Review: Excellent Women by Barbara Pym
- Anna O'Carroll
- Dec 21, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 9
The greatest fear of the 1950s woman, that is, to be left on the proverbial shelf, is wittily explored in Pym’s 1952 masterpiece Excellent Women. Pym’s work is chiefly concerned with an excellent woman, the sort that everyone knows: prepared for any eventuality, pragmatic to a fault and practically always ready to pop the kettle on. It is a prime example of Pym’s specialism, Novels of manners, offering a detailed insight into the customs and morals of society (think Jane Austen).
Millicent is the epitome of these ‘Excellent Women’, who really keep society upright. Despite the changing atmosphere of post-war Britain, typified in career woman Helena Napier, Millicent feels like the perfect morally upstanding clerical daughter, a typicality of Pym’s work. A philanthropist and avid parishioner, Mildred is in complete odds to the less conventional wife of Helena and indeed Allegra Grey, the usurper of her position of high church priest’s wife. Millicent takes us on a journey through shabby London streets and her equally shabby life, playing the Excellent Woman all men seem to depend on. In Millicent’s world of jumble sales, fetes and teas, Millicent is truly one of those excellent women, who can capably deal with a situation that may arise, but the situation seems to shift with the arrival of new neighbours. Helena and Rocky, are far from the perfect couple, with a marriage on the rocks. Mildred’s sympathetic attention is on Rocky, feeding him and filling the gaps Helena leaves, as she does her research and dreams of Everard Boon.
From the outside, Mildred provides scope to criticism and comment on the ups and downs of the marriages of her peers, before the seemingly impolite and unsociable Everard Boon expands his interests from just pre-historical anthropology to pursue Mildred instead. By phone, letter and visit, Boon eventually convinces Mildred to play the ‘excellent woman’ in his own life, to help him with his writing and offer companionship.
Thus, Mildred, in her deeply practical approach to life, takes the practical approach choosing to marry for stability, rather than return to the life she had before, pining for Justin Malory, the priest, or for Rocky, the adulterous naval officer. Rather happily, Millicent and Everard seem to share a very amicable marriage, more so than their peers, appearing fleetingly in other Pym novels – one of many reasons to read them all!
Pym’s witty and light social commentary uses first-person narration to make Millicent’s London feel even more foreign than some of the actual foreign cultures the novel discusses, through visits to the Anthropologists that round out the cast. The novel is unexpectedly funny, in comparison to its setting and themes. Pym achieves this humour through the contrast between the serious events and the anti-climaxes they precipitate and Mildred’s own, highly comedic criticism of the world around her. Millicent’s own self-effacing attitude, whilst the rest of the world seems to find her saint-like, adds to the sense of contrast which creates the humour in many parts of the novel. The world Pym creates feels real, with small tribulations blown out of proportion, and every social nicety carefully followed and explained. The relative dullness of the cast’s lives is forgotten by any reader when the immense drama of the Napier’s marriage or the glamourous Miss Grey sweeps into the community.
Whilst not a revolutionary text, in terms of plot or prose, Pym’s sharp and consistent critique and biting wit make this an excellent read for anyone. Furthermore, whilst perhaps not an outcry of feminist sentiment with the protagonist sharing and presenting a relatively conservative outlook on womanhood, ‘Excellent Women’ is chock full of developed and well-rounded female characters with refreshing flaws, independence of mind and diversity of spirit.
A must read for any fans of Muriel Spark or Patricia Highsmith, both contemporaries of Pym. I would also recommend Pym for any lover of Jane Austen, as the social relationships and criticisms that the novel discusses, as well as the central discussion of the role of women, make it a very similar read. Pym skilfully whisks any reader deep into the London of the 1950’s and armed with a compelling story and gripping characters convinces them to stay.
Written by: Anna O’Carroll
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