The Glorification and Downfall of the Elite: Beauty, Terror, and Class Dynamics
Exemplified through Donna Tartt’s 1992 Novel The Secret History
Written by Faye, one of our literature and poetry writers, and edited by Amber, one of our editors!
*This review/essay contains spoilers*
The Secret History, written by Donna Tartt, is a staple mystery novel to read when entering the world of Dark Academia. Although published in 1992, the novel regained popularity during the rise of the online social media aesthetic that romanticises the pursuit of knowledge, higher education, and classical literature. The Secret History is told from the perspective of Richard Papen, a middle-class student who begins studying Ancient Greek at Hampden College set in New England. Taught by the highly respected professor, Julian Morrow, the five elite classics students embark on a journey that they will never forget. The prologue begins by revealing the murder of one of the classics students, Edmund (Bunny) Corcoran. The reason behind this murder is sequentially revealed throughout the novel. Tartt criticises the themes of classism, elitism, and the relationship between beauty and terror throughout this gruelling yet staggering adventure, embarked on by Richard and his new friends.
Classism in the context of academia
To preface, classism is defined as a prejudice towards those of different class dynamics and statuses (financial, academic, family, etc.). Academia is the community or industry that primarily focuses on education, research, and scholarship. Social class status has been linked to academic and psychosocial outcomes. In a survey study examining social class, undergraduate business students from a lower social class background were more likely to suffer from anxiety (Barney et al., 1985). Although the online aesthetic of Dark Academia is slowly improving from its classist and elitist origins and contexts, it is still hard to scroll through Tumblr and Pinterest without noticing that every model wearing Dark Academia-Esque clothing is predominantly white. Furthermore, the notes that accompany such images are predominantly written, painted, or said by a man. Perhaps critically acclaimed writer Donna Tartt and her infamous debut novel The Secret History played a significant role in changing and challenging the overall elitist nature of the aesthetic and bringing new meaning to gothic post-modern fiction. Some reviews claim that the novel was written way ahead of its time since the Dark Academia aesthetic peaked during the quarantine period of the COVID-19 pandemic. But to what extent? Is The Secret History really that good of a critique of the concept and theme of classism, post-modern society, and even the Dark Academia aesthetic?
Destruction of Desire to belong
Tartt alludes to the harmful repercussions of “pack mentality”, and how wanting to fit in into a friend group of wealthy, pretentious students under such dire conditions ultimately destructs one’s identity as a whole. Richard Papen’s sense of belonging is highly distorted by his classist values despite being raised in a relatively average middle-class household. As he embarks on his journey with his rich classmates at Hampden College, his desire to belong in that wealthy friend group becomes obsessive. As seen in the quote “all of the sudden the column of snow, standing bright and tall in its dark corner, would appear to me in its true whispering, smiling menace, an airy angel of death.”, Tartt ensures the gravity of this obsession through her use of pathetic fallacy and vivid imagery of winter. Richard even admits to being obsessed when he challenges the classics professor, Julian, to let him be one of the few students that attends his course in the first chapter of the novel: “I am nothing in my soul if not obsessive”. Winter is symbolic of the reality Richard is faced with whenever his classmates, who don’t seem to give him much thought, aren’t around. “It was shadowy and heavy snow was falling: ‘Henry?’ I said, and squeezed my eyes shut until I saw stars. When I opened them again, I saw nothing but snow whirling in the bright cone of emptiness beneath the light.” This quote captures the loneliness and desperation Richard feels both emotionally and physically. It is also apparent here, that Richard was thinking of Henry Winter, one of the five students in his classics course whom is quite literally, dying to be friends with. Thinking of Henry Winter on the brink of death caused by hypothermia in the Winter illustrates Richard’s desperation.
Beauty and Terror is distorted/manipulated through Richard’s internal monologue
“It's a very Greek idea, and a very profound one. Beauty is terror. Whatever we call beautiful, we quiver before it. And what could be more terrifying and beautiful, to souls like the Greeks or our own, than to lose control completely?”
It is quite genius that Tartt uses Richard as the narrator of the whole story because the reader is just as clueless as he is prior to the happenings of the Bacchanal ritual and the murder of Bunny. Richard’s limited omniscience potentially manipulates the reader’s perspective of him and his friends. Beauty and Terror are interpolated into utter distortion. With the mix of Richard’s internalised classism and his romanticisation of his classmates-specifically Camilla, the true nature of agony is unknown due to the unreliability of Richard’s narration. The name Camilla in Latin means “Servant of the temple”. The reader falls for the glamorised characterisation of Camilla Macaulay through Richard’s lens and descriptions of her. She is highly romanticised and set up to be the girl of Richard’s dreams, and although she is one of the characters many readers sympathise with, she was very much compliant with participating in the murder at the Bacchanal and was still in love with Henry even after the murder of their classmate. It is evident that Richard’s fascination for his classmates is still prominent even after their terrors unleash throughout the murders as he plays along with hiding the truth from authoritative law enforcement.
