Greene, Graham (Vol. 6) - Greene, Graham 1904–

Greene, Graham 1904–

Greene, an English novelist, short story writer, playwright, and essayist, is generally considered the most important Catholic novelist of our time. Greene converted to Roman Catholicism before he published his first novel; since then, as Walter Allen has written, "at the center of all his novels … is a man on the run." In the major works, man runs from his own conscience and from God as Greene explores, in these novels, the great international theme of alienated man in a corrupt—and corrupting—society. (See also Contemporary Authors, Vols. 13-16, rev. ed.)

[Greene's] interest in legitimate theatre corresponds to a gradual change in the character of Greene's fiction. Little by little the pre-war violence, melodrama and morality have been suppressed. After The Living Room religious themes drop into the background. Of sex, war, and crime, the other main ingredients of his novels, only sex remains in the plays...

[The entire page is 9451 words long]

Join eNotes

The above is a free excerpt. Get total access to this content with the:

eNotes Pass