Published in 1956, The Floating Opera is a literary novel by John Barth. Barth’s first novel, The Floating Opera focuses on Todd Andrews as he makes plans to commit suicide in the late 1930s, utilizing first-person nonlinear storytelling and humor to meditate on life and death. Following its publication, the novel was nominated for the National Book Award. Barth has published numerous novels since, becoming a seminal figure in postmodern American literature. 

Plot Summary

Todd Andrews narrates the story, regularly acknowledging that he is writing a book. Prone to go off on tangents, he promises to do his best to keep the story on track. In his 50s now, Todd wants to write about a day in June in 1937, when he was in his 30s. He gives the reader key information about himself before he lets the plot unfold. He is a lawyer in Cambridge, Maryland, the same town he has lived in most of his life. He has several chronic illnesses—a weak heart and an infected prostate. He also explains the novel’s title. The Floating Opera is a showboat he visited in 1937. The ship sails up and down the river, the theatrics taking place falling in and out of view to those on land. His story too, will ebb and flow, toward and away from the reader.

In 1937, Todd wakes up in his room at the Dorset Hotel, planning to kill himself later that night. He chats with two elderly tenants, Capt. Osborn and Mister Haecker. They argue whether getting old is a good or bad thing. Capt. Osborn has a coughing fit and Todd goes back to his room to get him whiskey. He finds the bottle and remembers the woman sleeping in his bed, Jane Mack. Jane is the wife of Harrison Mack, Todd’s good friend; Harrison knows about and accepts Todd and Jane’s affair. Todd remembers meeting Harrison in college and reconnecting with him after Todd finished law school. When Todd first meets Jane, he feels an instant attraction. One day at the Macks summer cottage, Jane gets into Todd’s bed, naked, while Harrison is gone. They sleep together, and after, Jane tells Todd it was Harrison’s idea; the Macks are open-minded and want to test the conventional rules of marriage. Todd and Jane carry out a long-term affair, with various ups and downs.

Todd returns to Capt. Osborn with the whiskey. After, he pays his rent, which he does daily to remind himself that each day is a renewed lease on life. He leaves for work, observing his hometown and seeing advertisements for the Floating Opera. He stops by a friend’s garage to work on a boat he is building. Todd tried building a boat as a child, but he failed, leaving it unfinished. His second boat is coming together nicely, but Todd doesn’t take pride in his improved skills. Working, he remembers fighting in WWI as a young man and embracing a German soldier in the trenches, only to kill the man later.

Todd continues his day, arriving at his law firm. He is critical of the law, finding it to be arbitrary and subjective. He admits he takes cases that have the best chance of entertaining him and doesn’t care much about the results. One such case concerns Harrison’s inheritance, a years-long legal battle. The case goes through multiple courts, and Harrison’s chances of winning look bleak. Todd continues digging and realizes he can win the case with new evidence. He waits to win, however; first, he wants the money to mean nothing to Harrison. Todd leaves to go to lunch. He continues taking in Cambridge, enthused with the idea of ending his life. He reflects on his childhood and his college years. Throughout his life, Todd has worn different masks, searching for the best one to help him get through life. None have given him the answers he wants, and he is cynical as a result.

Todd checks tasks off his list for his final day of life. He goes to the doctor. He lunches with Harrison. He takes the Macks’ daughter, Jeannine, to look at the Floating Opera and wonders if she might be his child. Back at the Dorset Hotel, Todd discusses suicide with Mister Haecker, who finds the idea appalling. After, Todd returns to his law firm and mulls over some more cases, wrapping up his day’s work. He decides he will help Harrison win his inheritance case and leaves instructions for his colleague to finish the job after he is dead. The Floating Opera’s showtime draws near. Todd goes home to write one last time. In particular, he emphasizes that life has no intrinsic value. Todd boards the Floating Opera to watch the show and sees friends and neighbors from throughout the day. During the show, he slips away and unscrews the gas tanks on the side of the ship, priming them to explode. He returns to the theatre and waits to die (along with hundreds of others who will perish in the blast), but the explosion never goes off. Todd feels indifferent that his plan failed, believing nothing has intrinsic value, including his plan to kill himself. He returns to his room with a new lease on life. He is still cynical about living, but he is also free, and he feels like he has all the time in the world.