“Absolute Power corrupts absolutely” - Lord Acton
The declining mental state and development of the characters’ after the murder of Bunny throughout the story fuel the message behind the proverb once said by Lord Acton, “Absolute power, corrupts absolutely”. Charles and Camilla Macauley were known to be the most welcoming out of everyone in the friend group, but towards the end of the novel, Charles has fully transformed into one of the leading villains in the story. Though it can be argued that all of the characters in this novel are on the spectrum of morally grey or pure evil, here is also the juxtaposing notion of the corruption of power between the power dynamic of Henry Winter and Julian Morrow. Henry is described as the mysterious and aloof member of the group, he also holds group leader status as he is the root cause of each murder the group commits and perpetuates the idea of Dionysian Rituals/Mysteries to his peers. Henry and in some cases, Richard, view their professor as a God-like entity and there is even some speculation if Julian was even a real person or just a figment of their imagination during their studies. “But he couldn’t. He loves us.”, is a quote from Richard to Francis Abernathy, describing how Julian would never scold them for admitting the murder of their friend. Julian is known for naively manipulating his students into being obsessed with Dionysian Rituals and fully immersing themselves in Ancient Greek culture. Julian’s manipulation encapsulates Henry the most because it seems to be that Henry emulates the Father-son trope that occurred in Ancient Greek Mythology like Odysseus and his relationship with his father, Laertes. In one conversation between Richard and Henry, Henry strongly confesses the impact of Julian's presence on him: “He turned his blind, unseeing eyes upon me. ‘I loved him more than my own father,’ he said. ‘I loved him more than anyone in the world.’” Henry’s ultimate character climax is the realisation that Julian disappeared after they admitted to murdering Bunny, this epiphany brought emphasis to how all Henry ever wanted was Julian’s approval and this approval never arriving caused him to take his own life.
Tartt’s Satirical Take on themes mentioned
It is prominent that The Secret History is almost like a commentary on Dark Academia before it became a widespread internet aesthetic, and the psychological aspects of covering up a crime you never thought you'd ever partake in. Tartt also criticises the elitism and how everything about the settings of this book stems from Eurocentric beliefs and mythologies (which is prominent in the way the characters are all disconnected from the real world). It is almost as if it was intentional that there were no people of colour in the plot. Bunny was incredibly homophobic, and Francis (the only queer character), ended up needing to stay closeted to be able to inherit his family’s wealth since it was only Richard who actually finished college out of everyone in their friend group.
While The Secret History is a psychological mystery novel that challenges the normative structure of writing by revealing the murder in the prologue of the book, it is simultaneously a gothic post-modern fiction novel that exaggerates the theme of detachment from modern society. This is explicitly seen through Richard and Judy Poovey’s interactions, and the pseudo-intellectualist characteristics almost all of the characters in this novel portray. (i.e. Richard wrote down the crime on paper while simultaneously helping his peers cover up the crime as if it never happened…) This satirical element is the glamourisation of elitism within academia. As the plot and character developments unfold, the reader is exposed to the notion that you cannot romanticise things at face value, which is highly applicable to not only the Dark Academia aesthetic, but to anything in life, really.
Final Thoughts
Overall, The Secret History definitely deserves the title of a modern classic and the way in which it was written is an incredible gateway to a plethora of discussions, hot takes, debates, and lessons in life. Reading this novel without analysing key aspects and themes of it simply takes away from the critiques and commentary Tartt offers.
Sources:
GradeSaver "The Secret History The Dionysian Mysteries". https://www.gradesaver.com/the-secret-history/study-guide/the-dionysian-mysteries
"The Secret History by Donna Tartt Analysis." PaperAp.com, 5 Sep 2017, https://paperap.com/the-secret-history-by-donna-tartt-analysis/
Grady, Constance. “Vox Book Club, The Secret History, Week 1: Did Bunny Have It Coming?” Vox, Vox, 8 May 2020, https://www.vox.com/culture/2020/5/8/21250613/vox-book-club-the-secret-history-donna-tartt-week-1
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This piece was written by one of our literature and poetry, Faye. Reach them at @leokenella on Instagram.
This piece was edited by one of our editors, Amber. Reach them at @spaldingamber on Instagram and @spaldingamber on Twitter.
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