Plautus the Cat and Friends
An important character in 'Mother and Son' (1955).
It is surprising that Ivy Compton-Burnett writes so perceptively about felines. In real life she disliked domestic animals, and detested cats, and was observed to push them firmly with her foot, and perhaps even kick them when the opportunity arose!
"Why do you call him 'Plautus'?" said Miss Burke..........
"Oh, because he is Plautus," said Miss Wolsey. "Because the essence of Plautus is in him. How could he be called anything else?"
"Who was Plautus in real life?"
"Who could he have been but the person to give this Plautus his name?"
"He was a Latin writer," said Miss Greatheart, as Miss Burke left a second question unanswered. "I think he wrote plays; not very good ones."
"Why did you call the cat after him?"
"Well, he has not written any good plays either," said Miss Wolsey, holding out her hand to Plautus, who came and considered it, as if in the hope of some offering.
"You think we are a silly trio, don't you dear?" said Miss Greatheart.
Miss Burke took a moment to determine the third member of the group.
"You would not expect me to call Plautus silly?"
"Well, I think you have led us to expect it. How you despise us all, and how we shall admire you for it! We look up to people who look down on us. It is hard to see how we could avoid it, though I think Plautus does."
"...What is the matter with Plautus?"
"He has been chased by another cat."
"Why did he not give chase himself?"
"Well, you know what a coward he is."
"I have no admiration for courage. There seems to be so much. And it is the thing that causes cowardice. It made Plautus run away."
Another cat makes an appearance in the same novel:
"...How did this cat get into the drawing room, Bates?"
"He followed me along the passage, ma'am. I had omitted to shut the door. He is always on the watch for an oversight."
"What is his name?" said Hester.
"I am not quite sure," said Miranda. "Has it a name, Bates?"
"We call him Tabbikin, ma'am."
"But he is not a tabby, " said Hester.
"The name was suggestive of a cat, ma'am."
Ivy Compton -Burnett - proverbs, clichés, aphorisms.
Ivy Compton -Burnett - a list of her novels.
Ivy Compton -Burnett - -a typical novel.
Ivy Compton -Burnett - her own views on her writing and its morality.