Behind the Times

Jean Corbett Mary

Description

Virginia Woolf, throughout her career as a novelist and critic, deliberately framed herself as a modern writer invested in literary tradition but not bound to its conventions; engaged with politics but not a propagandist; a woman of letters but not a "lady novelist." As a result, Woolf ignored or disparaged most of the women writers of her parents' generation, leading feminist critics to position her primarily as a forward-thinking modernist who rejected a stultifying Victorian past. In Behind the Times, Mary Jean Corbett finds that Woolf did not dismiss this history as much as she boldly rewrote it.Exploring the connections between Woolf's immediate and extended family and the broader contexts of late-Victorian literary and political culture, Corbett emphasizes the ongoing significance of the previous generation's concerns and controversies to Woolf's considerable achievements. Behind the Times rereads and revises Woolf's creative works, politics, and criticism in relation to women writers including the New Woman novelist Sarah Grand, the novelist and playwright, Lucy Clifford; the novelist and anti-suffragist, Mary Augusta Ward. It explores Woolf's attitudes to late-Victorian women's philanthropy, the social purity movement, and women's suffrage. Closely tracking the ways in which Woolf both followed and departed from these predecessors, Corbett complicates Woolf's identity as a modernist, her navigation of the literary marketplace, her ambivalence about literary professionalism and the mixing of art and politics, and the emergence of feminism as a persistent concern of her work.

Sujets

• Idioma inglés
• Reino Unido
• Ireland
• United Kingdom
• English
• Stephen Ireland
• Great Britain
• Anglais
• Royaume-Uni

Informations

• Publié par: Cornell University Press
• Date de parution: 15 novembre 2020
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781501752483
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 4 Mo

Extrait

BEHïNDTHETïMES

BEHïNDTHETïMES

VI RGI NI A WOOL F I N L AT EVI CTORI AN CONT E XTS

M a r y J e a n Co r b e t t

CORNE UNïVERSïTY PRESS Ithaca and London

Copyrîght © 2020 by Core Uîversîty

A rîghts reserved. Except or brîe quotàtîos î à revîew, thîs book, or pàrts thereo, must ot be reproduced î ày orm wîthout permîssîo î wrîtîg rom the pubîsher. For îormàtîo, àddress Core Uîversîty Press, Sàge House, 512 Eàst Stàte Street, ïthàcà, New York 14850. Vîsît our websîte àt corepress.core.edu.

Fîrst pubîshed 2020 by Core Uîversîty Press

îbràry o Cogress Càtàogîg-î-Pubîcàtîo Dàtà

Nàmes: Corbett, Màry Jeà, 1962–àuthor. Tîte: Behîd the tîmes : Vîrgîîà Woo î àte-Vîctorîà cotexts / Màry Jeà Corbett. Descrîptîo: ïthàcà [New York] : Core Uîversîty Press, 2020. | ïcudes bîbîogràphîcà reereces àd îdex. ïdetîIers: CCN 2020007235 (prît) | CCN 2020007236 (ebook) | ïSBN 9781501752469 (hàrdcover) | ïSBN 9781501752483 (pd ) | ïSBN 9781501752476 (epub) Subjects: CSH: Woo, Vîrgîîà, 1882–1941—Crîtîcîsm àd îterpretàtîo. | Woo, Vîrgîîà, 1882–1941. | Wome àuthors—Poîtîcà àd socîà vîews— 19th cetury. | Wome àuthors, Egîsh—19th cetury. | Femîîsm àd îteràture—Hîstory—19th cetury. CàssîIcàtîo: CC PR6045.O72 Z578827 2020 (prît) | CC PR6045.O72 (ebook) | DDC 823/.912—dc23 C record àvàîàbe àt https://cc.oc.gov/2020007235 C ebook record àvàîàbe àt https://cc.oc.gov /2020007236

Cover îmàge: Vîrgîîà Woo by Rày Stràchey, oî o boàrd, àte 1920s. NPG D256. © Nàtîoà Portràît Gàery, odo. Used by permîssîo.

