Undream'd of shores

In Short

This collection of short stories and character portraits captures the restless, often disillusioned spirit of the early twentieth century. Through narratives ranging from the musical circles of Vienna to the colonial frontiers of Africa and the boxing rings of New York, the author examines how individuals navigate success, romantic obsession, and the crushing weight of social expectation. It remains a compelling read for its unflinching look at the "unfit"—those whose sensitivity and artistic drive make them easy prey for a society that values only the ruthless and the profitable.

The Story

The collection opens in Vienna, where a young student encounters an artist named Hagedorn. Despite his obvious genius, Hagedorn is a man broken by an past betrayal, unable to reconcile his desire for purity with the harsh realities of life. His tragic trajectory sets the tone for a series of encounters with people who find themselves trapped by their own passions or the cynical machinations of others. In Shanghai, we meet Shimonski, a mysterious craftsman who claims to possess the ability to restore masterpieces, only to reveal that his life is a hollowed-out imitation of the beauty he once worshiped.

The narrative scope shifts to India with the story of Akbar, the "Mightiest," who finds himself tested not by war, but by the volatile demands of love and the jealousy of his harem. We are then transported to London and Africa, where characters like Ronden and the narrator himself grapple with the "survival of the fittest." Ronden, an artist who once believed in the nobility of creation, descends into bitterness, watching his life and talent dissolve under the influence of a woman whose only concern is material vanity. The cycle of obsession continues in a French music-hall, where the possessive Madame Fornageot and her husband illustrate how quickly human connection can be replaced by the cold arithmetic of money and status.

Finally, the focus turns to the brutal pragmatism of professional boxing in America. Dick Donovan, a young fighter, struggles to maintain his integrity while caught between the predatory demands of promoters and his own desire for a virtuous life. He discovers that the "great game" of life is rigged against the honest, and his struggle to preserve his dignity despite an inevitable fall provides a grim, concluding look at the cost of survival. Throughout these stories, the ending is rarely one of triumph; rather, it is a sober recognition of the compromises required to live in a world where the best people are frequently the first to disappear.

How It Unfolds

The Viennese Prelude The narrator introduces the vibrant, contradictory atmosphere of Vienna, serving as a conduit for the tragic tale of the violinist Hagedorn. This initial encounter establishes the author’s preoccupation with the fragility of genius and the way past trauma dictates one’s future.

The Eastern Enigma The scene shifts to Shanghai, where the narrator meets the enigmatic Shimonski. Through their interaction, the book explores the tension between being a creator and a mere copyist, setting up the broader theme of life as a deceptive performance.

The Historical and Colonial Portraits The stories move into the legendary halls of Akbar and the wilder, more dangerous settings of Africa. Here, the characters face the consequences of their desires, whether it is the king’s struggle for affection or the narrator’s own disillusionment with the local power dynamics.

The Descent into Modernity The narrative returns to the urban landscapes of London and Paris, where the artistic life is shown to be a struggle for survival. Characters like Ronden and the Fornageots illustrate the slow erosion of ideals when faced with financial ruin and the selfishness of others.

The Final Contest The collection closes with the story of Dick Donovan, whose boxing career mirrors the larger struggle of the individual against an exploitative society. His resignation to the "rules" of his profession serves as a final, pessimistic meditation on the difficulty of remaining good in an environment that demands corruption.

The People

Hagedorn is the archetypal tragic artist, a man whose profound musical sensitivity acts as both his greatest gift and his fatal weakness. His inability to move past a single, scarring betrayal renders him incapable of thriving in a world that requires thick-skinned pragmatism. In contrast, Akbar stands as a figure of absolute power, yet he is rendered human and vulnerable by his desire for genuine, uncalculated love. His journey is one of navigating the suffocating expectations of his court while searching for a partner who values him for himself.

Shimonski represents the "queer fish"—the brilliant outsider who has opted out of traditional society to live by his own peculiar, isolated code. He is a master of craft but a failure at existence, his eyes and dress suggesting a man who has slowly erased his own identity. Dick Donovan is perhaps the most sympathetic figure, a young man of modest means trying to reconcile his physical prowess with a moral compass that his environment constantly tries to break. He wants to be a hero, but he is forced to realize that the "great game" of life often rewards the man who knows how to lose with grace rather than the man who fights to win with honor.

In Its Own Voice

"At the first break in the voice--extraordinarily lifelike--I saw Joachim start, and from that moment I knew Hagedorn had conquered."

This moment, from the opening story in Vienna, captures the rare, transcendent power of Hagedorn’s musical talent.

"The rich man often helps the worthless with his gold, the genius never; that’s the truth."

Ronden expresses his biting, cynical philosophy regarding the fate of the artist in an industrial, profit-driven society.

"I’m going to lose this fight. Benny Rossiter is very good; and I’m a little out of practice--and--I shall probably make a lot of money by losing."

Dick Donovan confesses his forced moral failure, highlighting the grim reality that in his world, integrity is an expensive luxury.

What It's Really About

At its core, this book is an inquiry into the "survival of the fittest" as a social, rather than merely biological, mandate. The author argues that modern civilization is inherently hostile to the sensitive, the visionary, and the saintly. The central question is whether it is possible to maintain one's humanity—to remain an "artist" of one's own life—when the prevailing system demands that one become either a predator or prey. The stories suggest that the "unfit" are not necessarily the weak, but those whose values are incompatible with a world governed by greed, jealousy, and the cold logic of the marketplace.

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate the psychological depth of turn-of-the-century literature will find much to admire here. The prose is direct and observational, carrying a distinct, weary intelligence that feels surprisingly modern. You will encounter the period’s characteristic fascination with "exotic" settings and the intense, often melodramatic, interior lives of men who feel the world has moved on without them.

However, be prepared for a certain unevenness. The author’s perspectives on race, gender, and colonial life are firmly rooted in the 1920s, and the dialogue can occasionally feel stilted or overly polemical. Some readers may find the relentless pessimism exhausting, as there is little in the way of traditional resolution or "happily ever after." Yet, the book possesses a haunting quality; the image of the artist struggling against a society that views beauty as a commodity is a poignant one that lingers long after the final page. If you are interested in a candid, if occasionally flawed, look at the darker side of ambition and the high price of maintaining one's soul, this work provides a sharp, unsentimental lens through which to view those struggles.