Antonia Susan Byatt POSSESSION. Vincenzo D’Angelo 5°A

CHAPTER I Quote: Randolph Henry ASH, The Garden of Proserpina September 1986 – London Library ROLAND MITCHELL 29, literary researcher, Ph. D. in Literature Researching R.H. ASH  Victorian Poet His boss: scholar James BLACKADDER – British Museum Principi di Scienza Nuova Roland is reading G. VICO’s Principi di Scienza Nuova He finds two DRAFTS of a letter to an UNKNOWN LADY he met at Crabb ROBINSON’s breakfast ROLAND steals the drafts and does not tell Blackadder

CHAPTER II Mortimer Cropper – Trustee of the Stant Collection at Robert Dale Owen University, Harmon City, New Mexico. Curator of Mortimer Cropper – Trustee of the Stant Collection at Robert Dale Owen University, Harmon City, New Mexico. Curator of R.H. ASH’s correspondence and memorabilia. Robert’s sense of failure in his life with Val and their unhappy relationship Fergus Wolff – Roland’s departmental rival. Roland wonders who ASH was writing to in his drafts

CHAPTER III Roland at Bloomsbury: photocopies drafts Consultation of CRABB Robinson’s diary June 1858  Ash met Miss La Motte and Miss Glover at Crabb’s breakfast Roland informs Blackadder of the existence of the two drafts From Blachadder Roland comes to know about: Isadore La Motte’s father wrote Mythologies (legend of Brittainy) Isadore La Motte’s father wrote Mythologies (legend of Brittainy) Miss la Motte’s and her writings Miss la Motte’s and her writings Ash’s wife Ellen Best’s personal journal and Helpmeets, a book about the wifes of great men Ash’s wife Ellen Best’s personal journal and Helpmeets, a book about the wifes of great men He knows about Christabel’s The Fairy Melusina and about MAUD at Lincoln’s Women’s Resources Centre

CHAPTER IV At Lincoln Womens’ Centre Roland visits Maud and learns about La Motte’s family and Christabel’s life with Blanche Glover, an artist who drowned in After Blanche’s death Christabel goes to live with her sister Sophie. She no longer wrote poetry. Maud, a Bailey is tall, cold, perhaps hostile. She only knows about a few letters kept by George Bailey at Seal Court. Roland shows Maud the letters he stole and she is intrigued

CHAPTER V Maud and Roland visit the area and see Seal Court and they vist La Motte’s grave in the nearabouts.The two are unvited at Seal Court. They mention Christabel. Maud and they notices the dolls remind her of the poem “Dolly keeps a secret”. They find the packet of letters in side the doll’s cot. The letters are taken by Sir George the owner. Maud and Roland want to convince George to let them study the letters.

CHAPTER VI Cropper interest in having everthing from ASH Ash’s letter about the occult and spirit communication Hints at Ash’s wedding and honeymoon at Fontaine de Valcluse, France. Cropper believes EMBLA represents a real woman in Ash’s life. Cropper set a meeting with Miss Beatrice Nest

CHAPTER VII Miss Beatrice NEST is interested in Ellen Best Ash’s papers Ellen wrote a journal. Roland reads it before Cropper Roland comes to know Maud and he can study Christabel’s letters.

CHAPTER VIII Maud and Roland read the letters in Sir George Bailey’s library. They come to know La Motte is worried somebody might be seen by other people. The letters unveil the two poets’ interest in poetry, the difference between romance and novel. Leonora Stern visits the winter garden La Motte loved. Maud and Roland remain at Seals Court and Roland feels attracted to Maud

CHAPTER IX CHAPTER X Christabel La Motte’s The Treshold is quoted. Roland and Maud go on reading The Corriespondence Ash sends Christabel a poem. Ash wants to write a poem about insect life.

CHAPTER XI Swammerdam The poem is quoted

CHAPTER XII Maud and Roland have gone to Bethany in Richmond where Christabel lived. Maud starts suspecting that Ash was accompanied by La Motte in his journey to Yorkshire in 1859 during his natural history expedition. (Darwin’s influence) Reference to “HOB” in one of Ash’s letters to Ellen. The two researchers come across the same mention in Blanche’s notes. Their meeting with Beatrice to review Ellen’s journal for June Ellen receives a strange letter from Blanche.

CHAPTER XIII Maud and Roland went to Yorkshire seaside. They read about their heroes and come across a coincidence: they both write about gloves. They visit shops in the area and it comes out Maud is wearing a jet hair brooch by an artist: she has inherited the brooch from Christabel.

CHAPTER XIV CHAPTER XV Ash’s letter to Ellen. Maud and Roland go to Boggle Hole. The railway trip to Yorkshire by Ash and La Motte: Their stay They love Their walk to Boggle Hole Their walk to Boggle Hole

CHAPTER XVI Quotation of the whole poem CHAPTER XVII Blackadder’s studies on Ash’s Mummy Possest. Fergus looks for Maud and Roland and to Val. Meeting Fergus and Cropper

CHAPTER XVIII Christabel’s poem about gloves Discovery of Christabel’s stay in France The value of their letters and George Bailey Maud and Roland go to Brittany CHAPTER XIX Maud and Roland are on a ship to France. They read Sabine’s journal from October 1959

CHAPTER XX The meeting of spiritualists is at the centre of attention. La Motte and Ash were present and Ash asks Christabel where the child is. Blackadder wants to be sure all papers concerning the Vitorian poets’correspondence remaiuns in England. CHAPTER XXI Quotation of Mummy Possest

CHAPTER XXII Val and her new boyfriend are at the horse races. They are joined by Toby Byng and they discuss his involvement in the Ash-La Motte correspondence. Discussion of legal copyright and ownership problems.

CHAPTER XXIII Maud and Roland still in Brittany Their growing love relationship Discuss destiny of Christabel’s child. Leonora’s arrival at their hotel

CHAPTER XXIV They go back to Lincoln Meeting with Val, her boyfriend, and all others Discussion of how La Motte wanted all her books and copyright should go to Maia Thomasine Bailey. The letters belong to Maud. Beatrice Nest is worried about Cropper and Fergus

CHAPTER XXV Ellen’s journal: the day of Ash’s death Mortimer Cropper knows in Ash’s grave a box is hidden, the one laid by Ellen Christabel letter to Ash: she wanted it to be given to him Mention to Ash’s visit to Brittany and his meeting with Sabine Ellen recalls her failed attempts at sex with her husband Ellen places the unopened letter into Ash’s grave.

CHAPTER XXVI Roland is given a job offer from Hong Kong, Amsterdam and Barcelona. Blackadder sends him a generous letter CHAPTER XXVII The grave robbery by Cropper He is caught by Roland, Maud, leonora, Blackadder and Nest. Maud wants to learn the end of the story From the unopened letter Ash is described as a flaming presence causing Christabel to catch fire