Co n t e n t s

Preacevîî

 ïtroductîo  1. Geder, Greàtess, àd the “Thîrd Geeràtîo”  ïterude ï: Gràd Reàds Woo  2. New Wome àd Od: Sàràh Gràd, Socîà Purîty, àdThe Voyae Out  ïterude ïï: Dîsîterestedess  3. “Ashàmed o the ïkpot”: Woo àd the îteràry Màrketpàce  ïterude ïïï: Duckworth àd Compày  4. “To Serve àd Bess”: Juîà Stephe, ïsàbe Somerset, àd àte-Vîctorîà Wome’s Poîtîcs  ïterude ïV: Somerset, Symods, Stephe, àd Sexuàîty  5. “A Dîferet ïdeà”: Represetîg the Pubîc Womà  Aterword

Notes233 Works Cîted259 Index287

1

29 64

68 106

109 146

150

186

190 226

P r e f a c e

ï the course o reseàrchîg àd wrîtîg thîs book, ï hàve cosuted à dîverse àrrày o sources àd àîmed to sythesîze my Idîgs to the best o my àbîîtîes. Provîdîg à hîstorîcîst àccout o Woo ’s reàtîo to the îteràture àd poîtîcs o the îmmedîàte àte-Vîctorîà pàst, wîth pàrtîcuàr emphàsîs o her egàgemet wîth oder wome wrîters àd tur- o-the-cetury àctîvîst àd àdvocàcy movemets, hàs requîred à deep dîve îto à umber o dîferet àreàs. ï beîeved, or exàmpe, thàt reàdîg the books thàt she wàs wrîtîg àbout, îcudîg eàry îteràry hîstorîes o the àte- Vîctorîà perîod, woud ehàce my ààyses o Woo ’s revîews àd essàys. Sîmîàry, ï hàve sàmped the vàrîed îteràry productîo o àter Vîctorîà womewrîters,îcudîgààrgeumberwhomàkeoycàmeoàppeàràces î thîs book, such às Aîce Meye, Vero ee, Cemetîà Bàck, àd Eîzà- beth Robîs; some who eàture more substàtîày, îcudîg Sàràh Gràd, Màry Augustà Wàrd, àd ucy Cîford; àd mày more who bàrey eàture àt à, îke Emmà Brooke, George Egerto, àd Méîe Murîe Dowîe. Aog my other màî îe o îquîry, ï hàve cosuted wrîtîgs by àd àbout àte- Vîctorîà phîàthropy àd phîàthropîsts, socîà-purîty àctîvîsts, àd sufràg- îsts, îcudîg memoîrs o àd bîogràphîes àbout key Igures î the vàrîed movemets o the tîme. Thîs wîde ràge o reàdîg woud ot hàve bee pos- sîbe wîthout the dîgîtîzàtîo o îeteeth-àd eàry twetîeth-cetury mà- terîàs, àd so thîs woud hàve bee à àr dîferet book wîthout the àfordàces o îstàt àccessîbîîty: î short, ï hàve bee àbe to îdetîy àd reàd àr more màterîà ow oîe thà ï coud ever hope to reerece here. As àccess to dîgîtîzed màterîàs eàbed me to ocàte à ràge o texts thàt woud otherwîse hàve remàîed etîrey ukow to me, my tràves o the ïteret àso somewhàt uexpectedy ed me to do more àrchîvà reseàrch thà ï hàve doe or other projects. ï hàve thus cosuted the resources o seve dîferet îbràrîes or àrchîves: the Bàth Pubîc îbràry, whîch cotàîs à co- sîderàbe àmout o màterîà by àd reàted to Sàràh Gràd, most o ît ow pubîshed; the Berg Coectîo àt the New York Pubîc îbràry, where ï reàd

