Misery is a psychological horror novel by U.S. author Stephen King, first published by Viking Press on June 8, 1987.

The novel hinges on the relationship between its two main characters – novelist Paul Sheldon and his self-proclaimed number-one fan, Annie Wilkes. When Sheldon is seriously injured following a car accident, former nurse Annie rescues him and keeps him prisoner in her isolated farmhouse.

Misery, which took fourth place in the 1987 bestseller list, was adapted into an Academy Award–winning film directed by Rob Reiner, in 1990, and into a theatrical production starring Laurie Metcalf and Bruce Willis in 2015.

Background

The novel's title refers to the eponymous heroine of Sheldon's book series and to King's state of mind during its writing. King outlined the creation of Misery in his memoirs, and mentioned that the character of Annie Wilkes came to him in a dream. The book was initially scheduled for release under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, but King's identity was revealed before publication.

One of King's inspirations for Misery was the reaction his fans had to his 1984 novel The Eyes of the Dragon. Many fans rejected The Eyes of the Dragon because it was an epic fantasy book, with virtually none of the horror that initially made his reputation.

When further addressing the idea of whether Sheldon was a self-portrait, King stated: "Certain parts of him are ... but I think you will find that, if you continue to write fiction, every character you create is partly you."

King has also attributed the story's origin to a dream he had while on a transatlantic flight to London. He wrote the idea on an American Airlines cocktail napkin when he woke up so he could make sure to remember it, writing: "She speaks earnestly but never quite makes eye contact. A big woman and solid all through; she is an absence of hiatus. 'I wasn't trying to be funny in a mean way when I named my pig Misery, no sir. Please don't think that. No, I named her in the spirit of fan love, which is the purest love there is. You should be flattered.'"

King and his wife, Tabitha King, stayed in London's Brown's Hotel, where he wrote "sixteen pages of a steno notebook". The concierge let him work at a desk once owned by Rudyard Kipling, who had died of a stroke while using it. It received largely positive reviews and reached Number 4 on the New York Times bestseller list. The Guardian called it: "one of the greatest thrillers ever written". Kirkus Reviews praised its dark humour and relative leanness, saying: "...this nasty shard of a novel with its weird autobiographical implications probably will thrill and chill King's legion of fans."

Adaptations

Film

The novel was adapted into a film in 1990, directed by Rob Reiner and written by William Goldman. James Caan and Kathy Bates starred as Paul Sheldon and Annie Wilkes, with Lauren Bacall, Richard Farnsworth and Frances Sternhagen in supporting roles. The film was a critical and commercial success, and continues to be ranked as one of the best Stephen King adaptations. For her performance as Annie Wilkes, Kathy Bates won the 1991 Academy Award for Best Actress – one of the few Oscar wins for a performance in the horror genre, and the first for any King adaptation – and was launched into mainstream stardom. In June 2003, the American Film Institute included Annie Wilkes, as played by Bates, in their "100 Heroes and Villains" list, ranking her as the 17th most iconic villain (and sixth most iconic villainess) in the history of film.

Television

A version of Annie Wilkes, portrayed by Lizzy Caplan, is the main character of the second season of Castle Rock. The season finale concludes with Annie attending a book signing for a Misery novel by Paul Sheldon, which begins her obsession.

Stage

The novel was also adapted into a play by Simon Moore. The play premiered in London at the Criterion Theater in December 1992, starring Sharon Gless and Bill Paterson and directed by Moore. The play, directed by Alan Cohen, was revived in 2005 at the King's Head Theatre in London, starring Michael Praed and Susan Penhaligon. In 2014, Dutch composer and theater producer Florus van Rooijen adapted the novel into a "feel bad" musical.

A different play written by William Goldman (who also wrote the film's screenplay) and directed by Will Frears opened on Broadway in 2015 for a limited engagement. The play starred Bruce Willis as Paul Sheldon and Laurie Metcalf as Annie Wilkes. It opened in October 2015 and closed on February 16, 2016. For her performance as Wilkes, Metcalf was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play. The play was originally premiered in 2012 at Bucks County Playhouse before moving to Broadway. This new version is not connected to the earlier adaptation by Simon Moore.

In October 2019, a Finnish play adaptation of Misery called Piina was performed at the Tampere Theatre in Tampere, Finland. The play was directed by Antti Mikkola and starring Esa Latva-Äijö as Paul Sheldon and Mari Turunen as Annie Wilkes. Also in September of the same year, Kuopio City Theatre in Kuopio, Finland, presented another interpretation under the name Piina, directed by Olli-Matti Oinonen and starring Seppo Pääkkönen as Paul Sheldon and Henna Haverinen as Annie Wilkes. In November 2022, Pori Theatre in Pori, Finland presented third interpretation, directed by Tuomo Aitta and starring Vesa Haltsonen as Paul Sheldon and Mirva Tolppanen as Annie Wilkes. An upcoming fourth play of the Seinäjoki City Theatre in Seinäjoki will premiere in February 2025, and it will be directed by Olli-Matti Oinonen (who previously directed the play at the Kuopio Theatre) and starring Satu Silvo as Annie Wilkes and Reidar Palmgren as Paul Sheldon.

Radio

Moore's stage adaptation was itself adapted for radio and broadcast on the BBC World Service. The program was produced by Dirk Maggs, directed by Marion Nancarrow, and starred Nicholas Farrell as Paul Sheldon and Miriam Margolyes as Annie Wilkes. The program was later released on CD by the BBC.

References

  • Official Website for the play
  • Misery at Worlds Without End.