Archibald Cronin, "The Citadel": a summary

The Scottish physician and writer Archibald Cronin (1896-1981) lived a long life, leaving a lot of stories, short sketches and about three dozen voluminous literary creations to his descendants. Most of his books, written in an easy-to-comprehend syllable, were filmed in the very first years after the publication.

Today readers' interest arose to one of the most popular works created by Archibald Cronin, the Citadel. Feedback about this book suggests that the problems that are involved in it are relevant even today, although almost eighty years have passed since it was written.

To be imbued with all the vicissitudes of the plot, of course, it is better to turn to the original source. Moreover, the book has been translated into many languages of the world, including Russian. A brief summary of Cronin's novel The Citadel is presented in this publication. We hope that having met him, you will not deny yourself the pleasure of reading the work completely.

Acquaintance with the main character and place of events

In the first chapter of the novel "Citadel" Archibald Cronin draws in front of the reader the atmosphere of business English society of the 1920s. The beginning doctor Andrew Manson's fate brings in a small mining town, where he must become an assistant to the local auschlupe Page.

On arrival, Andrew finds out that he will have to do all the work alone, because his boss is bedridden with paralysis. Spouse Page, a grumpy aging person, took Manson's arrival in hostility and in every way tries to harm him.

Becoming a person

Being a doctor by education, Archibald Cronin "Citadel" dedicates himself to public health problems. The novel describes the first steps of a young doctor in the chosen field. Manson's practice does not start well. Called to the patient, Andrew finds it difficult to determine the cause of the disease. Soon he meets Philip Denny, who, although he behaves somewhat arrogantly, still helps his colleague to diagnose the patient correctly.

It turns out that the city was under threat of an epidemic of typhus. This was due to unsanitary conditions caused by malfunctions in the sewage system. Manson, along with Denny, turn to the authorities with a demand to make repairs. Having achieved nothing, young people decide to blow up a rusted sewer pipe, which became the source of the spread of a deadly infection.

Birth of love

The book "The Citadel" (Kronin A. wrote it in 1937) not only reveals the layer of social problems of that time, but also tells about the personal experiences of the heroes. On one of his days in the town of Blanelli Andrew Manson meets Christine Barlow. Their meeting takes place in an educational institution, where the doctor went to oblige teachers not to allow children whose brothers or sisters are ill with measles. Miss Barlow, working as a schoolteacher, immediately liked Manson.

A little later, he learns about the difficult fate of a girl who lost her parents early, and eventually Christine completely takes possession of his heart. In the heart of Manson begins to flare up the fire of true love.

Nobility of thoughts

"Citadel" (Cronin's novel) is a narrative about the moral throws of the hero put before a choice: the true purpose of the doctor or the thirst for enrichment. In the first chapters of the work Manson appears before the reader as a knight from medicine, all his aspirations are aimed at disinterested help to people regardless of their income and position in society.

Meeting at the Congress of the Medical British Union with Freddie Hemson, Andrew feels genuine pains of conscience when he hears the arguments of his former classmate about reputation, money, promotion on the career ladder. It is possible that the prototype of the main character is Cronin himself. "Citadel" in an artistic form expresses the author's own worldviews about the profession of a doctor.

First successes and forced relocation

Andrew achieves some success in his activities. He manages to cure one of the city residents from mental distress, and also save from the death of a newborn child whose mother suffered from infertility for a long time. The merits of the young man do not go unnoticed, the management of the mine suggests that Manson take the position of doctor instead of Dr. Page. Andrew cleverly refuses this prospect, not wanting to leave his boss without means of subsistence.

Having received five guineas from the family of the woman for nursing a baby, Manson puts them in a bank account. This is learned by the wife of Dr. Page and accuses Andrew of stealing money from her husband. A young doctor calls on witnesses of her innocence and makes the malicious Mrs. Page apologize. After this, Manson decides to leave the service and soon moves to another mining town, where he was offered work.

Principle and rebellion

Settled in the town of Eberlo, Manson offers his lover to marry him. Christine agrees, and the newlyweds begin to equip the life in a new place. Almost immediately, Andrew has trouble in the service. Miners express dissatisfaction with the principle of the doctor, who refuses them to issue unsubstantiated sickness sheets. Soon the conflict subsides, and the spouses Manson become regulars of the circle of the urban elite, make friends with the owner of coal mining enterprises Richard Vaughn.

At the same time, Andrew meets a dentist named Con Boland. This person has a cheerful character and an optimistic outlook on life. Between Manson and Boland, a friendly relationship is established. They together try to persuade other colleagues to cease to deduct interest from their incomes to the chief doctor of the town. The initiator of the rebellious idea was Manson, but apart from his dentist friend, no one supported him.

Step by step brings his hero to take another moral milestone under the name of "citadel" Cronin. The film, shot based on the novel in 1938, was presented for the Oscar award in four categories. And we must assume that the main role in the popularity of the film was played by the skill of the writer and the relevance of the social problems raised.

