The Cuckoo Clock

The Cuckoo Clock, by Mary Louisa Molesworth, is a British children’s fantasy novel published in 1877.^[1] A small child and a cuckoo for a cuckoo clock become unlikely friends, when at night the clock transports her to magical places.

Plot Summary

A young girl (Griselda) is sent to live with her two older aunts (Miss Grizzel & Miss Tabitha.) The house is large but in the room where she completes her lessons there is a very elaborate cuckoo clock. During one of her lessons Griselda gets very mad, thinking the clock is mocking her, and throws a book at the Cuckoo. The clock stops working, and the two aunts are devastated. Even though the clock seems to be silent, Griselda still hears it calling to her at night. She then decides that if the Cuckoo comes back at all she will catch him. In the middle of the night she goes to observe the Cuckoo. She then apologizes. When she does apologize the cuckoo comes to life and starts to talk with Griselda. The next day the Cuckoo is fixed. The next night however, the Cuckoo is calling to her again. The cuckoo asks her where she would like to go, she immediately responds with Fairyland. The cuckoo interjects that too many children have been there and that she should choose somewhere else. He suggests The Land of the Nodding Mandarin. She agrees. They journey to the land, and venture to see a palace and they get to nod at the king of the land, himself. After their journey she awakes in her bedroom, but she is still wearing the shoes that she received from the Mandarin land. Griselda then comes down with a cold, and instead of journeying to a land Griselda gets to look at pictures. The cuckoo hums her to sleep and she then receives different visions of her relatives. She also learns that her Grandfather is the one who made the Cuckoo Clock.

One cold night the cuckoo comes to her room and invites her to join him in the garden. Confused, Griselda says no. She then realizes that it might not be the garden that is just outside. She then runs to the clock trying to convince the cuckoo that she would like to go. She turns around three times and opens her eyes to Butterfly-land. They are invited to a high banquet by the king and queen of the butterflies. She learns that the butterflies are very hard workers and they gift her with a bit of their fragrance.

Some time passes and the young girl can hear the Cuckoo calling again. This time the call is actually for another little boy, Master Phil. Master Phil is a little boy of five and is searching for the cuckoo. He happens upon Griselda, and they talk of the cuckoo. He wants to find the Cuckoo so that he will be taken to fairyland. Griselda offers to teach him all that she knows. They play for the rest of the day and then plan on meeting the next day as well. The both aunts are not happy that there was a boy on the grounds. There were also not happy that Griselda played with him. She goes to sleep saddened, but is soon wakened up by her maid (Dorcas) to the good news that the two aunts are going to talk to Master Phil’s family and judge if the she is allowed to play with him. The cuckoo then visits and takes her flying with him. The Cuckoo takes her to Master Phil’s house to warn him not to meet her the next day. They then decided to head for a look at the sea. But halfway through the flight, they switch direction, towards the moon. The child wakes up the next day and behaves very well for her lessons. Her reward she finds is that the both aunts have decided that she can play with Master Phil.

Phil then leads her into the woods, towards Phil’s favorite spot. This particular place in the woods looks as if fairies might have lived there at some time. They play for a long time. When it is time to go home, however the children become lost. They turn to the Cuckoo for help to get back. His voice leads the way.

The Cuckoo then comes to Griselda in a dream to officially say goodbye. He believes that she will not need him any longer for she has found real friends.^[2]

Characters

Griselda - Griselda is the main character of the story. She is particularly stubborn and ill behaved. Through her friendship with the Cuckoo her attitude is improved. Griselda is also very lonely and bored when staying at her family’s home. By learning to do what she is told she is rewarded with new friends.
Cuckoo - A magical cuckoo bird, that lives in the cuckoo clock that resides in the old house. He is able to transport children, he can call to children from far away, and he can project into dreams. The cuckoo has a strict and forceful nature.
Miss Grizzel - She is one of the aunts that Griselda comes to live with. Both of the aunts are both very strict but Miss Grizzel is seen as the sternest.
Miss Tabitha - She is one of the aunts that reside in the old house. She is the least strict of the two.
Dorcas - She is the handmaiden that serves both the aunts and Griselda.
Master Phil - He is a young boy of five. He hears the Cuckoo clock calling to him. The Cuckoo was calling him so he could meet Griselda. They meet and become fast friends.^[3]

List of Chapters

Chapter One: The Old House Chapter Two: Patient Griselda Chapter Three: Obeying Orders Chapter Four: The Country of the Nodding Mandarins Chapter Five: Pictures Chapter Six: Rubbed the Wrong Way Chapter Seven: Butterfly Land Chapter Eight: Master Phil Chapter Nine: Up and Down the Chimney Chapter Ten: The Other Side of the Moon ^[4]

Literary and Historical Background

The original illustrations where done by Walter Crane.^[5]

Mrs. Molesworth was born on May 29, 1839 and died January 20, 1921. During her lifetime she wrote 101 books in many different genres including, Adult, Children’s Fantasy and Supernatural.^[6] She published her first books under the pen name: Ennis Graham.^[7] The book was first published in 1877.

The book was published under her pen name but was then reprinted with her name in 1882.^[8] A new edition of The Cuckoo Clock was published in 1914.^[9]

Genre and Style

In most fantasy stories magic is a central feature. This particular fantasy novel uses a portal to connect the real world and the world of fantasy. Writers usually use this theme to open themselves to more ideas, and also to attract children to their tales more.^[10]

Her writing style is known to be very plain in context, and it has been criticized for this. But, the plain text was most likely used so that the work was more accessible to children. Nothing she writes is too complicated for the readers, and there is an air of conversation in the text.^[11]

Themes

Love and Friendship

Throughout the novel Griselda struggles with her new place of residence. She quickly finds that what she needs most is friendship. She finds these friends first in the Cuckoo, then her maids, and finally she finds a real friend in Master Phil. It is also realized at the end that throughout the novel her aunts have been showing her examples of real love all along.

Magic in Fiction

This particular use of magic is through an enchanted object. The plot is furthered easily with the assumption that the object has no bounds of possibility. Children readers are also lead to use their imagination to see all of the images the writer has concocted.

Sacrifices Bring Reward

Throughout the story Griselda struggles to finish her lessons during the day. The Cuckoo helps her to learn that with hard work there is eventually a reward. He rewards her greatly when she has improved in her lessons.

19th Century Children’s Literature

The second half of the 19th century is called the Golden age children’s literature, because of the publication of so many notable stories that also appear in modern times. The fantasy novel for children was becoming very popular at this time. The Moral Didactic tale also continued with the popularity of the fantasy story. Often overlapping.^[12]

The Didactic Tale

The Character of Griselda, has many interesting qualities. She is seen as a real child, whom throws fits, and is unhappy when she does not get her way. The Cuckoo through these stories teaches young Griselda how to control her feelings and urges. Learning the proper way to act is a major theme in many British childhood books. Many books written in that age were meant for the betterment of the children reading them.

Critical Reception

In the back of a copy of Mrs. Molesworth’s The Tapestry Room there is a short review for The Cuckoo Clock: ““A beautiful little story… It will be read with delight by every child into whose hands it is placed… Ennis Graham deserves all that praise that has been, is, and will be, bestowed on ‘The Cuckoo Clock.’ Children’s stories are plentiful, but one like this not to be met with every day.” –Paul Mall Gazette” ^[13]