The Well of Loneliness

by Radclyffe Hall

Overview

First published in 1928, "The Well of Loneliness" is Radclyffe Hall's semi-autobiographical pioneering work of lesbian literature. The story follows Stephen Gordon, a girl born to upper class parents in late Victorian England. Her parents having expected a boy decided to christen her with the name that they had chosen for him. A strangely coincidental choice as the youth begins to take on a boyish appearance, cutting her hair short and eschewing girly things. Soon it is clear that Stephen sees herself as a man who is attracted to women. This hugely influential work of homosexual or possibly transsexual fiction was harshly criticized by people who were offended by the subject at the time when it was first published. However since then it has been heralded as a seminal and still important work of gay literature. Presented her is the original edition of Radclyffe Hall's most important novel, "The Well of Loneliness". This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781420981940
Publisher:	Digireads.com
Publication date:	05/07/2024
Pages:	350
Sales rank:	136,811
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.78(d)

About the Author

Radclyffe Hall (1880-1943) was an English poet and novelist. Born to a wealthy English father and an American mother in Bournemouth, Hampshire, Hall was left a sizeable fortune following her parents’ separation in 1882. Raised in a troubled environment, Hall struggled to gain financial independence from her mother and stepfather. As she took control of her inheritance, Hall began dressing in men’s clothing and identifying herself as a “congenital invert.” In 1907, she began a relationship with amateur singer Mabel Batten, who encouraged Hall to pursue a career in literature. By 1917, she had fallen in love with sculptor Una Troubridge, a cousin of Batten’s. After several poetry collections, Hall’s second novel The Unlit Lamp (1924) was published, becoming a bestseller shortly thereafter. Adam’s Breed (1926), a novel about an Italian waiter who abandons modern life, earned Hall the Prix Femina and the James Tait Black Prize, two of the most prestigious awards in world literature. In 1928, Hall’s sixth novel, The Well of Loneliness, was published to widespread controversy for its depiction of lesbian romance. While an obscenity trial in the United Kingdom led to an order that all copies of the novel be destroyed, a lengthy trial in the United States eventually allowed the book’s publication. Recognized as a pioneering figure in lesbian literature, Hall lived in London with Una Troubridge until her death at the age of sixty-three.

Table of Contents

Biographical PrefaceIntroductionNote on the TextSelect BibliographyA Chronology of Radclyffe HallTHE WELL OF LONELINESSExplanatory NotesAppendix

Editorial Reviews

The bible of lesbianism—The Times

The outpouring of support Hall received from members of the public around the world, who wrote to thank her for creating, in her heroine Stephen Gordon, a character with whom they could identify—Alison Flood, Guardian

Radclyffe Hall's The Well of Loneliness still holds a place as a beacon for sexual self-discovery—Hephzibah Anderson, BBC Culture

A pioneering lesbian novel—Daily Telegraph

Beautifully written and constructed, with delightful prose. It is the standard-bearer; the lesbian The Grapes of Wrath—Lee Lynch

The archetypal lesbian novel —Times Literary Supplement

One of the first and most influential contributions of gay and lesbian literature—New Statesman

Passionately felt and courageous—Spectator

From the Publisher