    the present and the past (1953) is a novel by ivy compton-burnett about the head of a family who, although outwardly powerful and in charge, is suffering under the fact that he is being belittled and at some point even outright ignored by family and servants alike. ==plot introduction== after five years of marriage, cassius clare and his wife catherine cannot bear each other any longer and decide to get a divorce. although the separation is basically amicable, it is cassius clare's condition that catherine leave their two sonsâfabian, aged four, and guy, aged twoâunder his custody and never see them again. catherine claire accepts, and for the next nine years disappears from their life. ==plot summary== when the novel opens catherine has decided she can bear it no longer not to see her boys. openly confessing that she is breaking her promise, she announces that she would like a reunion. in the meantime cassius clare has remarried and has had three more children by the second mrs clare: eight-year-old henry, seven-year-old megan, and tobias, aged three. with the help of a head nurse, a nursemaid, and a governess, flavia clare has been a perfect mother to all five children, never drawing a line between her own flesh and blood and the two oldest children by her husband's first marriage. but when fabian and guy learn about their natural mother's plans, the biological bond proves to be stronger than any care that could be given them by their stepmother, and they want to meet her. cassius clare, in an awkward position of wanting to please each member of his family, agrees to catherine's wish, although right from the start it is clear to all members of the family that she will want to see her two sons on a regular basis once the first meeting has taken place. to cassius clare's dismay, the two women get on astonishingly well with each other. seemingly without a job which demands his time and attention, clare feels neglected and soon starts pitying himself. this feeling is enhanced when, casually conversing with his sons, he realises that they do not think highly of him either. for example, asked to say which people he likes best, 13-year-old fabian comes up with the following list: (1) catherine, his biological mother; (2) guy, his brother; and (3) flavia (whom he calls "mater"), his stepmother&mdash;with his father altogether absent from the list. similarly, three-year-old tobias's favourites turn out to be catherine, bennet, the head nurse; his sister megan; and william, the middle-aged gardener. it seems cassius clare takes these pronouncements very seriously, in spite of their being uttered by children. his only comfort is his father, a man of over 70 who has moved in with his son'
1953_novels Novels_by_Ivy_Compton-Burnett