Man and Wife

by Wilkie Collins, Norman Page (Editor)

Overview

'This time the fiction is founded upon facts' stated Wilkie Collins in his Preface to Man and Wife (1870). Many Victorian writers responded to contemporary debates on the rights and the legal status of women, and here Collins questions the deeply inequitable marriage laws of his day. Man and Wife examines the plight of a woman who, promised marriage by one man, comes to believe that she may inadvertently have gone through a form of marriage with his friend, as recognized by the archaic laws of Scotland and Ireland. From this starting-point Collins develops a radical critique of the values and conventions of Victorian society. Collins had already developed a reputation as the master of the 'sensation novel', and Man and Wife is as fast moving and unpredictable as The Moonstone and The Woman in White. During the novel the atmosphere grows increasingly sinister as the setting moves from a country house to a London suburb and a world of confinement, plotting, and murder. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780191611216
Publisher:	OUP Oxford
Publication date:	10/01/1998
Series:	Oxford World's Classics Series
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Norman Page is Emeritus Professor of English Literature at the University of Nottingham. The author of numerous books on nineteenth- and twentieth-century literature, he is the editor of Mad Monkton in World's Classics, and Consultant Editor for the works of Thomas Hardy in Everyman Paperbacks. He lives in Oakham, Rutland.

Date of Birth:

December 8, 1824

Date of Death:

September 23, 1889

Place of Birth:

London, England

Place of Death:

London, England

Education:

Studied law at Lincoln¿s Inn, London

Editorial Reviews

Narrator Nicholas Boulton delivers a solid performance of Wilkie Collins’s novel, which casts light on the complicated marriage laws of nineteenth-century Scotland. As a villainous plotter tries to ensnare two victims in a trap to free himself from responsibility, their friends seek the truth. Collins provides a diverse cast of characters whom Boulton expertly portrays with vocal characterizations. From the soft cadence of young Blanche to the resonant tone of Geoffrey Delamayn, Boulton captures each character. In his portrayal of Sir Patrick Lundie, an eccentric Scottish bachelor and lawyer, Boulton illuminates the old gentleman’s wit and kindly demeanor. This audiobook promises an intricate web of intrigue, and Boulton’s talented narration makes it enjoyable each step of the way. D.M.W. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

FEBRUARY 2022 - AudioFile

Narrator Nicholas Boulton delivers a solid performance of Wilkie Collins’s novel, which casts light on the complicated marriage laws of nineteenth-century Scotland. As a villainous plotter tries to ensnare two victims in a trap to free himself from responsibility, their friends seek the truth. Collins provides a diverse cast of characters whom Boulton expertly portrays with vocal characterizations. From the soft cadence of young Blanche to the resonant tone of Geoffrey Delamayn, Boulton captures each character. In his portrayal of Sir Patrick Lundie, an eccentric Scottish bachelor and lawyer, Boulton illuminates the old gentleman’s wit and kindly demeanor. This audiobook promises an intricate web of intrigue, and Boulton’s talented narration makes it enjoyable each step of the way. D.M.W. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

FEBRUARY 2022 - AudioFile