'Under the Net' by Iris Murdoch

November 2024 - 'Under the Net' by Iris Murdoch

For November’s book group we read Iris Murdoch’s first novel, Under The Net, published in 1954.

Literally set in the ruins of post-war London in a world of thinkers and drifters, our protagonist is existential anti-hero Jake, searching for meaning and trying to understand himself and those around him. Not all of the group were charmed with Jake’s capacity to “blunder on” but his escapades, which include breaking into a hospital, stealing a celebrity dog, and causing an explosion on a film set, meant this was a memorable read.

Moral philosopher

Readers admitted that Murdoch’s reputation as a moral philosopher meant that they weren’t sure what to expect, and several expressed surprise that Murdoch’s novel is a comedy caper, an episodic picaresque novel that quite frequently verges on the absurd.

Capturing atmosphere

Much of the action takes place on the street, in the city’s pubs, moving from place to place across London and the plot has a frenetic urgency (which this reader found exhausting!). Murdoch is sensitive to place and readers commented on her powerful descriptions of London and Paris not just for their accuracy but the way she captured atmosphere, including the strangeness of swimming in the Thames and the mysterious Jardins du Luxembourg at night.

Writing men and women

One of the novel’s weak spots was the characterisation of Anna and Sadie, and we had an intriguing conversation about how Murdoch writes men and women. Her men make much more interesting characters, whose inner lives are richer and more complex. We discussed whether we would know Murdoch’s gender from a blind reading, which gave much food for thought.

The title

We also tried to think about the novel’s title. Hugo uses the phrase “under the net” to describe the human condition. This relates to philosopher Wittgenstein’s idea that language is too limited for us to get to the truth. Any attempt to explain truth in words is like putting a net over it, distorting it and making it indistinct. Indeed, in this novel Jake learns that descriptions are subjective, and that communication between individuals is enormously difficult.

Hugo's flat is thought to be situated in the corner building on Holborn Viaduct.

This is a novel that can be read on several levels – as a comedic farce, or as a philosophical enquiry, or even as a snapshot of a disappeared London.

Why not try searching the London Picture Archive to find more images of when the novel was set in 1950s London.