Mistress of Udolpho: The Life of Ann Radcliffe [Hardcover]

Rictor Norton (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0718502019 | ISBN-13: 978-0718502010 | Publication Date: January 1998

This is the biography of the Gothic novelist, Ann Radcliffe (1764-1823), author of "The Mysteries of Udolpho", the world's first "best seller". The text clarifies Radcliffe's emergence from a Dissenting Unitarian, rather than a conventional Anglican, background. This places Radcliffe within the circle of other women writers nurtured in radical Dissenting backgrounds (such as Wollstonecraft, Hays, Inchbauld and Barbauld). Radcliffe's childhood and family background are documented and the rumours of her madness and reclusiveness investigated leading to an evaluation of the resons for her probable mental breakdown. The text constitutes a "cultural history" of a writing woman, demonstrating her place within radical culture, literary tradition and aesthetic discourse, and examining her role in the rise of the professional woman writer. Her novels are analyzed mainly in the context of her biography and sources

Editorial Reviews

Review

...bolstered by sensitive analysis of Radcliffe's books, Mistress of Udolpho reads at times like a scholarly detective novel. -- The New York Times Book Review, Diane Jacobs

Product Details

• Hardcover: 307 pages
• Publisher: Leicester University Press (January 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0718502019
• ISBN-13: 978-0718502010
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,491,433 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you are a Radcliffe lover...., July 18, 2006

By 

Rashchupkina (Off left in center.) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Mistress of Udolpho: The Life of Ann Radcliffe (Paperback)

Or even just love the early Gothic genre then this book is a MUST READ!

So little was ever known or written about Radcliffe but Norton does a spectacular job of digging and unearthing some fascinating and wonderful facts, tidbits and surmises. Since not a lot was known on Radcliffe he follows a lot of conclusions on her upbringing, life, marriage and writing to a very crystal clear logical conclusion.

He writes extensively on her novels and the influences that she read and saw (plays etc.)that formed her glowing genius with the pen. Different theories of the sublime, terror, horror....the picturesqe that she obviously had read and applied.

This is one of those very specific biographies. It's read because you are one of the many enchanted followers of her magic pen. If you adore Radcliffe and thrill at her turn of phrase and the deeply nostaglic past she dredges up in her pages than this biography by Norton is absolutely indispenible to you. You will come away with something having learned a great deal on her, her times, her influences, the long reaching influence of her novels, as well as some tidbits of not so important but nevertheless engaging facts.