Download McTeague by Frank Norris. Available in PDF, EPUB, and MOBI formats. Enjoy a summary, excerpt, and related recommendations.
McTeague Summary
McTeague by Frank Norris is a seminal work of American naturalism that delves into the life of a San Francisco dentist, McTeague, whose life spirals into tragedy due to greed and jealousy. The novel explores the impact of environmental and hereditary factors on human behavior, leading to inevitable downfall.
McTeague Excerpt
Short Summary: McTeague, an unlicensed dentist in San Francisco, becomes entangled in a web of greed and jealousy after his wife, Trina, wins a lottery prize. Their descent into obsession leads to violence and tragedy, culminating in a harrowing confrontation in Death Valley.
"McTeague's Dental Parlors were located on the second floor of a corner building on Polk Street. The large window bore the sign 'Doctor McTeague. Dental Parlors. Gas Given.' Inside, the room was furnished with a flat-topped chair of brown plush, a marble washstand, and a small cabinet filled with instruments. McTeague himself was a giant of a man, with a shock of blonde hair and enormous hands, more suited to manual labor than delicate dental work.
One day, his friend Marcus brought his cousin, Trina Sieppe, to have a broken tooth repaired. As McTeague worked, he became enamored with Trina's beauty and innocence. Despite Marcus's initial courtship of Trina, he stepped aside, allowing McTeague to pursue her. Their relationship blossomed, leading to an engagement.
Shortly before their wedding, Trina won five thousand dollars in a lottery. This windfall became a source of tension. Trina's inherent frugality turned into pathological stinginess, and McTeague's simple contentment gave way to avarice. Their lives, once filled with promise, began to unravel under the weight of greed.
As McTeague's dental practice faltered due to his lack of formal qualifications, their financial situation deteriorated. The couple moved to progressively poorer accommodations, and their relationship grew strained and abusive. In a fit of rage and desperation, McTeague murdered Trina, took her hoarded gold, and fled towards the desolation of Death Valley.
Pursued by the vengeful Marcus, McTeague found himself trapped in the unforgiving desert. The two men's final confrontation ended in mutual destruction, leaving McTeague handcuffed to Marcus's lifeless body, alone under the relentless sun, a grim testament to the destructive power of greed and jealousy."
