“Under the Volcano” by Malcolm Lowry | A Descent into the Abyss

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Under the Volcano remains one of literature’s most powerful and lyrical masterpieces on the human condition, a brilliant portrayal of one man’s constant struggle against the elemental forces that threaten to destroy him.

A Novel of One Day: the Day of the Dead

Under the Volcano is a true masterpiece written by Malcolm Lowry. The novel unfolds over a single day, the Day of the Dead, 1938, in Quauhnahuac, Mexico.

This specific date is crucial, not just for its symbolic weight of death and remembrance, but also because it places the narrative at a pivotal moment in world history. The shadow of an impending World War II looms large, with the Spanish Civil War serving as a bloody prelude. The rise of fascism in Europe is mirrored in the encroaching sense of dread and the political unrest simmering beneath the surface of Mexican life. Here in Quauhnahuac, the fascists are the military police. Anyone who is foreign is suspected of being a spy, a “Spider.” The impending global catastrophe adds another layer of tension mirroring Firmin’s personal struggles, reflecting a world teetering on the brink of collapse and cruelty.

The novel’s plot is simple, one single day, and a trip to the bull fights, but the novel’s forward motion is driven by the complex relationships between its central characters, each burdened by their past and grappling with their demons. Geoffrey Firmin, the alcoholic consul, is haunted by his failed marriage to Yvonne, his expulsion from the British consular service (possibly for mass murder), and a deep sense of guilt over his past actions. He seeks solace in alcohol, which only exacerbates his problems and pushes him further into isolation.

Yvonne, Firmin’s estranged wife, returns to Quauhnahuac after a year’s separation, inspired by a vision of life together away from Mexico, on a mission to rescue their failing marriage, hoping to rekindle their love and escape the destructive cycle of their relationship. She represents a glimmer of hope and a chance for redemption. Early in the novel, upon Yvonne’s return to the town, she stands outside a bar and the narrative offers a brief flashback to her ship voyage and brief view of the town, both imbued with metaphor that illuminates her anxious and yet hopeful state of mind:

So the bar, open all night for the occasion, was evidently full. Ashamed, numb with nostalgia, and anxiety, reluctant to enter the crowded bar, though equally reluctant to have the taxi driver go in for her, Yvonne, her consciousness so lashed by wind and air and voyage she still seemed to be traveling, still sailing into Acapulco harbor yesterday evening through a hurricane of immense and gorgeous butterflies swooping seaward to greet the Pennsylvania—at first it was as though fountains of multicolored stationery were being swept out of the saloon lounge—glanced defensively round the square, really tranquil in the midst of this commotion, of the butterflies still zigzagging overhead or past the heavy open ports, endlessly vanishing astern, their square, motionless and brilliant in the seven o’clock morning sunlight, silent yet somehow poised, expectant, with one eye half open already, the merry-go-rounds, the Ferris wheel, lightly dreaming, looking forward to the fiesta later—the ranged rugged taxis too that were looking forward to something else, a taxi strike that afternoon, she’d been confidentially informed. The zócalo was just the same in spite of its air of slumbering Harlequin. The old bandstand stood empty, the equestrian statue of the turbulent Huerta rode under the mutant trees wild-eyed evermore, gazing over the valley beyond which, as if nothing had happened and it was November 1936 and not November 1938, rose, eternally, her volcanoes, her beautiful volcanoes.

The novel is filled with these types of fluid, expansive and beautiful passages that weave time and place together into an almost fugue-like narrative.

Hugh, Firmin’s half-brother, is a more idealistic figure, a journalist who sympathizes with the Republican cause in Spain. He represents a contrasting path to Firmin’s, one of engagement with the world and a desire to fight against injustice. However, he too is caught in the web of the Firmins’ troubled relationship, drawn into their conflict and ultimately unable to save his brother from his fate. 

Jacques Laruelle, a film director and childhood friend of Firmin, adds another layer of complexity to the narrative. He represents a link to Firmin’s past, a reminder of a time before his descent into alcoholism, and a reminder of Yvonne’s past life as an actress. Jacques’ presence highlights lost innocence and the impossibility of returning to the past which are embodied here in reminiscence like the flickering images of a filmstrip.

As the day progresses, the characters’ paths intertwine, their interactions fueled by a mixture of love, resentment, and regret. Firmin’s descent into drunkenness accelerates, leading to a series of increasingly chaotic and tragic events. By the end of the day, the consequences of their choices and the weight of their pasts leave the reader to contemplate the fragility of human connection and the destructive power of a beautiful but cruel and indifferent world.

Complex, Challenging, and Hugely Rewarding

Malcolm Lowry’s Under the Volcano is one of the towering masterpieces of literature of the twentieth century that plunges the reader into the alcoholic haze of Geoffrey Firmin, a British consul in Quauhnahuac, Mexico, on the Day of the Dead, 1938. Set against the backdrop of the looming volcanoes Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, the novel charts Firmin’s final descent into despair and self-destruction, fueled by his relentless drinking and haunted by personal demons and a crumbling marriage.

The novel is not a light read. It is a complex and challenging work, dense with symbolism, literary allusions, and a stream-of-consciousness narrative that mirrors Firmin’s disintegrating psyche. Yet, within this challenging structure lies a profound exploration of love, loss, guilt, and the human condition’s fragility that will reward and satisfy the patient reader.

