Raj Quartet

Raj Quartet

"The Raj Quartet" is a four-volume novel sequence, written by Paul Scott, about the concluding years of the British Raj in India. The series was written during the period 1965–75

The story of Raj Quartet begins in 1942. World War II is at its zenith, and in South East Asia, the allied forces have suffered great losses. Burma (now known as Myanmar) has fallen, and the Japanese invasion of the Indian subcontinent from the east appears imminent. The year 1942 is also marked by Indian nationalist leader Mahatma Gandhi’s call for the quit India movement to the British rulers of India. "The Raj Quartet" is set in this tumultuous background for the British soldiers and civilians stationed in India who have a duty to manage this part of the British Empire, known euphemistically as the jewel in the crown of the British Monarch.

The lead characters in the first novel, which sets the stage for the subsequent ones, are Daphne Manners, a young English woman who has recently arrived in India from England, and her British educated Indian lover, Hari Kumar. Ronald Merrick, a British police officer belonging to the Indian Police Service, is another main character.

The Novels

The four volumes are:
*"The Jewel in the Crown" – (1966)
*"The Day of the Scorpion" – (1968)
*"The Towers of Silence" – (1971)
*"A Division of the Spoils" – (1975)Some of the characters are carried through to a further novel called
*"Staying On" – (1977)

Film, TV or theatrical adaptations

*1984:"The Jewel in the Crown" is a television mini-series based upon all four books. It was created by Granada Television for ITV and starred Art Malik, Om Puri, Geraldine James, Saeed Jaffrey, Karan Kapoor, Peggy Ashcroft, Tim Pigott-Smith and Charles Dance.

*2005: A 9-part BBC Radio 4 adaptation under the original title, using the book titles as subtitles.


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  • Raj Quartet — a series of four novels (1966–75) by Paul Scott about the last years of British rule (= the Raj) in India. In 1983 a popular television version of the novels was made under the title The Jewel in the Crown. * * * …   Universalium

  • (the) Raj Quartet — The Raj Quartet [The Raj Quartet] a series of four novels (1966–75) by Paul Scott about the last years of British rule (= the Raj) in India. In 1983 a popular television version of the novels was made under the title The ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • Paul Scott — Paul Mark Scott (25 March 1920 – 1 March 1978) was a British novelist, playwright, and poet, best known for his monumental tetralogy the Raj Quartet. His novel Staying On won the Booker Prize for 1977.Early lifePaul Scott was born in Southgate,… …   Wikipedia

  • The British Empire in fiction — The British Empire has often been portrayed in fiction. Originally such works described the Empire because it was a contemporary part of life; nowadays fictional references are also frequently made in a steampunk context.Historical eventsThis… …   Wikipedia

  • The Jewel in the Crown (novel) — This article is about the 1966 novel. For information about the 1984 television miniseries, see The Jewel in the Crown (TV series), for the album by Fairport Convention, see Jewel in the Crown (album). The Jewel in the Crown …   Wikipedia

  • Staying On — Infobox Book name = Staying On title orig = translator = image caption = First edition cover author = Paul Scott illustrator = cover artist = country = language = English series = subject = genre = publisher = Heinemann release date = 1977… …   Wikipedia

  • The Jewel in the Crown (TV series) — This article is about the 1984 television miniseries. For information about the 1966 novel on which it was based, see The Jewel in the Crown (novel) or Raj Quartet. For the Fairport Convention album, see Jewel in the Crown (album) infobox… …   Wikipedia

  • The Day of the Scorpion — infobox Book | name = The Day of the Scorpion title orig = translator = author = Paul Scott cover artist = country = United Kingdom language = English series = genre = Historical, Novel publisher = Heinemann release date = September 1968 media… …   Wikipedia

  • The Towers of Silence — infobox Book | name = The Towers of Silence title orig = translator = image caption = author = Paul Scott cover artist = country = United Kingdom language = English series = genre = Historical novel publisher = Heinemann release date = October… …   Wikipedia

  • Indian National Army — Infobox Military Unit unit name=Indian National Army caption= dates= August 1942 September 1945 country=India allegiance= Azad Hind branch= Infantry role= Guerrilla Infantry, Special Operations. size=43,000 (approx) commanders= ceremonial chief=… …   Wikipedia

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