An introduction to the short fiction of H. E. Bates
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This dissertation offers an extensive introduction to the short fiction of H. E. Bates, a writer whose short stories and novellas have been praised as some of the finest produced by a British author in the twentieth century. The need for such an introduction is defended in the first chapter; despite Bates's high reputation among a select following, his work has been virtually ignored by serious scholars. The first chapter also includes a brief biographical sketch of Bates, emphasizing those features which later have an impact on his fiction. The second chapter contains an analysis of Bates's short fiction aesthetic; examined are his criticisms of fellow writers, the writers who were most influential in his development, and his theoretical observations on fiction writing. In particular, the influence of Chekhov and Maupassant is examined at some length, together with Bates's insistence on a pictorial style, rich atmosphere, inference and implication, and open endings. The next three chapters focus on Bates's works, with broader observations regarding the direction of his fiction supported by close readings of selected stories. The third chapter focusses on the early years of Bates's career, through 1932. During this time a richly painted atmosphere is the keynote of his work, as seen in the deceptively simple tales of Midland folk. The fourth chapter encompasses the middle years, 1933-1943. Here a growing interest in characterization is discerned. This interest in characterization, along with his masterful handling of atmosphere, makes the middle years the most fruitful of Bates's career. Toward the end of this period, the effects of time and social change become an increasingly important theme. Unfortunately, the quality of his work seems to decline in the latter part of the middle years. The fifth chapter focusses on the later years of Bates's career--1944 to his death. This period is marked by the zenith of Bates's fame and financial success, concurrent with growing critical dissatisfaction with his work. This chapter is divided into two sections, one each for the novella and the short story in the later years. It was in these years that Bates became one of the most prolific and highly praised writers of novellas in English. A brief summary of Bates's major themes and methods, together with observations on his eventual place in the history of English literature, comprises the sixth chapter. The quality and quantity of his short fiction suggest that Bates deserves recognition as a major figure in twentieth-century British short fiction. However, the curiously tenuous position that short-story writers often hold in the eyes of many scholars probably dooms him to a position of minor importance in English literary history. Two appendices--a checklist of Bates's publications plus an annotated checklist of scholarship concerning Bates's short fiction--follow the text of this dissertation.
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