The Snake's Pass is an 1890 novel by Bram Stoker published by Harper & Brothers in the U.S. and by Sampson, Low, Marston, Searle & Rivingston in the UK.1891 UK edition. London: Sampson.
It centers on the legend of Saint Patrick defeating the King of the Snakes in Ireland, as well as on the troubled romance between the main character and a local peasant girl. The Snake's Pass was Stoker's second imperial fiction novel, and was first published in the United Kingdom in 1890.
Publication A year before the release of The Snake's Pass, Stoker published chapter three, "The Gombeen Man", as a short story in The People. It was later incorporated into the novel.
Historical background On 8 November 1847, Abraham (Bram) Stoker was born in Dublin, Ireland. His father worked as a civil servant and his mother was a charity worker and writer. During Stoker's childhood he spent many days in bed due to different illnesses. While he was bedridden, his mother told him horror stories which may have influenced his novels and writings.
In 1864 Stoker began school at the Trinity College, Dublin. During his time at the university, he worked part-time as a freelance journalist and drama critic.Bram Stoker-Information, Dr. Elizabeth Miller http://bramstoker.org/info.html In 1878, Stoker met Henry Irving and they became friends. Two years later Stoker accepted a job to work as Irving's personal assistant in London.
Stoker's first book, The Duties of Clerks of Petty Sessions in Ireland, was written in Dublin and published in 1879. His first fictional book, Under the Sunset, was published in 1881. He wrote many other novels and short stories; however, he is best known for Dracula.
Stoker died of exhaustion at the age of 64 after writing a total of 18 books.Bio-http://www.biography.com/people/bram-stoker-9495731#awesm=~oEjeMfGOdv3HEY
Plot summary The novel's protagonist, Arthur Severn, is traveling to the country of Clare to visit friends. He wants to improve his knowledge of Irish, so he makes a detour to the west of Ireland. While riding along with the driver, Andy, a severe storm begins. Andy suggests the two men stop traveling for the night and stay in the small town of Carnacliff. Andy takes them to a local bar where a man named Jerry Scanlan tells the legendary story of Shleenanaher.
The story begins with Saint Patrick, who drove all the snakes out of Ireland. However, the King of Snakes would remain in the lake in Shleenanaher, and he would only leave if he did not have his crown; thus, he hid it in the mountains. The King then tells Saint Patrick that he will come in another form so that he can watch his crown closely. The impending fog that occasionally sweeps over the town, along with a nearby swamp or bog, is said to be the form the King has decided to come back in to watch his crown. After Jerry finishes his story, an old, drunk man named Mr. Moynahan speaks up about the hidden treasure that is somewhere in the hills. Arthur learns that Moynahan's father was present in the altercation of the Frenchmen hiding the treasure.
The townspeople in the bar begin to tell Arthur about the town's evil villain, Black Murdock. They describe him as helpful when one is in need of money, but will curse them for the rest of their lives if they are unable to repay him. As the story is coming to a close, Murdock comes into the bar and asks for Phelim Joyce. Murdock announces to the bar that he has decided to keep Joyce's land because Joyce was late in repaying money he had loaned Joyce for his son's schooling. Joyce rushes into the bar, begging Murdock to let him pay. Joyce tells Murdock he has the money, but it was delayed because he fell into a hole on his way to the bar and injured his arm. Murdock refuses and tells Joyce that he will now own his land, and Joyce will now own the land Murdock used to own.
After Murdock has left, Arthur and Andy take Joyce home. It is very dark when they reach Joyce's house, and Arthur can hear the sweet sound of his daughter's voice helping him out of the carriage. Arthur is never able to see the face behind the sweet voice, but Andy tells him her name is Norah. Arthur decides that he would like to stay in the town for a few days and see this shifting bog in the morning. The next morning, the innkeeper asks Arthur if he will share a car up to the mountain with another man who is working there. The man turns out to be an old classmate of Arthur's, Dick Sutherland. Arthur, Dick, and Andy travel up to the hill to see the beautiful view and the bog. Dick explains that he was hired by Murdock as a scientist and geologist to help Murdock with some investigations on his land.
As the novel progresses, Dick, Arthur, and Andy advance in their work along the Knocknacar Hills when Arthur comes across what he describes as the most beautiful peasant girl he has ever seen. The two continue to meet in the same spot, but Arthur never learns her name. He describes her as "a beautiful peasant girl who had great gifts-a heart of gold, a sweet, pure nature, and a rare intelligence." One day, when Arthur goes to their meeting place, she doesn't show up. Every day, Arthur goes to their meeting spot but does not find the girl he does not know.
