In Hamnet, Maggie O'Farrell chooses never to name her central character's husband, though most people will instantly know he is William Shakespeare.
Why did she do that?
In 'The Kids of God' (the provisional title for my soon-to-be-published novel), I decided not to name my narrator-protagonist's wife. This was to emphasise his self-centredness. But O'Farrell's heroine is a strong wonderwoman. That can't have been the reason.
Did she fear that the myth behind the man might overshadow her heroine and turn her intense domestic drama into something else? But we all know who the husband is! So in the end this 'no-name' technique had the effect of drawing my attention away from Stratford and towards the theatre.
I'm not sure I understand this.
Why did she do that?
In 'The Kids of God' (the provisional title for my soon-to-be-published novel), I decided not to name my narrator-protagonist's wife. This was to emphasise his self-centredness. But O'Farrell's heroine is a strong wonderwoman. That can't have been the reason.
Did she fear that the myth behind the man might overshadow her heroine and turn her intense domestic drama into something else? But we all know who the husband is! So in the end this 'no-name' technique had the effect of drawing my attention away from Stratford and towards the theatre.
I'm not sure I understand this.
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