The High Place: A Comedy of Disenchantment

by James Branch Cabell

Book Overview

"In the sulphurous The High Place, the amoral hero Florian enters the sleeping-beauty story and (unlike Jurgen with Helen) does not draw back at the sight of excessive beauty. Complications ensue: Beauty is realistically diminished during pregnancy, the first-born child is forfeit to Satan under the pact that guaranteed Florain's success, and an irascible saint is eager to call down holy fire on transgressors. Florian treads close to damnation and...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0486236706
• ISBN13: 9780486236704
• Release Date: January 1978
• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Length: 312 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Deals With the Devil (?)

Cabell's mythology encompasses fantastic levels in language elegant and cunning. The History of Dom Manuel continues through his descendant who finds peculiar solutions to difficult situations.

A Dream within a Fantasy via Legend, Tradition & M. Perrault

One afternoon in 1698, Florian, the 10 year old son of the Duke de Puysange, decided to explore the Forest of Acaire which he had been emphatically forbidden to do. He entered the forest and was greeted by Melusine, the sorceress who took him to the enchanted Castle of Brunbelois and showed him Melior, her sister, who had been asleep for over 500 years. Upon seeing the sleeping beauty, Florian fell deeply in love with her. Next, he was aware of being in his bedroom and wondering if he had dreamed his adventure. His father assured him that he had. At age 35, Florian exiled his mistress, poisoned his favorite male companion and set out on horseback on a four day journey to the home of Mlle. Louise de Nerac, his affianced and soon to be 5th wife. As he was passing the Forest of Acaire, Marie-Claire, his half sister, emerged from it and greeted him. He chided her for her lack of interest in following logic and precedent and her casual life-style, and she, in turn, sowed seeds of doubt concerning his upcoming 5th marriage. She mentioned the name of "Janicot" to him and made some cryptic references to him. Florian decided to amuse himself by finding Janicot in the forest and watch him work. After entering the forest, he soon came upon Janicot. He began talking with him and quickly realized that with Janicot's help he could have Melior for his bride instead of Louise. He made a Rumpelstiltskin-like deal with Janicot, and learned how to disenchant the Castle of Brunbelois, after which he married Melior. From that point on, Florian lost control of events, found his belief system under siege and saw his fantasies and crimes come to life and mock him. However, thanks to a deal between Janicot and the Archangel Michael, Florian was able to return to the path of logic and precedent and act upon his father's mandate: "Thou shalt not offend against thy neighbors notions."In this work, satire, fantasy and social criticism run amuck in a uniquely fluent literary style. If the tale has a moral, it's: "You can't go home again!"