At dinner one evening, Dick tells Arthur of his love for Norah Joyce but fears her father will despise him because he is working on Murdock's land. Arthur tells Dick about his love for an unknown girl he has been unable to find. The next day, Andy finds Arthur waiting for his peasant girl and asks what Arthur desires in his future wife. When Arthur begins to describe her, he realizes he is describing his unknown girl. Andy tells Arthur that Norah would be the perfect fit for him, but Arthur cannot act upon this because Dick has feelings for her. They later learn she has gone to live in a convent.
The next day, Arthur decides to go to Murdock to try to buy his land so he can, in turn, give it to Dick to help him with Norah and Joyce. Murdock agrees, but only after he has finished his investigations, which he states will take him about a month. Arthur is excited to tell Dick that he bought Murdock's land, but as they talk, Dick warns that the bog is becoming more dangerous in Murdock's area because, if it shifts again, there is a deep reservoir right where his house is located. Arthur asks if he has told Murdock about this problem, and Dick says yes, last night. Arthur decides not to tell Dick of his purchase. After Arthur has his documents in order to purchase the land, he climbs the hill to see its beauty. He unexpectedly finds his unknown woman. Both are joyful and relieved to finally see each other again, and Arthur finally learns her name: Norah Joyce. He proclaims his love for her and wants her to be his wife, but she tells Arthur that she needs time to think. On his way home, Arthur is struck with the thought of his dear friend Dick, and he questions if Dick has also proposed to her. The next day, Norah tells Arthur that she cannot marry him because she must stay with her father, but she admits she is in love with him. Arthur finally meets with Dick, and Dick asks him about his unknown love. Arthur admits that it is Norah, and Dick is very upset. Dick also questions him about buying Murdock's land because Dick does not have as much money as Arthur. Was Arthur trying to place Dick in a false position in Norah's eyes? Arthur explains his plan for buying Murdock's land; he even allows Dick to read the deed from his lawyer, and Dick forgives him.
Arthur goes to Joyce to ask for his daughter's hand in marriage, and Joyce tells him she needs time to think. Joyce tells Arthur that they can be married when the treasure of Knocknacar is found. Arthur believes that Norah is actually the treasure and that her father will never let her go. After Norah speaks to her father alone, Joyce decides to give Norah to Arthur. In the meantime, Dick has discovered that there is iron in the bog, and this could be why Murdock wants to know what's in the bog so badly.
After Murdock learns of Arthur and Norah's engagement, Murdock asks for Norah's hand, and when she refuses, Murdock becomes very angry and makes rude comments about the social class difference between Arthur and Norah. There is an altercation, and Murdock fires Dick. After Murdock leaves, Arthur and Norah decide that she should have two years of schooling in Paris before they are married. Arthur decides to buy the land from Joyce so that he will own all of Knocknacar and the hillside and cliffs. Joyce agrees, and Arthur names Dick the sole protector of the land until he returns from London, where he will be setting up Norah's schooling.
After Arthur returns to London, he finishes his finances with the purchase of the land. When Arthur returns to Ireland, he learns that Murdock has taken in Old Moynahan and kept him very drunk, trying to learn the treasure's location. Moynahan takes Murdock to the spot where the Frenchman was last seen with the gun carriage by his father. They are now on Joyce's land and very close to the bog. Murdock gives Moynahan more whiskey and leads him to walk straight into the bog to his death. Murdock leaves, and Dick saves Moynahan without Murdock seeing, and goes to get help from Joyce and Norah. Murdock is already at Joyce's house, explaining that he cannot find Moynahan and is worried he may have mistakenly walked into the bog. Murdock leaves, and Dick explains what has really happened. The three of them safely bring Moynahan back to Joyce's and help him to bed, but when he awakes the next morning, he remembers nothing of the night before. Joyce lies to Murdock, telling him they found Moynahan asleep on the hillside. Dick returns to the spot Murdock marked the night before and strategically moves the stones he used to mark the treasure spot a few yards away, closer to the bog. Dick then marks the spot with his own marking so Murdock will never know. Dick is very worried that Murdock will try to murder Moynahan again and then come after Norah.