A Town Like Brighton
“Here I am once more in this scene of dissipation and vice, and I begin already to find my morals corrupted.”
- Jane Austen
Brighton must be built for crime. Unguarded coastlines, lots of channel ports (and the Eurotunnel), large number of antique shops. It was dubbed the murder capital of Europe for nothing; Graham Greene's "Brighton Rock" revealed the mob in the city's underbelly. Even Jane Austen described the place in less-than-flattering words. If she lived during the twentieth century, she won't have second thoughts. All of these would influence the nonconformist attitude of its residents.
The Brighton Festival is held every month of May, when spring is about to end. This is not the reason for inhabitants - and visitors - to let their hair down, but they should. If the number of nightclubs won't be enough to entice them, then they must know more about its past. King George IV commissioned to build the Royal Pavilion to impress his mistress, Mrs. Fitzherbert. This was the most impressive structure in this part of Britain. Those who set their eyes on it would wonder if authorities lost count of the illicit liaisons that happened there. Visitors won't have time to think, as outdoor activities distract them. The pyrotechnics would be enough.
A great deal of visual art, theater, music, and literature are brought into the event. Organizers would make sure that it's a month to remember. (Vanessa Redgrave was the artistic director for the 2012 event.) Visitors would believe that this is a cool place to live. Maybe they need to recall some literary works set in Brighton, which will help them know more about this seaside community. They will be amazed at how these writers perceive the place. Here's a short list:
Travels with My Aunt (1969) by Graham Greene. Henry Pulling and his Aunt Augusta were two different people, yet they would form an unlikely bond during their visit to Brighton. How could it be? Henry lived a predictable lifestyle, but he yearned for adventure after meeting his aunt's friends in Brighton. Many would see an eccentric lady, but those who know her beg to disagree.
Hilda Lessways (1911) by Arnold Bennett. Edwin and Hilda should have been happy, after the former was no longer under the influence of his father. But Hilda was a capricious wife. She once worked in Brighton.
Hangover Square (1941) by Patrick Hamilton. The story was set during the months before World War II, which described how the impending doom influenced Harvey George Boone. He was suffering from a split personality. He went to Brighton on a holiday, with a woman he wanted to gain affection. But George didn't notice the bright lights.
