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A review by lauragill
Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar
5.0
I have been looking forward to reading this novel for a long time. When I started reading, however, I found it dry and uninteresting, and wondering what about the text inspired so many readers to call it a masterpiece.
Perseverance taught me a lesson. The beginning, which forms the start of a letter the dying Hadrian composes to the young Marcus Aurelius, outlines Hadrian's personal philosophy. Nothing actually happens for about 25-30 pages. When he starts to tell his life's story, though, the action picks up, and one starts visualizing scenes from Hadrian's youth in a sun-soaked Spanish village to his military experience on the cold Germanic frontier, where he fantasizes about riding east across the steppes and never looking back. Trajan and his empress Plotina appear, fleshed out and engaging characters.
But is Hadrian a reliable narrator? What is Marcus Aurelius thinking as he reads this letter? From historical sources, we know that he had no personal affection for Hadrian and never thanked him in the first book of his Meditations; I can easily imagine him crumpling up this letter and dropping it down a privy. Because Hadrian does go on ad nauseum about his philosophy on this and that and the other, and everything he's accomplished, and yes, he had to execute some political rivals and he really regretted that, and the things he's had to do in Judaea because of such obstinate, obtusely single minded Zealots like Akiba and Bar-Kochba, but he had to do it for the Empire, etc.
I did not start to care about Hadrian's viewpoint until the Saeculum Aureum (Age of Gold) chapter dealing with his relationship with Antinous. At times, he waxes sentimental, but as tragedy strikes and he's left to deal with the aftermath, Hadrian's regret strikes a heartfelt chord of self-recrimination and examination. Yourcenar is at her best here, and in the chapters that follow. I lost my skepticism overall of Hadrian as narrator, and even began to understand his philosophizing as his death approached.
At some point, I may have to return and clarify or add to this review, because I'm still turning the text over in my mind. I admit, I may need to go back and reread the book; a second reading of those earlier, slower bits may make more sense now.
Perseverance taught me a lesson. The beginning, which forms the start of a letter the dying Hadrian composes to the young Marcus Aurelius, outlines Hadrian's personal philosophy. Nothing actually happens for about 25-30 pages. When he starts to tell his life's story, though, the action picks up, and one starts visualizing scenes from Hadrian's youth in a sun-soaked Spanish village to his military experience on the cold Germanic frontier, where he fantasizes about riding east across the steppes and never looking back. Trajan and his empress Plotina appear, fleshed out and engaging characters.
But is Hadrian a reliable narrator? What is Marcus Aurelius thinking as he reads this letter? From historical sources, we know that he had no personal affection for Hadrian and never thanked him in the first book of his Meditations; I can easily imagine him crumpling up this letter and dropping it down a privy. Because Hadrian does go on ad nauseum about his philosophy on this and that and the other, and everything he's accomplished, and yes, he had to execute some political rivals and he really regretted that, and the things he's had to do in Judaea because of such obstinate, obtusely single minded Zealots like Akiba and Bar-Kochba, but he had to do it for the Empire, etc.
I did not start to care about Hadrian's viewpoint until the Saeculum Aureum (Age of Gold) chapter dealing with his relationship with Antinous. At times, he waxes sentimental, but as tragedy strikes and he's left to deal with the aftermath, Hadrian's regret strikes a heartfelt chord of self-recrimination and examination. Yourcenar is at her best here, and in the chapters that follow. I lost my skepticism overall of Hadrian as narrator, and even began to understand his philosophizing as his death approached.
At some point, I may have to return and clarify or add to this review, because I'm still turning the text over in my mind. I admit, I may need to go back and reread the book; a second reading of those earlier, slower bits may make more sense now.