Mortal Coils - Aldous Huxley

Summary

'Mortal Coils' is a collection of five short stories by Aldous Huxley, published in 1922, each exploring themes of human nature, societal conventions, the complexities of relationships, and the often-absurd contrast between outward appearances and inner realities. The stories are "The Tillotson Banquet," "Green Tunnels," "Nuns at Luncheon," "Permutations Among the Nightingales," and "The Gioconda Smile." They delve into the intellectual and moral dilemmas of their characters, often with a detached, ironic, and satirical tone characteristic of Huxley. The collection showcases Huxley's sharp wit and critical observation of the human condition, particularly within the English upper-middle class and intellectual circles of the early 20th century, revealing the futility and tragicomic aspects of human ambition, love, and self-deception.

Book Sections

Section: The Tillotson Banquet

The story revolves around a celebration for James Tillotson, an obscure, forgotten poet and painter from the Victorian era, who is being honored by a group of well-meaning but superficial modern intellectuals. Lord Badgery, a wealthy and influential patron of the arts, hosts the banquet. The attendees are mostly young, fashionable figures who know little of Tillotson's actual work but are keen to be seen at such an event. Tillotson himself is a frail, senile old man, largely oblivious to the proceedings and the true intent behind the gathering. He frequently confuses the present with the past, mistaking a young woman for his dead wife and reciting irrelevant lines of poetry.

The narrative highlights the stark contrast between the vibrant, self-assured modernists and the pathetic figure of Tillotson, whose life and work are being posthumously (though he is alive) re-evaluated and celebrated based on flimsy evidence and fashionable sentiment. The banquet becomes a stage for the guests to display their own intellectual superiority and aesthetic sensibilities, rather than a genuine tribute to Tillotson. The story culminates in a rather embarrassing scene where Tillotson, disoriented, tries to give a speech, further exposing the superficiality of the entire event. His brief moment of lucidity and poetic expression is quickly overshadowed by his general decline, making the "revival" of his reputation seem hollow and cruel.

Character	Characteristics	Motivations
James Tillotson	Elderly, frail, senile, forgotten poet/painter	Lives in a haze of past memories, largely unaware of the present.
Lord Badgery	Wealthy, influential, art patron	To host a fashionable event, demonstrate his cultural influence.
Mr. Gumbril (Jr.)	Young, modern intellectual	To observe and critique the absurdity of the event and society.
Lord and Lady Goggle	Prominent, social figures	To participate in a high-profile social and cultural event.
Young Female Guest	Represents the superficial 'new generation'	To be seen, to engage in fashionable intellectual discourse.

Section: Green Tunnels

This story explores the intricacies of an affair between two members of the English elite: the sophisticated and manipulative Mrs. Thwaite and the more earnest and somewhat naive William Tallis. The setting is a grand English country estate, where Mrs. Thwaite is a guest and Tallis works as a tutor. Their affair unfolds amidst the formal beauty of the estate's gardens and "green tunnels," which serve as a metaphor for the clandestine nature of their relationship.

Mrs. Thwaite orchestrates the affair with calculated detachment, viewing it as an intellectual and sensual game. She enjoys the power she holds over Tallis, who is genuinely enamored with her. The narrative delves into their conversations, which are filled with literary allusions and philosophical musings, revealing Mrs. Thwaite's cynical view of love and human connection. Tallis, on the other hand, is searching for a deeper, more meaningful connection, which Mrs. Thwaite is incapable of providing. The "green tunnels" ultimately represent a path to nowhere for Tallis, as Mrs. Thwaite's true intentions are always self-serving. The story highlights the emotional imbalance and the destructive potential of such a mismatched relationship.

Character	Characteristics	Motivations
Mrs. Thwaite	Sophisticated, manipulative, cynical, emotionally detached	To pursue intellectual and sensual gratification, maintain control.
William Tallis	Earnest, somewhat naive, intellectual, emotionally invested	To experience genuine love and connection, to be intellectually stimulated.

Section: Nuns at Luncheon

This story is presented as a conversation between two men, one of whom recounts a peculiar experience he had at a restaurant. The narrator describes how he and a friend were dining when they observed a group of nuns at a nearby table. One of the nuns, however, behaves in a strikingly unconventional manner: she is boisterous, laughs loudly, and eats with an unusual voracity. This nun's behavior is so contrary to the expected decorum of a religious sister that it fascinates and puzzles the narrator.

He then tells a story that he concocts in his mind about this nun, imagining her past life, possibly as a flamboyant and worldly woman who found her way into the convent. The story plays with themes of appearance versus reality, the hidden lives people lead, and the judgments we make based on superficial observations. The narrator's elaborate fantasy reveals more about his own prejudices and imagination than it does about the nun. The story concludes without revealing the "truth" about the nun, leaving the reader to ponder the nature of perception and the masks people wear, or are assumed to wear.

Character	Characteristics	Motivations
The Narrator	Observant, imaginative, prone to creating elaborate theories	To understand and interpret the world around him, to entertain his friend.
The Friend	Listener, less inclined to elaborate fantasies	To listen to the narrator's story and enjoy his company.
The Boisterous Nun	Appears unconventional, lively, enjoys her food	Her actual motivations are unknown, subject to the narrator's interpretation.

