The Crimson Petal and the White
Encyclopedia
The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber
is a 2002 novel
set in Victorian
-era England
.
The title is from a 1847 poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson entitled "Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal
", the opening line of which is "Now sleeps the crimson petal, now the white".
published The Apple, a selection of short stories based on characters from The Crimson Petal and the White, in 2006.
who works in the Rescue Society that tries to reform prostitutes.
The novel is told from the perspective of all of the main characters, and the omniscient narrator
occasionally addresses the reader directly. There is also a meta-literary aspect, as Sugar is working on her own novel, Henry writes sermons, and Agnes keeps a diary. The novel was generally well-received by critics.
, Chris O'Dowd
, Gillian Anderson
, Richard E. Grant
, Shirley Henderson
, Amanda Hale
, Mark Gatiss
, Tom Georgeson
and Liz White
; it was adapted by Lucinda Coxon and directed by Marc Munden. The director of photography was Lol Crawley.
in Episode 16 of Season 4 called "The Reigning Lorelai". Emily Gilmore briefly and drunkenly recommended the book to her daughter Lorelai while Richard, Emily's husband, was mourning his mother's (the "first" Lorelai) recent death.
Michel Faber
Michel Faber is a Dutch-born writer of fiction. He writes in English.Faber was born in The Hague, Netherlands. He and his parents emigrated to Australia in 1967...
is a 2002 novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
set in Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
-era England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
The title is from a 1847 poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson entitled "Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal
Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal
"Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal" is a poem written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. It was first published in 1847, in The Princess: A Medley.The poem has been set to music several times, including settings by Benjamin Britten, Roger Quilter, Ned Rorem, and Mychael Danna.It appeared as a song in the 2004...
", the opening line of which is "Now sleeps the crimson petal, now the white".
Publication history
CanongateCanongate Books
Canongate Books is a Scottish independent publishing firm based in Edinburgh; it is named for The Canongate, an area of the city. It is most recognised for publishing the Booker Prizewinner Life of Pi...
published The Apple, a selection of short stories based on characters from The Crimson Petal and the White, in 2006.
Plot synopsis
The main characters include William Rackham, the unwilling heir to a perfume business; Agnes, William's brittle, long-suffering "mad wife in the attic"; and Sugar, a decidedly unconventional and strong-willed young prostitute whose intense affair with William gives her the opportunity to climb to a higher perch in the rigidly stratified class system of the time. Other characters include Henry Rackham, William's pious brother who wants to be a clergyman, and his friend Emmeline Fox, a widowWidow
A widow is a woman whose spouse has died, while a widower is a man whose spouse has died. The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed widowhood or occasionally viduity. The adjective form is widowed...
who works in the Rescue Society that tries to reform prostitutes.
The novel is told from the perspective of all of the main characters, and the omniscient narrator
Narrator
A narrator is, within any story , the fictional or non-fictional, personal or impersonal entity who tells the story to the audience. When the narrator is also a character within the story, he or she is sometimes known as the viewpoint character. The narrator is one of three entities responsible for...
occasionally addresses the reader directly. There is also a meta-literary aspect, as Sugar is working on her own novel, Henry writes sermons, and Agnes keeps a diary. The novel was generally well-received by critics.
In other media
In 2010, the BBC announced the production of a four-part miniseries based on the novel; viewing started in April 2011. The adaptation's cast includes Romola GaraiRomola Garai
Romola Sadie Garai is an English actress. She is known for appearing in the movies Amazing Grace, Atonement, and Glorious 39, and for appearing in the BBC adaptation of Emma.-Early life:...
, Chris O'Dowd
Chris O'Dowd
Chris O'Dowd is an Irish comedian and actor. He is best known for playing Roy Trenneman in British sitcom The IT Crowd...
, Gillian Anderson
Gillian Anderson
Gillian Leigh Anderson is an American actress.After beginning her career in theatre, Anderson achieved international recognition for her role as Special Agent Dana Scully on the American television series The X-Files. During the show's nine seasons, Anderson won Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen...
, Richard E. Grant
Richard E. Grant
Richard E. Grant is a Swaziland-born British actor, screenwriter and director. His most notable role came in the film Withnail and I. He holds dual British and Swazi citizenship.-Early life:...
, Shirley Henderson
Shirley Henderson
Shirley Henderson is a Scottish actress. She is perhaps best known for her role as Moaning Myrtle in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire .-Early life:...
, Amanda Hale
Amanda Hale
Amanda Hale is a British actress. She won positive reviews for her performance in The Glass Menagerie at the Apollo Shaftesbury in the West End.-Career:...
, Mark Gatiss
Mark Gatiss
Mark Gatiss is an English actor, screenwriter and novelist. He is best known as a member of the comedy team The League of Gentlemen, and has both written for and acted in the TV series Doctor Who and Sherlock....
, Tom Georgeson
Tom Georgeson
Tom Georgeson is a British actor, known for his television and film work. His most notable credits have been supporting parts in Between The Lines and in three dramas by Alan Bleasdale; Boys from the Blackstuff Scully and G.B.H....
and Liz White
Liz White (actress)
Liz White is an English actress, best known for her regular role as WPC/WDC Annie Cartwright in the BBC time travel drama Life on Mars, which began in January 2006...
; it was adapted by Lucinda Coxon and directed by Marc Munden. The director of photography was Lol Crawley.
In popular culture
The novel was referenced in an episode of the television show Gilmore GirlsGilmore Girls
Gilmore Girls is an American family comedy-drama series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, starring Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel. On October 5, 2000, the series debuted on The WB and was cancelled in its seventh season, ending on May 15, 2007 on The CW...
in Episode 16 of Season 4 called "The Reigning Lorelai". Emily Gilmore briefly and drunkenly recommended the book to her daughter Lorelai while Richard, Emily's husband, was mourning his mother's (the "first" Lorelai) recent death.