The Well of Loneliness
Radclyffe Hall
Apr 2024 · Alien Ebooks
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441
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About this ebook
The Well of Loneliness, by Radclyffe Hall, was originally published in 1928, it's a seminal work in lesbian literature, though it was controversial at the time of its release.
The novel tells the story of Stephen Gordon, a woman named after the son her parents hoped for, who identifies herself as an "invert," a term used at the time to describe a homosexual person. The story explores Stephen's experiences with love and society's rejection, highlighting the challenges faced by those who deviate from the norms of their time in terms of sexual and gender identity.
The book was subject to a famous obscenity trial in the UK, which led to its banishment, yet it played a crucial role in the discourse on homosexuality in literature.
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.
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