicholas spends most of his time
teaching and engaging in relationships with various women. It is
during this time that he receives an opportunity to teach English
at a remote school in Greece for a year. Nicholas, being an
adventurer at heart, eagerly seizes this chance for a change of
scenery and experiences. Before embarking on his journey to Greece,
he becomes involved with an air hostess named Alison. Their
encounters are filled with passion and excitement, adding a
thrilling element to Nicholas's life.
Nicholas Urfe arrives on the picturesque Greek island of Phraxos
and feels a sense of contentment that is rare for him. The island
is filled with warmth, sunshine, and stunning beauty. Despite this,
Nicholas's former romantic interest, Alison, attempts to reach out
to him, but he no longer cares about her and is determined to make
the most of his time in Phraxos.
Excitedly, Nicholas shares his enthusiasm about the island with an
old colleague. However, his colleague's reaction is not what he
expected. Instead of sharing in his excitement, the colleague warns
Nicholas about the dangers of the island, specifically mentioning
something called the waiting room. Nicholas is instructed to avoid
this room at all costs. Despite his curiosity,Nicholas's attempts to extract more information from his
colleague are futile. He dismisses the warnings, believing that his
colleague is simply jealous and attempting to frighten him. As a
result, Nicholas decides to put the waiting room out of his
mind.
While Phraxos initially appears enjoyable, Nicholas soon finds
himself feeling bored and restricted. Apart from his teaching
duties, there isn't much to occupy his time. Frustrated and longing
for romantic encounters, he searches for women on the island but
fails to find any. Determined to satisfy his desires, Nicholas
ventures out at night when no one is watching, hoping to discover
the presence of women on the island. Eventually, he stumbles upon a
hidden villa that suggests the presence of female inhabitants.
However, his attempts to gain entry are met with silence as no one
answers the door. Filled with disappointment, Nicholas abandons
hope and decides to travel to Athens on the mainland.
In Athens, Nicholas indulges in a night of pleasure with
courtesans. Although he finds the experience enjoyable, it comes at
a cost as he contracts a sexually transmitted disease(STD).
Upon returning to Phraxos, Nicholas Urfe decides to shift his focus
towards settling down and getting through the year ahead. Despite
the potential health risks associated with his previous visit, he
acknowledges that he can always return to Athens if necessary. As
he begins to forget about his pursuit of women, an enigmatic woman
suddenly enters the scene. She sends Nicholas a book of love
poetry, extending an invitation for him to find her.
Intrigued by the clues provided, Nicholas follows them back to the
old villa he had previously encountered. Upon his arrival, a man
named Maurice Conchis opens the door. Conchis warmly invites
Nicholas inside and offers him dinner. Although Nicholas's primary
intention is to seek out women, he agrees to accept Conchis's
hospitality. During their conversation, Conchis divulges details
about his own life and past romantic conquests, but Nicholas
remains unimpressed by the tales.
Eventually, the woman of interest, named Lily, makes her
appearance. Conchis confesses that he once harbored deep love for
Lily, but their relationship has since come to an end. Nicholas
finds Lily incredibly attractive and immediately desires to pursue
a physical relationship with her. However, Lily rejects his
numerous advances, indicating that she has no intention of sleeping
with him. While denying leaving the poetry book for Nicholas, he
recognizes that she is, indeed, responsiblefor its delivery.
As Nicholas becomes increasingly aware of Lily's observant
behavior, he realizes that she has been discreetly watching him.
With each passing day and week, Nicholas becomes more and more
obsessed with her. His determination intensifies as he becomes
fixated on the idea of having sex with Lily before he leaves the
island.
However, before Nicholas can fulfill his desires, he is
unexpectedly kidnapped and held captive by masked men. These men
transport him to the mysterious waiting room, a location previously
mentioned as dangerous by his colleague. In this room, the masked
men eventually reveal their identities, forcefully stripping
Nicholas naked. It becomes evident that he has become a participant
in a peculiar social experiment orchestrated by these individuals.
The purpose of this experiment is to examine whether someone can
endure humiliation and torture and still find it in their heart to
forgive their captors.
Overwhelmed by anger and a desire for revenge against Lily for
leading him on, Nicholas contemplates killing her. However, he
refuses to grant the satisfaction to the men behind the experiment
by succumbing to violence.
After his harrowing experience in the waiting room, Nicholas
returns to
the school on the island, only to discover that the
school itself is part of the larger experiment. With no job, money,
or prospects, Nicholas is left feeling lonely and vulnerable. In
his desperate state, he contacts Alison once again, seeking solace.
However, Alison informs him that she cannot see him due to her
involvement in the same social experiment. Despite this revelation,
Nicholas remains undeterred and expresses his determination to
reunite with her. This time, he resolves to gather his life
together and make positive changes.