The Cloister and the Hearth

The Cloister and the Hearth, by Charles Reade. It's a long and winding picaresque novel set in 15th century Europe, telling the story of the love between Gerard Eliason, an artist turned priest, and Margaret Brandt, the daughter of a poor scholar, and reflects the conflict between family and church which overshadowed the lives of so many in medieval times. Its uniqueness lies in the way Reade, having meticulously researched his subject and the period, gives us insights more detailed than any other writer of fiction into medieval lifestyles and morals, combined with vivid descriptions of his characters – many based on real historical figures – and locations. He deliberately strays towards a medieval writing style, with many an archaic word to tantalise the reader or listener (an education in itself). Until well into the twentieth century, ‘The Cloister and the Hearth’ was considered one of the greatest novels in the English language. Its popularity may have faded, but those who have read it will tell you of the enduring power of Reade’s tour de force. A revival is long overdue, and is deserved: it’s an exceptional book.


By : Charles Reade (1814 - 1884)

001 - Chapter 1



002 - Chapter 2



003 - Chapter 3



004 - Chapter 4



005 - Chapter 5



006 - Chapter 6



007 - Chapter 7



008 - Chapter 8



009 - Chapter 9



010 - Chapter 10



011 - Chapter 11



012 - Chapter 12



013 - Chapter 13



014 - Chapter 14



015 - Chapter 15



016 - Chapter 16



017 - Chapter 17



018 - Chapter 18



019 - Chapter 19



020 - Chapter 20



021 - Chapter 21



022 - Chapter 22



023 - Chapter 23



024 - Chapter 24, Part 1



025 - Chapter 24, Part 2



026 - Chapter 25



027 - Chapter 26



028 - Chapter 27



029 - Chapter 28



030 - Chapter 29



031 - Chapter 30



032 - Chapter 31



033 - Chapter 32



034 - Chapter 33, Part 1



035 - Chapter 33, Part 2



036 - Chapter 34



037 - Chapter 35



038 - Chapter 36



039 - Chapter 37, Part 1



040 - Chapter 37, Part 2



041 - Chapter 38



042 - Chapter 39



043 - Chapter 40



044 - Chapter 41



045 - Chapter 42



046 - Chapter 43



047 - Chapter 44



048 - Chapter 45



049 - Chapter 46



050 - Chapter 47



051 - Chapter 48



052 - Chapter 49



053 - Chapter 50



054 - Chapter 51



055 - Chapter 52



056 - Chapter 53, Part 1



057 - Chapter 53, Part 2



058 - Chapter 53, Part 3



059 - Chapter 54



060 - Chapter 55



061 - Chapter 56



062 - Chapter 57



063 - Chapter 58



064 - Chapter 59



065 - Chapter 60



066 - Chapter 61



067 - Chapter 62



068 - Chapter 63



069 - Chapter 64



070 - Chapter 65



071 - Chapter 66



072 - Chapter 67



073 - Chapter 68



074 - Chapter 69



075 - Chapter 70



076 - Chapter 71



077 - Chapter 72



078 - Chapter 73



079 - Chapter 74



080 - Chapter 75



081 - Chapter 76



082 - Chapter 77



083 - Chapter 78



084 - Chapter 79



085 - Chapter 80



086 - Chapter 81



087 - Chapter 82



088 - Chapter 83



089 - Chapter 84



090 - Chapter 85



091 - Chapter 86



092 - Chapter 87



093 - Chapter 88



094 - Chapter 89



095 - Chapter 90



096 - Chapter 91



097 - Chapter 92



098 - Chapter 93



099 - Chapter 94



100 - Chapter 95



101 - Chapter 96, Part 1



102 - Chapter 96, Part 2



103 - Chapter 97



104 - Chapter 98



105 - Chapter 99



106 - Chapter 100


Married to Margaret Brandt, Gerard sets off to Rome from Holland to escape the persecution of a vicious burgomaster as well as to earn money for the support of his family. Margaret awaits his return in Holland and in the meantime gives birth to his son. As Gerard is the favourite with his parents, his two lazy and jealous brothers decide to divert him from Holland and receive a larger share of fortune after their parents' death. They compose and dispatch a letter to Gerard informing him falsely that Margaret has died. Gerard believes the news and, stricken by grief, gives himself to a dissolute life and even attempts a suicide. After being saved from death by chance, he takes vows and becomes a Dominican friar. Later Gerard preaches throughout Europe and, while in Holland, discovers that Margaret is alive. He is afraid of temptation and to shun Margaret becomes a hermit. Margaret discovers Gerard's hiding place and convinces him to come back to normal life in which he becomes a vicar of a small town. Gerard and Margaret no longer live as a man and wife, but nevertheless see each other several times a week. A few years pass, Gerard's son grows up and is sent to a private school. After a decade reunited, Margaret catches the plague and dies; Gerard re-enters the monastery and dies shortly after. He is buried with a lock of Margaret's hair on his chest.

The author of The Cloister and the Hearth, at the end of this story, reveals that Margaret's and Gerard's son, also named Gerard, became the great Catholic scholar and Humanist, Erasmus of Rotterdam, a major historical figure. Indeed, little is actually known about Erasmus' actual parentage (apparently illegitimate), though his parents were in reality named Margaret Roger and Gerard. Reade was apparently using his imagination to fill in some historical gaps in Erasmus' background.[editorializing] The Cloister and the Hearth can easily be read as anti-Catholic, as it presents Catholic discipline regarding the celibate priesthood as an unsympathetic obstacle preventing Margaret's and Gerard's love from continuing to be consummated.

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