Quartet in Autumn by Barbara Pym is a beloved novel about four aging British friends who feel like outsiders in a modern changing world. The novel focuses on their lives as they navigate changes to their friendship, professional lives, and their place in their community. The novel is an exploration of friendship, aging and mortality, and how powerful yet fragile relationships can be.
Quartet in Autumn follows four friends in their late fifties, Marian, Letitia, Marcia and Edwin, who have worked and lived together in the same London office for almost twenty years. However, impending retirement looms, and the four settle into the inevitable changes. The novel is set in the early 1970’s, as the UK is witnessing major social and economic transformations. The group of four is connected and comfortable with each other, relying on them for moral, intellectual and emotional support.
Marian is a spinster, an independent woman who has always defined herself through her job. She is a scholar at heart, dedicated to her research and often prefer to remain in the office after hours in the evenings. Letitia is a children’s librarian, the least ambitious of the four and probably the most content. She is kind and generous, and is often the one to take care of the worries of the others. Marcia is a quiet and sometimes overlooked secretary, unhappily unmarried and too shy to search for companionship. Edwin is the youngest, a sometimes annoying flirt and the only one they all can rely on. He is a lovable maverick, a dedicated romantic, and a careful observer. Through Edwin’s insights the reader sees how the quartet affects each other, how their lives are affecting their professional and personal circumstances, and how old age and mortality are ever present.
The novel explores how life and relationships evolve as the group progresses through the different stages of life. Gradually, the quartet grows closer, depending on each other for comfort and loyalty. The story challenges the traditional view of age and relationships. Though there is sadness and resignation as retirement approaches, there is also a sense of hope and a common understanding among the characters that age does not need to draw a line under life. The quartet realize that if they want to stay close, they must accept their changes and find a way to stay united.
A wonderful story of aging, friendship, and resilience, Quartet in Autumn is an affecting, gentle and thoughtful exploration of complex relationships. Pym’s writing is delicate and subtle, highlighting both the remarkable moments of her characters’ lives and their shared humanity. In the end, the quartet is stronger, more accepting and closer than ever. A must-read for fans of character-driven fiction, Quartet in Autumn is an exquisite example of Barbara Pym’s finest work.
