LIVES THAT NEVER GROW OLD This unique series -- edited by Richard Holmes -- recovers the great classical tradition of English biography. Every book is a biographical masterpiece -- still thrilling to read and vividly alive. The philosopher William Godwin fell in love with and married the radical feminist Mary Wollstonecraft, only to attend her deathbed (giving birth to their child, the late Mary Shelley). Heartbroken, Godwin immediately shut himself up in his study and wrote this intensely moving biography. True to his philosophical belief in absolute sincerity, Godwin coolly describes Wollstonecraft's previous love affairs, her time in revolutionary Paris, her illegitimate child, and her two suicide attempts. The book almost wrecked both their reputations, but can now be seen as a masterpiece of indiscretion and human honesty.
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Richard Holmes is Professor of Biographical Studies at the University of East Anglia, and editor of the Harper Perennial series Classic Biographies launched in 2004. His is a Fellow of the British Academy, has honorary doctorates from UEA and the Tavistock Institute, and was awarded an OBE in 1992. His first book, 'Shelley: The Pursuit', won the Somerset Maugham Prize in 1974. 'Coleridge: Early Visions' won the 1989 Whitbread Book of the Year, and 'Dr Johnson & Mr Savage' won the James Tait Black Prize. 'Coleridge: Darker Reflections', won the Duff Cooper Prize and the Heinemann Award. He has published two studies of European biography, 'Footsteps: Adventures of a Romantic Biographer' in 1985, and 'Sidetracks: Explorations of a Romantic Biographer' in 2000.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
'He does not love ......,
By
This review is from: Godwin on Wollstonecraft (Classic Biographies) (Paperback)
.... who can resign this cherised sentiment (that it is of the very essence of affection, to seek to perpetuate itself), without suffering some of the sharpest struggles that our nature is capable of enduring.'
William Godwin, author of "The Enquiry Concerning Political Justice" - perhaps the seminal work of anarchist philosophy -wrote the "Memoirs of the Author of 'The Rights of Women'" to manage the sharpest of struggles that he had to endure when his partner - Mary Wollstonecraft died after bearing their one child - a girl who was also called Mary. She was, of course, to become the famous Mary Shelley - author of "Frankenstein", and much else worthy of reading. Bearing in mind that this memoir was written by a man still suffering the depths of anguish and grief, it is perhaps understandable that Godwin's judgement was impaired when he wrote in the memoir of things not really acceptable for his era. But then, the man was an anarchist - a believer in the sacredness of every individual to behave as they saw fit - not as constrained by laws or social morals and etiquette. Today we are less sensitive to the human things Godwin reveals of Wollstonecraft - we are less likely to hide things we are taught to be 'ashamed of' - even if they are natural things. Sadly, Godwin's memoir did have a damaging impact on Wollstonecraft's reputation after her death (although it's my guess many men might have been looking for any excuse to denigrate someone championing women's liberation at that time). It's perhaps true that Godwin's own reputation was damaged (although there were probably plenty at the time who were happy to denigrate an anarchist too!). There are some great sentiments expressed in this memoir, such as my quote in the heading, but I did see Godwin as a little colder than I might have liked. For example, in the grief of Wollstonecraft's death he does not reflect on his daughter and the potential she carried. Perhaps that might in part explain how damaged Shelley was by her mother's death - believing that in some way it was her fault. Other recommendations: William Godwin - Enquiry Concerning Political Justice William Godwin - Caleb Williams Mary Shelley/Mary Wollstonecraft - Mary/Maria/Matilda Mary Shelley - Transformation Mary Shelley - Frankenstein Percy Shelley - Zastrozzi George Eliot - Adam Bede
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