Language That Reflects Character State of Mind

Lowry masterfully employs language to reflect the inner turmoil and psychological states of his characters. Firmin’s speech is often fragmented, rambling, and laden with literary quotations, mirroring his erudite yet disintegrating mind. His words are a desperate attempt to connect with the world while simultaneously revealing his alienation and isolation.

In contrast, Yvonne, Firmin’s estranged wife, speaks with a more straightforward and hopeful tone, a blending of time and image that mirrors her yearning for reconciliation and a fresh start. Her language embodies her desire to escape the destructive cycle of their relationship and find redemption. The contrast between their speech patterns highlights the chasm that separates them and the tragic impossibility of their reunion.

All Is Metaphor

Metaphor is the lifeblood of Under the Volcano. The dominant metaphor, of course, are the two volcanoes, a towering presence that symbolizes the impending doom and the destructive forces brewing beneath the surface. The Day of the Dead setting further amplifies this sense of mortality and the ever-present shadow of death.

Lowry also uses the imagery of the ” barranca,” or ravine, to represent the characters’ psychological and emotional depths. Firmin’s descent into the barranca mirrors his descent into alcoholism and despair, a journey from which he cannot return.

The recurring motif of the “Garden of Eden” and the Fall further emphasizes the themes of lost innocence, temptation, and the consequences of choices. Firmin’s expulsion from the consulate and his subsequent wanderings through the Mexican landscape symbolize his exile from grace and his inability to find redemption, as exemplified in a moment when he is in his own garden:

He became conscious, for the first time, of the extraordinary activity which everywhere surrounded him in his garden: a lizard going up a tree, another kind of lizard coming down another tree, a bottle-green hummingbird exploring a flower, another kind of hummingbird, voraciously at another flower; huge butterflies, whose precise stitched markings reminded one of the blouses in the market, flopping about with indolent gymnastic grace (much as Yvonne had described them greeting her in Acapulco Bay yesterday, a storm of torn-up multicolored love-letters, tossing to windward past the saloons on the promenade deck); ants with petals or scarlet blossoms tacking hither and thither along the paths; while from above, below, from the sky, and, it might be, from under the earth, came a continual sound of whistling, gnawing, rattling, even trumpeting. Where was his friend the snake now? Hiding up a pear tree probably.

Volcanoes, Butterflies, Stars and A Ferris Wheel

The setting of Quauhnahuac, a fictionalized Cuernavaca, a town of bars and taxis, winding streets and a Ferris wheel, is not merely a backdrop but a character in itself. The town’s vibrant colors, festive atmosphere, and underlying sense of unease contribute to the novel’s atmosphere of impending doom. The Day of the Dead celebrations, with their blend of life and death, joy and sorrow, mirror the conflicting emotions within Firmin. The day moves inexorably towards a downside for these characters just as the Ferris wheel does in the town center.

The presence of the volcanoes, Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, adds another layer of symbolism. These majestic peaks represent the duality of human nature, the constant struggle between love and hate, hope and despair, life and death. Sometimes visible in full view of sunlight, other times they are clouded over, and at times they completely disappear.

Exploring Existentialism and Connection

Under the Volcano is deeply rooted in existentialist philosophy. Firmin grapples with questions of meaning, purpose, and free will in a world seemingly devoid of inherent meaning. His alcoholism is a form of self-destruction, a way to numb the pain of existence and escape the responsibility of making choices.

The novel also explores themes of alienation, isolation, and the search for connection. Firmin’s desperate attempts to communicate with Yvonne and his brother Hugh are ultimately thwarted by his inner demons and his inability to overcome his self-imposed isolation. 

A Timeless Masterpiece

Despite its challenging nature, Under the Volcano is a hugely rewarding novel. It is a powerful and haunting exploration of the human psyche, a descent into the depths of despair, and a meditation on the complexities of love, loss, and redemption. Lowry’s masterful use of language, symbolism, and metaphor creates a richly textured and unforgettable reading experience.

While not a light read, Under the Volcano is a must-read for those seeking a literary masterpiece that delves into the depths of human experience. It is a timeless work that continues to resonate with readers today, offering a profound and unsettling reflection on the human condition.

~ J.S. Hood

About Malcolm Lowry

Clarence Malcolm Lowry (28 July 1909 – 26 June 1957) was an English poet and novelist who is best known for his 1947 novel Under the Volcano, which was voted No. 11 in the Modern Library 100 Best Novels list. Lowry published little during his lifetime, in comparison with the extensive collection of unfinished manuscripts he left. Of his two novels, Under the Volcano is now widely accepted as his masterpiece and one of the great works of the 20th century. Ultramarine (1933), which was written while Lowry was still an undergraduate, follows a young man’s first sea voyage and his determination to gain the crew’s acceptance.

A collection of short stories, Hear Us, O Lord from Heaven Thy Dwelling Place (1961), was published after Lowry’s death. The scholar and poet Earle Birney edited Selected Poems of Malcolm Lowry (1962). Birney also collaborated with Lowry’s widow in editing the novella Lunar Caustic (1968) for re-publication. With Douglas Day, Lowry’s first biographer, Lowry’s widow also completed and edited the novels Dark as the Grave Wherein my Friend Is Laid (1968) and October Ferry to Gabriola (1970) from Lowry’s manuscripts.

Bio Source: wikipedia

Other Titles by Malcolm Lowry

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