Ford Madox Ford's quietist anarchism in The good soldier and Parade's end
Date
1987
Authors
Friesen, Peter
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Abstract
This thesis deals with Ford Madox Ford's personal philosophy, Quietist Anarchism, as it applies to his novels, The Good Soldier and Parade's Eng. Ford, whose novels frequently involved depictions of traditionalistic and formalistic elements of Edwardian society, has frequently been misinterpreted by many critics who falsely assume that Ford condones the traditionalism of his characters. This study, going against the flow of those critics who treat Ford as a traditionalist, approaches Ford as a more rebellious author, giving special consideration to his Quietist Anarchist philosophy.
In the introductory chapter, Quietist Anarchism, as a philosophy of life, is examined. The union of the complacent principles of Quietism with the active principles of Anarchism, is discussed. Using, as source materials, Ford's sociological and historical impressions, a composite picture of Quietist Anarchism is drawn and the logic behind his theory that people should be "left alone" is revealed. Ford, who maintained that individuals, when left on their own, were less likely to encounter the strife and difficulties of those tied to society's formalistic, traditional, or conventional rules of conduct, proves himself to be far from the sphere of traditionalism. Ford's ideal world is shown to be one in which government, tradition, convention, and behavioural codes have no play. The Quietist Anarchist's Utopia is revelaed to be a lawless, simplistic, rural world, where the only rules that apply are those of altruism and goodwill.
In the first chapter, dealing with The Good Soldier, it is shown how Quietist Anarchism is employed in the novel. The frustration with convention and tradition which lies at the root of Quietist Anarchism, is revealed as existing within the commentaries of the novel's narrator, John Dowell. Dowell points out in his narration that he has himself been frustrated by formalistic behaviour, and that formalism and conventionalism may well lie at the heart ofthe problems encountered by Ashburnham, Leonora, and Nancy. Dowell levels pertinent attacks on the society which is responsible for much of the cruelty and want of compassion in the novel, Although The Good Soldier does not feature the realization of the Quietist Anarchist's Utopia, it does carry the Quietist Anarchist's anger with the formalistic and traditionalistic state of Edwardian Society.
In the second chapter, the Quietist Anarchist's anger with traditionalism and formalism is discussed as it appears in Parade's End. Dealing primarily with Some Do Not, it is shown how Ford employs irony to propel his Quietist Anarchist arguments. Ford is seen to present in the work's opening pages an idealized vision of traditional society, only to reveal the faults of this society and its norms thereafter. Thus Ford, by establishing the tradition as an ideal, ironically, at the start of Parade's End, emphasizes the corruptness which appears in the pages to follow. The traditional norms of conduct are revealed to be dangerous and misguided: actions carried out in accordance with the formalized codes of conduct are shown to result in misdeeds ranging from perjury to slaughter.
The third chapter of the thesis deals with Parade's End's closing novel, Last Post. It is argued in this chapter, against the judgement of numerous critics, that Last Post provides a fitting conclusion to Parade's End. It is shown that this novel reflects Ford's Quietist Anarchist Utopia, and that the novel successfully completes Tietjens' maturation, from Tory to Quietist Anarchist. Last Post reveals how Quietist Anarchism is tenable as a practiced philosophy. Ford allows his characters, in this novel, to live away from the destructive forces of convention and tradition, demonstrating how persons may live happily "left alone."
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UN SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions