Published in 1928, the well of loneliness deals with the life of stephen gordon, a masculine lesbian who, like hall herself, identifies as an invert. The well of loneliness is a lesbian novel by british author radclyffe hall that was first published in 1928 by jonathan cape. Feb 05, 20 radclyffe hall, the well of loneliness 1928 radclyffe hall. Pdf download the well of loneliness free ebooks pdf. The well of loneliness by radclyffe hall is a controversial novel that was banned at the time of its publication in 1928. Book download the well of loneliness by radclyffe hall. Jul 17, 2017 life after death experience nde with steve gardipee, vietnam war story one of the best ndes duration. In july of 1928, three months before the publication of virginia woolfs groundbreaking novel orlando a classic celebrated as the longest and most charming love letter in literature, which subverted censorship and revolutionized the politics of samesex love the english novelist and poet radclyffe hall august 12, 1880october 7, 1943 set into motion a cultural revolution. The well of loneliness, by radclyffe hall chapter nineteen through the long years of life that followed after, bringing with them their dreams and disillusions, their joys and sorrows, their fulfilments and frustrations, stephen was never to forget this summer when she fell quite simply and naturally in love, in accordance with the dictates of. Originally published in 1928, radclyffe pdf halls the well of loneliness is the timeless story of a lesbian couples struggle to be accepted by polite society. Published by radclyffe hall herself in 1928, it was immediately banned in britain due to its lesbian theme and was allowed in the united states only after a long court battle.
It contains no explicit sex scenes, yet in 1928, the year in which the novel was published, it was deemed obscene in a british court of law for its defense of sexual inversion and was forbidden for. The well of loneliness is a novel that follows an upperclass englishwoman who falls in love with another woman while serving as an ambulance driver in world war i. Sapphic books written before the well of loneliness duration. Hall wrote many books but is best known for the well of loneliness, first published in 1928. A powerful novel of love between women, the well of loneliness brought about the most famous legal trial for obscenity in the history of british law. Born marguerite radclyffehall in 1880, hall wrote eight novels, the most famous being the well of loneliness. The well of loneliness wordsworth classics by radclyffe hall, esther saxey. The novel tells the story of stephen gordon so named because. Not very far from up tononsevernbetween it, in fact, and the malvern hillsstands the country seat of the gordons of bramley. The novel is about stephen gordon, a young englishwoman who is a lesbian, in a time when acceptance of this lifestyle was nonexistent. She finds love with mary llewellyn, whom she meets while serving as an. The well of loneliness by radclyffe hall, paperback barnes. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Radclyffe hall, the well of loneliness 1928 radclyffe hall.
The seminal work of gay literature that sparked an infamous legal trial for obscenity and went on to become a bestseller, the well of loneliness tells the story of tomboyish stephen, who hunts, wears trousers and cuts her hair short and who gradually comes to realise that she is. Descriptions of the english countryside, of london and of paris are some of the finest written in english. Octavo, original silverstamped cloth and paper boards, top edges gilt, uncut. Hall s bestknown work was the well of loneliness, the only one of her eight novels to have overt lesbian themes.
Additional gift options are available when buying one ebook at a time. Hall was renowned for her open homosexuality, a subject dealt with in her bestknown novel, the well of loneliness 1928, a semiautobiographical work and the only one of her eight novels to deal with overt lesbian themes. The well of loneliness download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. Her mother may have battered her, while her father, a playboy known as rat, ignored her. Marguerite radclyffehall, preferred to be called john. Marguerite radclyffehall was born on the south coast of england. Shockingly candid for its time, this novel was the very first to condemn homophobic society for its unfair treatment of gays and lesbians. Once it was available, the well of loneliness sold more than 20,000 copies its first year and paved the way for other works with lesbian themes. Radclyffe halls the well of loneliness and modernist fictions of identity pdf. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the well of loneliness. The well of loneliness the radclyffe hall novel at times referred to as the bible of lesbianism was released in britain in 1928 and was immediately controversial. Free download or read online the well of loneliness pdf epub book. It follows the life of stephen gordon, an englishwoman from an upperclass family whose sexual inversion homosexuality is apparent from an early age. The well of loneliness isbn 9780141191836 pdf epub.
Halls bestknown work was the well of loneliness, the only one of her eight novels to have overt lesbian themes. The well of loneliness is a 1928 book written by radclyffe hall about homosexuality. The well of loneliness by radclyffe hall librarything. The first edition of the novel was published in 1928, and was written by radclyffe hall. Radclyff hall to our three selves authors note all the characters in thi. This content was uploaded by our users and we assume good faith they have the permission to share this book. The well of loneliness may use dated prose, may seem unlike our day and age, and may suffer from being all but overwrought with its message, but at its core it is a beautiful, insightful novel. Radclyffe halls the well of loneliness and modernist. She became a full time writer in the 1960s, and has since written numerous screenplays, poetry and novels. The first thing i noticed about radclyffe hall s the well of loneliness, was the beautiful descriptive exposition. Maureen duffy was born in 1933 and educated at kings college london.
