The Man (Annotated)

This is the Annotated version of the original eBook. We had annotated this ebook by adding a Summary of 55700 (approx.) words at the end of the eBook in red fonts which consists of a 50% to 60% approximate summary of the Original eBook. The Brief Description of the eBook is written as follows:-
The Man is a 1905 Victorian novel by Bram Stoker, best known for Dracula. A typical Gothic novel, it features horror and romance. The Man has also been published as The Gates of Life.

Plot
Squire Stephen Norman is lord of the manor in Normanstead. Norman promises her that he will love their daughter as much as he would have loved a son, and Margaret asks him to name the girl Stephen. The girl asks Wolf to bring Harold on a future visit, and the children become friends. Wolf dies of pneumonia and Squire Norman promises to raise Harold as if he were his own son. Stephen and Harold visit the graveyard of the Church of St. Stephen in Normanstead (where all her ancestors are buried) and find the crypt unlocked. Harold finds Leonard running out of the crypt and Stephen unconscious on the floor in front of a coffin. Leonard tells her that he carried her out of the crypt, and she begins to admire him. Harold goes to Cambridge University and begins to fall in love with Stephen, who admires Leonard (though he is selfish and uninterested in her). Before he dies, he tells Harold to look after Stephen and gives him his blessing to marry her if she wishes. He tells an incredulous, upset Harold about Stephen's proposal, and Harold proposes to her the next morning. Stephen, aware that Harold knows about her rejected proposal, becomes angry and tells him to leave. When she tells Leonard that in exchange for his silence she will pay his debts, he realizes the advantages of marrying her. He refuses the Stonehouse' offer of a job, living in Alaska for two years before deciding to revisit the lonely Stephen (who has inherited a London mansion and a title, and whose sole confidante is an old woman known as the Silver Lady). During a storm, Stephen sees a ship ablaze in the distance; a bearded John is trying to swim to shore and sees Stephen just before he is struck by lightning. Not recognizing him, Stephen has him rescued and brought to her home. Alice explains to Stephen that the injured man had saved their daughter's life two years earlier, and Pearl had insisted on seeing "the Man". Pearl is confused by John's beard, but when the doctor removes his bandages she recognizes "the Man" and faints. Stephen, realizing that "the Man" is Harold, also faints and Harold suddenly regains his sight. Pearl tells Stephen that she should marry Harold, and Stephen consults the Silver Lady. The Silver Lady visits Harold and tells him he should marry Stephen.

Historical Context
The Victorian Era, the reign of Queen Victoria from her coronation on 20 June 1837 to her death on 22 January 1901, is known as a long period of peace, prosperity, and national pride for the British Empire. It was a bold transition from the Georgian era, largely defined by logic, rationalism, and a progression towards romanticism and mysticism in religion, societal values, and the arts. In international relations, the Georgian era was widely regarded as a period of peace and Britain involved itself in a little external conflict. However, within the American colonies, there was much unrest. In British domestic relations, the political agenda became increasingly liberal and was marked by shifts toward political, industrial, and social reform. During the Victorian era, Britain experienced unprecedented economic and population growth.

The end of the era, when The Man was written, coincided with Europe's Belle Époque. Like Britain's Victorian era, the period was characterized by optimism, peace, advances in technology, and scientific discoveries.

Keywords

Fiction-Gothic

Best Gothic-Romance-Horror Novel

Best Romance Horror Novel

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