Summary of RitualsÂ
“Rituals” describes three significant moments in the life of Inno Wintrop, a dubious Dutch merchant who claims to seek spiritual fulfilment through his many love affairs. The first part, set in 1963, depicts Inno’s despair after his wife leaves him, leading to a failed suicide attempt. The second part flashes back to 1953, when Inno meets Arnold Taads, a retired notary who leads a lonely life governed by strict rituals. In the final part, set in the 1970s, Inno encounters Arnold’s son, who, like his father, organises his life around ceremonies, and has a passion for Japanese tea rituals. Between these two eccentric characters, Inno tries to find his own path in life.
Reasons to read RitualsÂ
“Rituals” is a slow-paced, philosophical, and existentialist novel about the use of rituals to give meaning to life. The novel won the Bordewijk Prize in 1981 and the Pegasus Prize in 1983. Cees Nooteboom, a celebrated Dutch writer, received many more literary accolades, including the Constantijn Huygens Prize, the Aristeion Prize, the Goethe Prize, the Austrian State Prise for European Literature, the PC Hooft Award, the Prize of Dutch Letters, and the Golden Owl. Cees Nooteboom is particularly renowned for his travel literature, such as “Roads to Santiago”.
Setting: Amsterdam (the Netherlands)
Original title: Rituelen
Year of publication: 1980
Nr of pages: 224
