Herzog by Saul Bellow

Herzog by Saul Bellow is the story of an intellectual struggling to keep a grip on his sanity. Divorced by Madeleine, his mentally abusive second wife, Herzog becomes convinced that he deserves justice. Herzog flies to Chicago to confront Madeleine and her lover Valentine Gersbach about the welfare of daughter June. This episode follows a recurring theme throughout the book, Herzog regaining his mental clarity by taking decisive action.

Prior to one of his visits to Harvey Simkin, a lawyer friend, Herzog had allowed Madeleine and Gersbach complete freedom in their adulterous affair. When Madeleine informed Herzog that she wanted a divorce, he took the news with restrained civility: "He still thought perhaps he could win by the appeal of passivity, of personality, win on the ground of being, after all, Moses--Moses Elkanah Herzog--a good man, and Madeleine's particular benefactor" (10). Granted, Herzog thought of beating Madeleine at the time, but did not want to give in to what he realized was a brutal streak within himself. As the story progresses, however, Herzog becomes concerned about his little daughter June, and the influence that Madeleine and Gersbach exert over her. Although he sends support money and asks about her welfare, Madeleine never replies. This prompts Herzog to visit Simkin regarding the possibility of suing for custody.

Simkin fires Herzog's imagination regarding the scandalous custody suit that would result. Both Madeleine and Gersbach woul

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ks it is ended" (238). Witnesses give a detailed account of the abuse the little boy suffered even before his beating death, which seems to disturb no one in the courtroom except Herzog. Bellow uses the trial to instigate Herzog, presenting an imaginary parallel between the dead boy and June. Herzog broods about the abuse that June must be enduring at the hands of Madeleine and Valentine. After all, Madeleine, in some respects is as mentally unbalanced as Herzog himself. While at their summer home in the Berkshires her strange behavior often jeopardized June's welfare: "Eggshells, chop bones, tin cans under the table, under the sofa . . . It's bad for June" (59). Herzog leaves the courtroom, his head reeling with the repulsiveness of life. This is a decisive moment for him; Herzog decides to journey to Chicago and confront Madeleine and Gersbach. Herzog's first stop in Chicago is his deceased father's house. He is greeted by Tante Taube, his aged stepmother. Here, Bellow presents another parallel relationship. The father's marriage to Taube mirrors Herzog's poisonous relationship with Madeleine: "[Papa] said he should have divorced the Widow Kaplitzky [Taube] ten years ago, that he had hoped to enjoy the last years

Category: Literature - H