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Dhanaraj Rajan's Reviews > Helena
Helena
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It is a short novel (historical novel) that speaks of the life of St. Helen, the mother of the Roman Emperor, Constantine, the Great. She is also popularly known for her pilgrimage to the Holy Land and finding the True Cross on which was crucified Jesus Christ.
Few Remarks:
It is an historical novel. And so the history, rather the Roman politics comes more alive than the character. Helen appears as a simple clog in the heavy machine of history. She does not emerge a live character with flesh and blood. She seems to be distant most of the time from the reader. There are few moments in which she emerges as a live person and those passages are lovely.
The religion (Christianity) occupies an interesting spot in the second half of the novel. After all, it was a great political problem for the empire. How the religion was viewed by the Romans and how it was received by the Romans are narrated in an interesting manner. Later when Christianity was the state religion the problems within the religion (dogmatic problems - the threat of Arians and the Council of Nicea) became an important issue to be dealt with. These events form part of the novel. As I said earlier the politics comes very much alive in the book. A disadvantage may be that the reader is expected to be having the necessary knowledge of some of the historical events.
There are also spiritual reflections at the end of the book. Last two chapters can be read as spiritual reading. The reflections on Magi, Cross, Holy Land, and Pilgrimage are very revealing.
Final Observation:
The novel begins very slow and only half way through (that is, after Constantine becomes the emperor) it picks up the speed.
If you are a Christian, you will find yourself reading some of the passages in the last chapters again and again (especially Helena's prayer to Magi).
From HELENA by E. Waugh:
1. What is the reason for bloody politics which causes the father(emperor) to kill his own son or father in law or cousins or nephews?
The answer: Everyone longs for Power. Power without Grace leads to high cruelty.
2. Is the Church the perfect place to turn to?
The answer: "Church isn't a cult for a few heroes. It is the whole of fallen mankind redeemed."
The theme of conversion of Constantine may very well stand for the conversion of E. Waugh himself.
Few Remarks:
It is an historical novel. And so the history, rather the Roman politics comes more alive than the character. Helen appears as a simple clog in the heavy machine of history. She does not emerge a live character with flesh and blood. She seems to be distant most of the time from the reader. There are few moments in which she emerges as a live person and those passages are lovely.
The religion (Christianity) occupies an interesting spot in the second half of the novel. After all, it was a great political problem for the empire. How the religion was viewed by the Romans and how it was received by the Romans are narrated in an interesting manner. Later when Christianity was the state religion the problems within the religion (dogmatic problems - the threat of Arians and the Council of Nicea) became an important issue to be dealt with. These events form part of the novel. As I said earlier the politics comes very much alive in the book. A disadvantage may be that the reader is expected to be having the necessary knowledge of some of the historical events.
There are also spiritual reflections at the end of the book. Last two chapters can be read as spiritual reading. The reflections on Magi, Cross, Holy Land, and Pilgrimage are very revealing.
Final Observation:
The novel begins very slow and only half way through (that is, after Constantine becomes the emperor) it picks up the speed.
If you are a Christian, you will find yourself reading some of the passages in the last chapters again and again (especially Helena's prayer to Magi).
From HELENA by E. Waugh:
1. What is the reason for bloody politics which causes the father(emperor) to kill his own son or father in law or cousins or nephews?
The answer: Everyone longs for Power. Power without Grace leads to high cruelty.
2. Is the Church the perfect place to turn to?
The answer: "Church isn't a cult for a few heroes. It is the whole of fallen mankind redeemed."
The theme of conversion of Constantine may very well stand for the conversion of E. Waugh himself.
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Reading Progress
November 21, 2014
– Shelved as:
to-read
November 21, 2014
– Shelved
November 21, 2014
– Shelved as:
biography
November 21, 2014
– Shelved as:
literature
June 1, 2015
–
Started Reading
June 4, 2015
–
Finished Reading
November 23, 2019
– Shelved as:
literature-uk
Comments Showing 1-2 of 2 (2 new)
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Dhanaraj
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rated it 4 stars
Jun 05, 2015 10:08AM
@ Travelin: You have said very well.
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Travelin wrote: "I am not religious, but the final points may just be what so many critics of Christianity forget -- life was probably brutal before the major religions, especially because new leaders used power an..."Amen.
