Marcella, young and with a new-womanly independence, has a yearning to help the poor. When a gamekeeper is murdered near where she lives, Marcella finds herself at odds with her wealthy fiance over beliefs about property and justice. The discovery leads Marcella to pursue-among other things-a career in nursing. In settings ranging from village cottages, London slums and hospital wards to fashionable drawing rooms and the Ladies' Gallery of the Houses of Parliament, the book combines a gripping story with serious issues-socialism, rural and urban poverty, poaching laws, journalistic ethics, the Woman Question-inspiring critics to liken Marcella to George Eliot's novels.

The Broadview Literary Texts edition records the substantive differences between the two major editions published during Ward's lifetime, and included among the many appendices are news accounts of the murder trial and executions that inspired the novel, and previously unpublished letters by Ward.

NB: Mary Augusta Ward has traditionally been known as Mrs. Humphry Ward.

About the Author

Beth Sutton-Ramspeck of The Ohio State University at Lima, is the author of several articles on Mary Augusta Ward.

Nicole B. Meller is an independent scholar.

Reviews

"This definitive edition of Marcella includes an excellent set of contextual materials on its author's biography, on contemporary responses to the novel, on late-Victorian socialism and social work, on the 'New Woman,' and on nurses and nursing. Mary Augusta Ward was one of the most popular and thoughtful novelists of her time, so this new edition of her fourth novel is a great resource for readers interested in Victorian literature and culture, or just interested in good fiction." - Patrick Brantlinger, Indiana University

Book Information
ISBN 9781551111704
Author Mary Augusta Ward
Format Paperback
Page Count 612
Imprint Broadview Press Ltd
Publisher Broadview Press Ltd
Weight(grams) 572g
Dimensions(mm) 216mm * 140mm * 24mm