Aldous Huxley's Antic Hay captures the disillusionment and moral uncertainty of post-World War I London. The novel follows Theodore Gumbril, a disillusioned academic who invents "Gumbril's Patent Small-Clothes" (padded trousers) in a futile attempt to find meaning and escape his existential ennui.
Through a series of witty and often cynical encounters with a cast of bohemian artists, intellectuals, and socialites, Huxley satirizes the shallow pursuits and spiritual emptiness of the era. The characters grapple with modernity, art, and love, often finding little solace.
This satirical masterpiece offers a sharp, insightful commentary on the anxieties and absurdities of a society adrift.