Department of English

Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University

2202232  Introduction to the Study of English Fiction

Ian McEwan

(June 21, 1948-)

Amsterdam

(1998)

Review Sheet

Characters

George Lane -

Molly Lane -

Clive Linley -

Vernon Theobald Halliday (41) - 

Julian Garmony -

Rose Garmony - wife of Julian Garmony ()

Giulio Bo - conductor (157)

British Symphony Orchestra - plays Clive's millennium symphony (158)

Paul Lanark - (164)

Mandy Halliday - wife of Vernon Halliday (178)

Frank Dibben - 

Setting

London

Amsterdam

Plot

Part I (3-26)

Scene i (3-17)

Scene ii (18-26)

Part II (29-57)

Scene i (29-37)

Scene ii (38-44)

Scene iii (45-50)

Scene iv (51-56)

Scene v (57)

Part III (61-90)

Scene i (61-67)

Scene ii (68-75)

Scene iii (76-90)

Part IV (93-130)

Scene i (93-97)

Scene ii (98-104)

Scene iii (105-20)

Scene iv (121-25)

Scene v (126-28)

Scene vi (129-30)

Part V (133-78)

Scene i (133-44)

Scene ii (145-49)

Scene iii (150-54)

Scene iv (155-69)

Scene v (170-73)

Scene vi (174-78)

Discussion

Notes

11  all through the night: now a well-known lullaby.  Read a version of the lyrics and listen to the lullaby at Babycenter (1:53 min.).

157  Nessun dorma: "no one shall sleep," "let no one sleep," "may no one sleep" is the title of an aria in Act III (the final act) of Puccini's opera Turandot.  For a translation into English of the Italian aria with commentary see Mark Lew's Commentary on Symbolism, Poetry, and "Nessun Dorma."

176  Beethoven's Ode to Joy: Beethoven set Schiller's 1785 ode to music in the final movement of his Ninth Symphony.  Listen to a clip: violins (0:50 min.), chorus (0:51 min.).

Reference

Childs, Peter, ed.  The Fiction of Ian McEwan: A Reader's Guide to Essential Criticism.  Basingstoke: Macmillan, 2006.

McEwan, Ian.  Amsterdam.  1998.  London: Vintage, 2005.

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Last updated September 2, 2007