Viduity

I mentioned Krapp’s Last Tape before. I was never sure how to take the “hero”. Is he a comic or tragic figure? He is ridiculous as well as doomed so, both I guess. His yearly review of life seems automatic and a bit purposeless. When listening to recordings of his previous self he is appalled and bewildered. At one point he hears himself use the word “viduity” [period of being a widow] and is utterly baffled as to what it means.

Over the last week I have re-read three novels by Patrick McCabe and have been in the same state of bafflement. I mean I had already read these novels but could scarcely remember them. Where did they go? As I said I have given up reading from my iPad and so the only paper books I have are those  have already read. Patrick McCabe is my favourite writer from this island. His nightmare world of psychopaths, murderers, perverts - every kind of maniac conceivable – makes him the man I would  never  want to be.

The public and private personas of men in the novels of Pat McCabe are terrifying gothic monstrosities. Their minds are diseased, disturbing and horribly claustrophobic. No-one would want to know or be like any of the men from The Butcher Boy , Breakfast on Pluto, Call me the Breeze or Winterwood.   Take Francie Brady’s father in the Butcher Boy An alcoholic, wife beating, narcissist. With men like that viduity sounds like the better option.