When going on holidays to foreign European cities I'll sometimes visit cathedrals as this seems like the thing tourists should do. I remember walking through a cathedral in Portugal and passing an Irishman who impatiently sighed to his friend “I don't wanna visit another feckin church.” I too wander around their cool-aired interiors staring up in befuddled wonder, gazing at the majesty of it all but uncertain why I'm visiting a centuries-old monument. Even if I'm impressed by its beauty and stature I can't help thinking how such solemn grandeur must have demanded considerable sacrifice and been built with untold backbreaking labour.
The impetus for Ben Hopkins' novel “Cathedral” is the construction of a principle church for the diocese in the fictional German town of Hagenburg. Taking place over the 1200s & 1300s, it follows the lives of several characters from many different levels of society whose fortunes rise and fall over time. Even after a century as bishops and popes come and go, the cathedral still hasn't been completed because of frequent societal tumult, a lack of funds and the complexity of building such a structure. Its place at the centre of the novel is more symbolic because the real focus of this impressive and immersive historical novel is a shift in society as capitalist opportunities disrupt the feudal system which governed Europe during that time. Enterprising peasants ascend in power to challenge the nobility and feckless noblemen find themselves ousted by opportunists. However, religious and political instability means that no one's status is secure and it's thrilling to follow the fates of the many fascinating characters who we encounter.
The novel is organized into four parts with chapters switching focus between a number of individuals. Some characters are revisited at a later date and others meet an untimely end. Given the pervasive violence of the time it's not surprising many lives are cut short. It's touching how a character who dies is memorialised by the author at the end of a chapter with the dates of their birth and death. Chance and circumstance play into who makes it or doesn't so it's tense seeing who survives and who perishes over the years. Initially I struggled to follow some of the storylines and keep track of the many characters as it's quite an epic and complicated tale. At one point I went back to reread several chapters to straighten out some factors and the dramatic consequences of certain events, but it was well worth doing this as it builds to an extremely worthwhile and wondrous story. I only wish a character list with brief descriptions had been included at the beginning of the book as this would have been a useful reference while reading the novel.
Three primary characters emerge from a serf family to ascend to different levels of wealth and achievement. Two brothers and a sister use their cunning and intelligence to establish themselves in different parts of this community. Following their progress we get a glimpse into various factions of society which alternately bargain, betray and fight with one another. We also come to see the personal expense and compromises which must be made as these characters encounter the pervasive sexist, homophobic and anti-Semitic attitudes. It's particularly fascinating to read how Christian and Jewish communities who couldn't openly do business with each other found ways around the restrictions by using intermediaries. Other sections describe how defending religion is used as an excuse to legally pillage wealthy groups of people to fund the expense of constructing the cathedral. The intimidating bishop's treasurer Eugenius von Zabern ominously remarks “God forgive me, but there could be good revenue in this heresy hunt.” Whether the persecuted are heretics or not is often beside the point because the religious powers see the potential financial and political gains from the accused.
I grew attached to many of the vibrant personalities in this novel whether they were villainous or virtuous, but I was particularly impressed with the way in which the author sympathetically portrays the life of a gay man who manages to maintain a same sex relationship for a period of time. Ben Hopkins stays true to how each character is a complex individual with many different parts to their identity while also showing how their sensibilities are shaped by the circumstances and ideologies of this time period. It's what makes reading this historical novel such an immersive experience. There are also small enticing mysteries scattered throughout the book such as a missing intricate drawing for a grand window and the unknown identity of a bandit leader. As well as telling a thrilling story this is also a contemplative book which raises deeper questions about how politics came to be so driven by capitalism and how the complexity of history can be smoothed out by the dominant narrative. The cathedral comes to symbolize so much more than an achievement of construction built for religious glory. It's also the product of political manoeuvring and the remnant of a powerful leader's ego. At one point Eugenius wonders 'What is this new cathedral but the product of vanity?' I doubt I'll regard any cathedral I visit in the future with the same bland passivity because there must be countless stories attached to ever block of stone that went into it. “Cathedral” is a truly wondrous, entertaining and clever novel that's given me a new perspective.
