Nightmare Abbey · Theme
The Futility of Human Endeavor
How Nightmare Abbey develops The Futility of Human Endeavor.
A pervasive sense of futility runs through the book, as lawsuits fail, love affairs end in disappointment, and reformist writings sell only seven copies, reinforcing Mr. Glowry's refrain that 'all is vanity.'
Where it surfaces
- II
Despite his elaborate schemes and treatise, Scythrop's efforts yield no tangible result, underscoring the futility of his ambitions.
- XIV
Scythrop's plans for love and reform collapse; all guests depart, leaving him alone with his indecision and threats of suicide.
- XV
Scythrop's elaborate preparations and desperate waiting come to nothing, and his threats of suicide are deflated by the anticlimactic arrival of his father alone.
- Endnotes
The note on Ahrimanes and the divided dominion of good and evil suggests a fatalistic worldview, echoed in Mr. Toobad's belief in the reign of evil, underscoring the futility of human striving.