Scientific victories and personal tragedies

Manson is obsessed with the idea of changing the existing order in the country's health system. He understands that this requires not only the practice of a practicing physician, but also profound scientific knowledge. Andrew agrees with his head to study, investigates the problem of lung diseases in workers engaged in coal mining, and then successfully defends his thesis and receives a doctorate.

The work of Manson was highly appreciated by domestic and foreign specialists. American scientist Richard Stilmen sends Andrew a letter, where he enthusiastically speaks about the results of his scientific research.

In the same period in the life of Manson is a personal tragedy. Kristin, being pregnant, falls from a dilapidated bridge and loses her child. In addition, it turns out that the resulting trauma forever deprives a young woman of the joy of motherhood.

After a while, fate again brings the doctor to the bandwagon. Miners, from the very beginning harboring an insult to him, accuse Manson of mockery of animals, since most of his scientific experiments were carried out on guinea pigs. The meeting of the working committee is urgently convened with a view to removing Andrew from the position of a doctor. But Manson, without waiting for any decisions, voluntarily resigns.

Moving to London and getting acquainted with the capital's beau monde

Archibald Cronin throws himself into the abyss of new uncharted events. The citadel, full of temptations, reveals a hug before Manson. Left without work, Andrew unexpectedly receives an invitation to the position of a specialist in the Committee of Pathology in the coal and metal mines. Having moved together with his wife to London, Manson is convinced that the work in the committee is not for him, since he does not give an opportunity to realize his professional knowledge.

Leaving an uninteresting position, Andrew tries to find a private practice. But this requires financial resources, which are not enough in the family. By a fluke, Manson's patient becomes Martha Cramb, who serves one of the most prestigious metropolitan stores. A woman recommends a doctor who cured her of allergies to her friends. Soon Andrew Manson gets acquainted with rich and influential London businessmen, whose wives address him for medical help.

In the clutches of the "golden calf"

Not with fire, sword and copper pipes heroes are tested by Dr. Cronin. The citadel takes the image of a golden calf, in the power of which it turns Manson. Forgetting about his noble impulses, Andrew becomes a member of the community of doctors who profit from the pains and sufferings of patients. For the sake of receiving large profits, these Aesculapes mislead people, directing them to expensive, but often useless and even dangerous procedures for health.

Manson is involved in these machinations, despite the wife's tearful requests not to sell his professional honor and human dignity. Revenues are growing rapidly, Andrew conducts private practice in one of the most expensive areas of the city. Christine condemns the behavior of her husband, but her reproaches cause Manson's only irritation. Sending his wife for the whole summer to a mining town at the invitation of the two Vaughan, Andrew starts an affair with one of the ladies of high society - Francis Lawrence.

Unexpected insight and pain of loss

During the simplest operation, conducted by Dr. Ivory, who is considered an experienced surgeon in the community, the patient dies before Manson's eyes. Andrew realizes that he is in the circle of doctors, charlatans, who, after being carried away by profit, have lost their professional skills. Manson, ashamed of his own weakness and involvement in these machinations, decides to leave the community.

After a while, old friend Con Boland tells Manson that his daughter is hopelessly ill. In the London clinic, a girl suffering from consumption, could not help. Andrew sends Mary to a country sanatorium where she is operated on by a new method developed by Richard Stilman. As a result, Bolanda's daughter completely recovers.

Her husband's vision is filled with joy by Christine's soul. One day, covering the table for dinner, the woman remembers that she did not buy the cheese that Andrew likes so much. Rushing to the store, which is across the street from their house, Christine dies under the wheels of the bus.

A. Cronin, "Citadel": summary of the final part

Burying his wife, Manson, along with Philip Denny decides to move from the capital to a remote abbey. Gradually recovering from the loss, Andrew is going to the money from the sale of London practice to open a multidisciplinary clinic in one of the provincial towns. To the noble cause, except Philip, joins Dr. Gope, with whom Manson met while serving on the Committee.

Friends are busy with the selection of a suitable building, but suddenly Andrew learns that he was litigated for helping a person who does not have the right to practice medicine. It was about Mr. Stilmene, who, without a doctor's diploma, cured a girl with tuberculosis. The initiator of the proceedings was Dr. Ivory, who harbored resentment on Manson, when he exposed his professional incompetence.

Andrew will hear the verdict of the Medical Council. If the case turns out not in his favor, then the medical activity for him will forever be banned. Even the doctor's lawyer does not believe in a favorable outcome of events. During the trial, the defender tries to convince the judges that Manson, although committed an unlawful act, did not have malicious intent.

Then Andrew takes the floor. He addresses the court with a fiery speech, reminding that many devotees who contributed to science did not have medical education. Manson, citing the example of Louis Pasteur, Vladimir Khavkin, Ilya Mechnikov, calls on judges to reject prejudices and look at real results rather than diplomas.

The medical council justifies Manson, and he and his friends are preparing to leave for the town of Stanborough, where they will have to open a new clinic. Before the departure of the train there remains an hour that Andrew spends in the silence of the cemetery over the grave of his beloved wife.