Pdf the well of loneliness book by radclyffe hall free. The well of loneliness, a 1928 novel by radclyffe hall, was the subject of censorship and banning when it was first published in the u. In the drawing rooms of edwardian society, marguerite made a small name for herself as a poet and librettist. The well of loneliness by radclyffe hall overdrive rakuten. The well of loneliness is a 1928 novel by british author radclyffe hall. Download pdf thewellofloneliness free online new books. The well of loneliness by radclyffe hall waterstones. Marguerite radclyffe hall was born on the south coast of england. The well of loneliness by radclyffe hall goodreads. The well of loneliness radclyffe hall fromthedustybookshelf. The well of loneliness is an engaging story that shows the challenges, indignities suffered and, yes, the loneliness of being gay, particularly at the time this book was written. The central theme alienation has the capacity to appeal to, and attract, nearly anybody. It has influenced how love between women is understood, for the twentieth century and beyond.
Marguerite radclyffe hall was born on 12th august 1880, in bournemouth, england. The judgment was given on a summons to show cause why seized. Pdf the well of loneliness download read online free. The well of loneliness ebook written by radclyffe hall. Radclyffe halls lesbian bildungsroman the well of lonelinesswas banned in eng. Pronounced obscene following a sensational trial, the book has become a cultural icon as well as a source of considerable debate, especially among feminists, lesbians, and. University of texas press is collaborating with jstor to digitize, preserve and. The main characters of this fiction, lgbt story are stephen gordon. Pronounced obscene following a sensational trial, the book has become a cultural icon as well as a source of considerable debate, especially among feminists, lesbians, and transgendered persons. I would rather give a healthy boy or a healthy girl a phial of prussic acid than this novel.
Banned upon publication due to its lesbian theme, it tells the story of stephen gordon, an upperclass englishwoman and who struggles as a lesbian with the confines of society. The first thing i noticed about radclyffe halls the well of loneliness, was the beautiful descriptive exposition. Hall s first novel the unlit lamp 1924 was a lengthy and grim tale that proved hard to sell. Imagine growing up with people judging you and condemning you because you are some notquitedefinably. The well of loneliness is probably the most famous lesbian novel ever written, and certainly the most widely read. Sir charles byron, bow street magistrate, yesterday adjudged obscene miss radclyffe halls book the well of loneliness, which has been the object of much discussion and litigation since its publication last summer. Many times, cheap lesbian pulp, written and produced mostly by men, for men, said on their blurbs that their books were like something of the well of loneliness. Featuring on the banned books list, the well of loneliness by radclyffe hall was published in 1928 and subsequently banned. Hall, with her novel, created a way for queer women to talk to other queer women without ever endangering them or creating suspicion. Halls first novel the unlit lamp 1924 was a lengthy and grim tale that proved hard to sell. The seminal work of gay literature that sparked an infamous legal trial for obscenity and went on to become a bestseller, the well of loneliness tells the story of tomboyish stephen, who hunts, wears trousers and cuts her hair short and who gradually comes to realise that she is attracted to women.
Originally published in 1928, radclyffe halls the well of loneliness is the timeless story of a lesbian couple pdf s struggle to be accepted by polite society. This early work by radclyffe hall was originally published in 1928 and we are now republishing it with a brand new introductory biography. She is angry, bitter and twisted and she wants the world to know it. With its overtly lesbian theme, the book was published in 1928, but was deemed obscene and was withdrawn from circulation, not appearing again until 1949. Pdf the well of loneliness download full pdf book download. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 414 pages and is available in paperback format. The well of loneliness wordsworth classics kindle edition by. Both the well of loneliness and the unlit lamp end in tragedy and radclyffe hall is apparently unable to do happy endings or to dissemble. The well of loneliness is a lesbian novel by british author radclyffe hall that was. The well of loneliness was banned for obscenity when published in 1928. Sep 30, 2010 featuring on the banned books list, the well of loneliness by radclyffe hall was published in 1928 and subsequently banned.
Much of radclyffe halls literary reputation rests on her best known novel, the well of loneliness, but her earlier books enjoyed a slew of successes in the years just preceding its publication. Life after death experience nde with steve gardipee, vietnam war story one of the best ndes duration. With the controversy over the well of loneliness, hall became the public face of. Before the novel delves too far into modernism, it is apparent that it is hedging out the victorian. What could it mean that nightwood, a lesbian novel featuring a transvestite gay.