Under the Net

Under the Net (1954), a novel by British author and philosopher Iris Murdoch, follows aspiring writer Jake Donaghue as he stumbles from place to place through Europe in search of illusory ideals. The novel falls into the genre of the picaresque, a comedic form in which a clever, lower-class protagonist makes his way up in the world using his wits. For advice, Donaghue looks to his old philosopher friend, Hugo Bellfounder. The novel puts a modernist spin on this old form, depicting Donaghue as a freeloader who, ironically, succeeds due to the serendipity of encounters that the chaos of the modern world provides. Part of the modern canon, the novel is often considered one of the greatest works of the twentieth century.

The novel begins as Donaghue returns to London after a brief visit to France. His relative, Finn, informs him that they have been kicked out of their benefactor Madge’s house to make room for her wealthy new boyfriend, Sammy Starfield. While packing, Donaghue, finding one of his previous professional translations, is reminded of Dave Gellman, his philosopher friend with whom he lost touch years before. He goes to Dave’s apartment, drops off his suitcase; upon Finn’s advice, he then goes to the home of Anna Quentin, a singer and his former lover. Busy with a film project, she redirects him to her actor sister, Sadie. Donaghue tracks down Sadie, who is hiding from Hugo Belfounder who is in love with her. He remembers Hugo from a series of philosophical discussions they had once had on the nature of language. Donaghue, returning to Madge’s to get his last possessions, is intercepted by Sammy, who bribes him to leave peacefully. Donaghue gambles the money over the phone and wins £633.

Donaghue agrees to housesit for Sadie, then realizes that he has been imprisoned there. Dave and Finn help him escape, and he decides to look for Hugo, having accidentally answered a phone call placed to Anna that signaled he is in love with her. A note posted on Hugo’s door states that he is at a pub. Dave, Finn, and Donaghue hop from bar to bar looking for him and getting progressively drunker. They encounter an activist who calls himself Lefty Todd and swim in the Thames. When they wake up the following morning, Dave realizes that he forgot to give Donaghue a letter from Anna saying that she wishes to see him immediately. He runs to the theatre where she works, but she has already departed. He goes to Sadie’s door, where he overhears a conversation that sounds like Sammy and Sadie’s plot to rip off one of his translations for a film.



Infuriated, Donaghue recruits Finn to enter Sammy’s Chelsea apartment to steal the script. They fail to find it, so Donaghue takes Sammy’s dog, Mr. Mars, as leverage. They come upon a tabloid stating that Anna is on her way to Hollywood with a stop in Paris. They then pursue Hugo, ending up at a studio in the south of London. Lefty Todd is there delivering a political diatribe about socialism. Donaghue takes Hugo aside, but before he can speak, a political march of the United Nationalists starts a stampede. The movie set collapses, and Donaghue escapes by commanding Mr. Mars to play dead, crying out for a veterinarian. The next day, he goes to Dave’s and finds the money he won from gambling. He and Dave send a blackmail note to Sammy demanding £100 in exchange for Mr. Mars. Donaghue receives two letters from Madge that contain a job lead in Paris and money to cover travel costs. After learning that Sammy has canceled the £600 check, he and Dave bet money on Lyrebird. He then leaves for Paris.

On Bastille Day, Donaghue is shocked to hear that one of his writing rivals, Jean-Pierre Breteuil, has won an award for his novel. He bitterly declines Madge’s job lead after finding that it is related to the film industry. He walks through Paris and spots Anna, but loses her in the crowd. He chases her down but ends up following a doppelganger. The next day, he learns that Lyrebird has won despite terrible odds. Finn takes his part of the winnings and vanishes, while Donaghue sinks into a depression.

In the coming weeks, Donaghue finds work as a hospital assistant. Hugo is one of his first patients, having been struck by a thrown brick at a political event. He visits the hospital in the middle of the night to avoid being fired for being overly familiar with a patient on the job. To his surprise, Hugo is not upset with him, nor is he in love with Anna. On the contrary, Anna loves him and he loves Sadie, who in turn loves Donaghue. Donaghue helps Hugo escape the hospital, but is spotted by his boss, and quits before being formally fired.



At the end of the novel, Donaghue goes to visit Hugo. Hugo has absconded, leaving his possessions to Lefty. He also finds that Finn has returned to his home, Ireland. Sadie convinces Donaghue to pay for Mr. Mars to reconcile with Sammy. Having made peace with all of the people with whom he was in conflict, Donaghue reflects optimistically on the future of his writing career.

A novel primarily about the serendipity of modern life, Under the Net uses its protagonist’s wandering to show how conflicts and resolutions arise unpredictably in the creative life. In living his own story out to a good resolution, Donaghue matures as an artist and readies himself to finally produce original work.