The Secret Agent: A Simple Tale

The Secret Agent is Joseph Conrad’s dark satire on English society, in which Londoners live under a cloud of fear of terrorists. Set around an 1894 attack on the Greenwich Observatory, the plot centers on Verloc, a Russian spy posing as a member of an anarchist group in Soho. His masters intend to discredit the anarchists in a humiliating fashion, but the plan falters and Verloc must deal with the consequences. The story’s irony probes human affairs and social pretensions, a theme that remains strikingly contemporary in its depiction of urban life and political anxiety. This Penguin Classics edition presents the novel with an introduction and notes by Michael Newton, plus a chronology, notes, further reading and London–Greenwich maps. Conrad’s biographical sketch places the author’s life in context, with emphasis on his period of prolific output and influence. The edition marks a significant scholarly presentation of a work often celebrated for its modern irony and narrative power.

The Secret Agent blends historical intrigue with moral ambiguity, offering enduring insights into suspicion, authority and loyalty in a metropolitan setting.

Kenmerken

• Verhaal speelt in Londen rond 1894
• Plot draait om Greenwich Observatory-aanslag
• Verrol is een Russische spion in dienst van de politie
• Introductie door Michael Newton in Penguin Classics
• Bevat chronologie, notities, aanvullende lectuur en kaarten
• Uitgegeven door Penguin Classics, 320 pagina’s

1. Neem kennis van de setting en hoofdpersoon Verloc
2. Let op de ironische weergave van Engelse maatschappij