Analysis 1

Murdoch has confessed that the mysterious editor of the novel "P. Loxias" is truly supposed to be the Greek God Apollo. In the novel's original publication, she provided a clue to his identity by placing a picture of Apollo on the book's cover. Without this clue, few people truly understood who Loxias was, since the correlation of the name to the God comes only from an obscure reference in Aeschylus's The Oresteia. Apollo's placement as the editor of the novel is appropriate perhaps because he is the God of Art and the novel primarily concerns the nature of art. Apollo's presence also helps to explain the book's title, since Apollo was known as "The Black Prince". The title also refers to Shakespeare's Hamlet, a character referenced frequently in the novel, because he too was called "the black prince". Furthermore, the initials of the "Black Prince", "B.P.", are also those of Bradley Pearson, suggesting that he may be a Black Prince of his own accord.

The two fictional forewords introduce the major themes of the novel and suggest its textual structure. The novel will be written by Bradley Pearson in a chronological format favored by "modern" novelists. While Pearson may tell his story in a straightforward manner, Murdoch does not. Murdoch herself thought modern novels inferior to nineteenth-century novels, once telling a London Times reporter that amongst her enemies were "tight, crystalline, first person novels." Murdoch prized nineteenth-century English and Russian novels, longing to recreate the complex characterizations of Tolstoy and George Eliot. By using the fictional forewords to frame Bradley Pearson's narrative, Murdoch allows her novel to address the act of telling the story at the same time it tells the story itself. The forewords demonstrate the importance of philosophy to the novel. Both P. Loxias and Bradley Pearson use their forewords to philosophize on the relationship between art, love, and truth. The inclusion of abstract philosophical discussions continues throughout the book. The philosophical comments lend the novel a fragmented style that requires us to switch between the story and the narrator's mind.

The relation between art, love, and truth discussed by Bradley and P. Loxias is addressed repeatedly. By discussing it in the foreword, Murdoch prepares the reader for its later articulation. Murdoch sees art as one of the avenues through which truth can be expressed. Through the experience of erotic love, Murdoch believes that we are able to get a glimpse of the eternal that then can be captured in art. Bradley Pearson's confrontation with love and erotic passion allows him to see out of his limited world and create art. His experience serves as a testimony to Murdoch's larger philosophical ideas.

Structurally, the opening of "Bradley Pearson's Story: A Celebration of Love", which is the novel proper, is significant as it will reappear as the final scene of the novel. The book opens with Arnold calling Bradley to say that he might have killed his wife. The book will close with Rachel Baffin calling Bradley because she just killed her husband. Furthermore, the opening conflict between Rachel and Arnold underscores the tension between them that shall lead to Arnold's murder. Although Arnold believes that their marriage can sustain anything, Rachel's analysis of the tension within their relationship shall prove more accurate. Between the lengthy period between the opening and closing domestic quarrels, the idea of marriage and its drawbacks shall be discussed numerous times.

Bradley's initial encounter with Julian shows her to be a youthful and somewhat naïve girl. Her act of tossing throwing ripped up pieces of love letters while chanting her boyfriend's name as to rid herself of his spirit can scarcely be considered without a mild smile at her youthful mysticism. Murdoch provides a wry comment on Julian's intelligence with her comments on writing. Julian, who has never excelled at school and thus far pursued several different possible careers, suddenly decides to become a writer and asks Bradley for reading recommendations. When he recommends Homer and Dante, she is delighted, but later comments that she can't read poetry, not knowing that Homer and Dante are poets. The other fact worth noting about Julian is her initial androgynous appearance and the androgynous quality of her name. This motif of androgyny will appear later in the novel in regards to Julian and also to other characters.

Bradley himself appears to be a cold character. Particularly cruel are the letters that he writes to Christian and Francis Marloe. Both rudely tell the others that he is not interested in ever seeing them again and basically detests them. Even Bradley's letter to Julian is fairly blunt, explaining to her that he cannot teach her and referring her to her father. In addition to articulating Bradley's character through these letters, Murdoch also reveals his internal dialogue, which is often inconsistent with the politeness of his actions. While talking to Julian, for example, he is friendly, but is busy thinking about the impossibility of teaching such an unimportant girl. Likewise, he attempts to console his sister but is fixated upon getting away as soon as possible. Bradley's internal dialogue reveals him to frequently not be the kind character that others believe.

Textually, this section demonstrates the classic Murdochian technique of pressing together as many coincidental events as possible. This trend had already been seen in the first section with the arrival of Francis Marloe and the telephone call of Arnold Baffin. Here, the coincidences continue with the random encounter with Julian Baffin, who Bradley had believes was in school outside of London, the unexpected arrival of his distanced sister Priscilla, and by the arrival of Arnold, Rachel, Julian, Francis, and Christian at the exact moment that Priscilla has tried to commit suicide and is retching all over the floor. These random occurrences are widespread throughout Murdoch's fiction, and reflect her belief that one's life does not proceed with a pre-scripted purpose, but rather is the result of a series of coincidences and accidents that all conjoin together. These random juxtapositions of these six characters introduced in this chapter shall continue in the novel.

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