Section: Permutations Among the Nightingales

This story is a farcical and satirical exploration of artistic pretension, romantic entanglement, and the absurdities of the upper-class intellectual set. It's set at a country house party where various characters, primarily writers and artists, are gathered. The central figure is Philip, a poet who is deeply self-absorbed and concerned with his own artistic genius. He is involved in a convoluted love triangle (or rather, quadrangle) with his wife, his mistress, and another woman.

The characters engage in superficial intellectual discussions, often quoting obscure literature and attempting to one-up each other with their artistic insights. Their romantic relationships are equally performative and lacking in genuine emotion, driven more by ego and societal expectation than by true affection. Philip’s emotional life is as chaotic and shallow as his artistic pronouncements. The title "Permutations Among the Nightingales" ironically suggests a complex, beautiful natural order, but the characters' interactions are anything but. The story exposes the hollowness of their lives and their inability to connect genuinely, portraying them as caricatures of the "modern intellectual."

Character	Characteristics	Motivations
Philip	Self-absorbed poet, pretentious, romantically entangled	To bolster his ego, pursue artistic and romantic validation.
Philip's Wife	Resigned, somewhat detached, aware of Philip's flaws	To maintain her social standing, navigate her complex marriage.
Philip's Mistress	Intellectual, often challenging Philip	To engage in an affair, possibly for intellectual stimulation or passion.
Another Woman	Part of the complex romantic permutations	To pursue romantic interests, engage in the social scene.
Other Guests	Intellectuals, artists, socialites	To engage in intellectual discourse, socialize, observe others.

Section: The Gioconda Smile

This is the longest and most famous story in the collection, a chilling psychological drama and a study in male narcissism and female malice. Henry Hutton, a wealthy, middle-aged man, is bored with his kind, ailing wife, Emily. He is having an affair with a younger, more vivacious woman named Mary Thriplow, a successful novelist. Simultaneously, he entertains the advances of Miss Spence, an older, intensely devoted, and somewhat obsessive woman who is infatuated with him.

When Emily suddenly dies, seemingly of heart failure, Henry is relieved and plans to marry Mary. However, Miss Spence, driven by a mixture of unrequited love, jealousy, and a twisted sense of justice, becomes convinced that Henry poisoned Emily. She meticulously gathers circumstantial evidence and manipulates the local police into investigating Henry. The narrative masterfully portrays Henry's growing paranoia and the chilling effectiveness of Miss Spence's quiet, determined malice. Despite his innocence regarding Emily's death, Henry is ultimately convicted and sentenced to death based on Miss Spence's fabricated testimony and his own past behavior, which makes him appear guilty. The story ends with Henry awaiting execution, realizing the terrifying power of deception and the fragility of truth, all while recalling Miss Spence's unsettling smile, which reminds him of the enigmatic smile of the Mona Lisa (Gioconda).

Character	Characteristics	Motivations
Henry Hutton	Wealthy, middle-aged, self-indulgent, somewhat superficial	To escape boredom, pursue pleasure, maintain his comfortable life.
Emily Hutton	Henry's ailing wife, kind, gentle	To live a peaceful life, perhaps seeking Henry's affection.
Miss Spence	Older, devoted, obsessive, intensely jealous	To gain Henry's affection, later to exact revenge and justice.
Mary Thriplow	Young, vivacious, intelligent, successful novelist	To pursue her relationship with Henry, intellectual stimulation.

Literary Genre

Short Story Collection, Satire, Psychological Drama, Social Commentary, Modernist Literature.

Author Facts

• Aldous Leonard Huxley (1894–1963) was an English writer and philosopher.
• He was a member of the prominent Huxley family, known for its scientists and intellectuals. His grandfather was Thomas Henry Huxley, a famous biologist and supporter of Darwin.
• He lost much of his eyesight at a young age due to an illness, which profoundly influenced his work and worldview.
• Huxley wrote nearly 50 books, including novels, essays, travel books, and poetry.
• His most famous work is the dystopian novel 'Brave New World' (1932), which critically examines technology, eugenics, and social control.
• He moved to Los Angeles in 1937 and spent much of his later life in the United States, exploring mysticism and psychedelic drugs, which influenced books like 'The Doors of Perception'.

Morale

The stories in 'Mortal Coils' collectively suggest that human beings are often trapped by their own illusions, ego, and the superficialities of society. They highlight the frequent disjunction between outward appearance and inner reality, the destructive power of unacknowledged desires, and the tragicomic futility of much human endeavor, particularly in the pursuit of love, art, and social standing. A recurring morale is the danger of intellectual detachment and emotional dishonesty, often leading to isolation, misunderstanding, or even ruin. Ultimately, the collection serves as a biting critique of human pretension and the "mortal coils" that bind us, preventing genuine connection and understanding.

Curiosities

• The title 'Mortal Coils' is a direct reference to a line from Shakespeare's Hamlet: "What dreams may come, when we have shuffled off this mortal coil..." referring to the troubles and turmoils of human life.
• "The Gioconda Smile" was later adapted into a successful play, and then into a 1948 film noir titled 'A Woman's Vengeance', starring Charles Boyer and Ann Blyth.
• Huxley's personal experiences, particularly his observations of the intellectual and artistic circles of his time, heavily influenced the satirical elements and character types found in 'Mortal Coils'. Many characters can be seen as caricatures of real-life figures or common archetypes within the British intelligentsia.
• The stories showcase Huxley's early command of wit and irony, foreshadowing the more ambitious philosophical and social critiques he would develop in his later, more famous novels like 'Brave New World'.