The well of loneliness is a lesbian novel by british author radclyffe hall that was first published in 1928 by jonathan cape. As her ambitions drive her, and society confines her, stephen is forced into desperate actions. Radclyffe hall is the pen name of marguerite radclyffe hall 18801943, an english poet and novelist. Read the well of loneliness by radclyffe hall available from rakuten kobo. The first edition of the novel was published in 1928, and was written by radclyffe hall. Her mouth, too, was firm, except when its firmness was melted by the warmth and humour of her smile a smile that mocked, pitied and questioned the world, and perhaps miss puddleton as well. Marguerite radclyffe hall was born on 12th august 1880, in bournemouth, england. Featuring on the banned books list, the well of loneliness by radclyffe hall was published in 1928 and subsequently banned. It follows the life of stephen gordon, an englishwoman from an upperclass family whose sexual inversion. The well of loneliness tells the story of tomboyish stephen, who hunts, wears trousers and cuts her hair short and who gradually comes to realise that she is attracted to women. The well of loneliness vancouver public library overdrive.
Hall was renowned for her open homosexuality, a subject dealt with in her bestknown novel, the well of loneliness 1928, a semiautobiographical work and the only one of her eight novels to deal with overt lesbian themes. Stephen gordon is an ideal child of aristocratic parents a fencer, a horse rider and a keen scholar. Radclyffe hall was an english writer whose novel the well of loneliness. First published in 1928, this timeless portrayal of lesbian love is now a classic. The well of loneliness by radclyffe hall overdrive rakuten. She published five volumes of poetry and seven novels. Both the well of loneliness and the unlit lamp end in tragedy and radclyffe hall is apparently unable to do happy endings or to dissemble.
The well of loneliness by radclyffe hall one chapter. Batten gave hall the nickname john by which she was henceforward known in every circumstance throughout her life except in her work as an author. The well of loneliness, the most important novel of hall s career, was published in 1928 to immediate sensation and controversy. Hall 18801943 was legendary in her own timeor infamous. The well of loneliness by radclyffe hall overdrive. The well of loneliness isbn 9781473374089 pdf epub. With its overtly lesbian theme, the book was published in 1928, but was deemed.
As her ambitions drive her, and society confines her, stephen is. That same year also saw publication of the unlit lamp, the first work for which hall was known as simply radclyffe hall. The book was banned for obscenity because its main character is a lesbian, and it subsequently became a notorious bestseller, thrusting hall into a literary rogues gallery of fame. A powerful novel of love between women, the well of loneliness brought about the most famous legal trial for obscenity in the history of british law.
Radclyffe hall, english writer whose novel the well of loneliness 1928 created a scandal and was banned for a time in britain for its treatment of lesbianism. The well of loneliness project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. Pdf the well of loneliness book by radclyffe hall free. The well of loneliness is a novel that follows an upperclass englishwoman who falls in love with another woman while serving as an ambulance driver in world war i. Radclyffe hall s 1928 novel the well of loneliness caused a publishing scandal in 1928 and is now recognised as the first overt lesbian novel in english literature. Not very far from uptononsevern between it, in fact, and the malvern hills stands the country seat of the gordons of bramley. Stephen grows to be a war hero, a bestselling writer and a loyal, protective lover. This early work by radclyffe hall was originally published in 1928 and we are. The well of loneliness wordsworth classics by hall, radclyffe.
The novel tells the story of stephen gordon so named because. Discover the groundbreaking and moving lesbian novel that rocked the british establishment. This ebook compiles radclyffe hall s complete novels, including the well of loneliness, adams breed, the master of the house and the unlit lamp. First published july 1928 in england by jonathan cape, the well. The well of loneliness tells the story of tomboyish stephen, who hunts, wears trousers and cuts her hair short and who gradually comes to realise. The book was banned for obscenity because its main. Stephen is an ideal child of aristocratic parents a fencer, a horse rider and a keen scholar, stephen grows up to be a war hero, a bestselling writer and a loyal, protective lover. Editions of the well of loneliness by radclyffe hall.
The well of loneliness by radclyffe hall free mobi epub ebooks download. In 1926, radclyffe hall was at the height of her career. The well of loneliness vintage classics kindle edition. Marguerite radclyffehall 18831943 was born in hampshire and educated at kings college cambridge. The well of loneliness by radclyffe hall free ebooks. Passionately felt and courageous spectator a pioneering lesbian. Published by radclyffe hall herself in 1928, it was immediately banned in britain due to its lesbian theme and was allowed in the united states only after. The well of loneliness isbn 9780141191836 pdf epub. The well of loneliness ebook written by radclyffe hall. The well of loneliness, by radclyffe hall chapter eight at seventeen stephen was taller than anna, who had used to be considered quite tall for a woman, but stephen was nearly as tall as her father not a. Today it is regarded as the classic novel of lesbian love. The well of loneliness kindle edition by radclyffe hall. In germany, hall met mabel batten and fell in love despite the twentythree year age difference.
But on close observation it had to be admitted that her chin, though minute, was extremely aggressive. Hall 18801943 was legendary in her own timeor infamous, some might sayfor her fifth novel, the well of loneliness 1928. Radclyffe hall 1880 1943 was a british author best known for her semiautobiographical novel about a young womans coming to terms with her lesbian identity the book caused a furor when first published in england in 1928. The well of loneliness wordsworth classics kindle edition by. The well of loneliness ebook by radclyffe hall 9781473374089. The well of loneliness penguin modern classics kindle. As a little girl stephen gordon always felt different. The well of loneliness was banned for obscenity when published in 1928. The well of loneliness was prosecuted for obscenity and banned from publication and was not published in the united kingdom until 1949, six years after the death of the author radclyffe hall.
Radclyffe hall born marguerite radclyffe hall on 12 august 1880 7 october 1943 was an english poet and author, best known for the novel the well of loneliness. To ask other readers questions about the well of loneliness, please sign up. Radclyffe hall born marguerite radclyffe hall on 12 august 1880 7 october 1943 was an english poet and author, best known for the novel the well of. Free download or read online the well of loneliness pdf epub book. The well of loneliness is a 1928 book written by radclyffe hall about homosexuality.
The well of loneliness by radclyffe hall goodreads. Her novel adams breed, about the spiritual awakening of an italian headwaiter, had become a bestseller. The thinly disguised story of hall s own life, it was banned outright upon publication and. New to penguin modern classics, the seminal work of gay literature that sparked an infamous legal trial for obscenity and went on to become a bestseller. Born marguerite radclyffe hall in 1880, hall wrote eight novels, the most famous being the well of loneliness.
As a man loved a woman, that was how i lovedit was good, good, good stephen is an ideal child of. Radclyffe hall s the well of loneliness, a candid, semiautobiographical novel about coming to terms with a lesbian identity, brought to the forefront the question of whether or not the frank portrayal of lesbianism in a book was grounds for charges of obscenity. Buy radclyffe hall ebooks to read online or download in pdf or epub on your pc, tablet or mobile device. Two years later she received the eichelbergher humane award. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the well of loneliness. The well of loneliness download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. The book was banned for obscenity because its main character is a lesbian, and it subsequently became a notorious bestseller, thrusting hall.
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