v i i

v i i i

PREFACE

àrchîvà màterîàs by esîe Stephe àd Steà Duckworth; the Brîtîsh îbràry, whîch provîded àccess to upubîshed etters betwee esîe àd Thoby Ste- phe, às we às some by the Stephe àmîy rîed ucy Cîford, î àddîtîo to her àppîcàtîo to the Royà îteràry Fud; the Fràces Wîàrd House î- bràry àd Archîves, housed àt Northwester Uîversîty, whîch àso îcudes upubîshed etters by àdy Hery Somerset; the Surrey Hîstory Cetre, home to the ushîgto Fàmîy Archîve; àd the Wome’s îbràry, ow ocàted àt the odo Schoo o Ecoomîcs, where ï reàd upubîshed etters by Jose- phîe Buter àd other màterîàs. ï wàs àso àbe to àccess reproductîos o some upubîshed etters îcuded àmog the Eîzàbeth Robîs Pàpers î the Fàes Coectîo àt New York Uîversîty. ï àm gràteu to the àrchîvîsts àd îbràrîàs àt à these îstîtutîos. The ruîts o these àbors, whîe reàtîvey modest, hàve persuàded me thàt there îs stî more to kow àd sày àbout the pàst thà eve mày specîàîsts begî to reàîze. Thàt beîe hàs àso ed me to àdopt à pàrtîcuàr àpproàch to both the co- tet àd the orgàîzàtîo o thîs book. Fîrst àd oremost, ît does ot cosîst o à serîes o cose reàdîgs o Woo ’s Ictîo or màke à comprehesîve study o her eormous body o work. ït àtteds prîmàrîy though ot excusîvey to her Irst two oves àd to the àst oe pubîshed î her îetîme, but ï woud màke o càîms to provîdîg deIîtîve reàdîgs o eve those works. Perhàps surprîsîgy, ît does ot cosîderOrando(1928),Fush(1933), orFreshwater (per. 1935) î ày sustàîed wày. ïsteàd, ît dràws extesîvey o the àrge body o o-Ictîoà wrîtîg thàt Woo geeràted over the course o her îe, î- cudîg her etters, dîàrîes, îteràry jouràîsm, crîtîcà essàys, prose poemîcs, àd memoîrs. Thîs choîce o prîmàry sources shoud àso îdîcàte the decîd- edy bîogràphîcà àture o my àpproàch ot oy to Woo ’s oeuvre, but to some o the key emàe Igures ï study, pàrtîcuàry whe they àre esser-kow or uderàpprecîàted. Wîth the exceptîo o my àttetîo to Sàràh Gràd’sThe Heaveny Twîns, my efort î represetîg îteràry Igures such às ucy Cî- ord or Màry Augustà Wàrd ocuses ess o ààyzîg theîr wrîtîg thà o îdîcàtîg—or Vîctorîàîsts às much às moderîsts—theîr posîtîos wîthî ît- eràry dîscourse àroud the tur o the cetury. ï hàve àso sought to îumî- àte the compexîtîes o emîîst àctîvîsm àt the tur o the cetury by tràcîg the îtrà-, îter-, àd mutîgeeràtîoà etworks o wome who pàr- tîcîpàted î pubîc îe, îcudîg those who pursued both poîtîcà goàs àd àesthetîc îterests, such às àdy Hery Somerset àd Rày Stràchey. The book thus combîes àrràtîve àd ààysîs so às to te à story àbout Woo ’s reà- tîo to the îmmedîàte pàst, to provîde some îterpretàtîo o ît, àd to co- textuàîze thàt story às thîcky às ï cà. A serîes o îterudes bràchîg of

PREFACE

i x

rom the màî îes o the àrgumet provîde some àddîtîoà cotextuà màterîà.

Above à, thîs project hàs tàke tîme, àd ï hàve bee ucky to hàve the sup- port o îstîtutîos àd îdîvîduàs over the og course o competîg ît. ï àm gràteu to the Coege o Arts àd Scîeces àd the Commîttee o Fàc- uty Reseàrch àt Mîàmî Uîversîty or reeàse tîme rom other dutîes over the àst decàde. A eowshîp rom the Amerîcà Coucî o eàred Socîetîes î the sprîg o 2015 eàbed me to màke substàtîà progress, whîch ï woud ot hàve bee àbe to àchîeve wîthout the coegîàîty o Regeîà Gàgîer àd Ee Rosemà, às we às uMîg Mào àd Jerry Roseberg. Our curret chàîr, Màdey Detof, hàs bee ot oy à tîreess àdvocàte or my work— àd or the vàue o Vîrgîîà Woo—but àso à hîghy vàued coeàgue àd stàwàrt rîed î hàrd tîmes. ï thàk her î pàrtîcuàr or her îtegrîty àd her commîtmet to our shàred work. ï hàve àso bee îcredîby bessed î hàvîg à wîde-ràgîg etwork o peope who hàve sustàîed my beîe î thîs project àd my càpàcîty to com- pete ît. Becàuse ï try to thîk àbout od rîeds the most, ï àm gràteu Irst, àst, àd àwàys to Key Hàger, Bàrbàrà eckîe, Teresà Màgum, Key Màys, orî Merîsh, Deboràh Deehoz Morse, ucy Norve, Joh Potz, Kàte Roàd, Màry Rutkowskî, y Voskuî, àd A Wîerwîe. The members o my wrîtîg group hàve cheered me o (àd up) or the àst severà yeàrs: my thàks to Susà Grîi, Deboràh utz, Màurà O’Coor, Jî Ràppoport, Ee Rosemà, Màrîo Rust, àd Susà Ryà. ï àm thàku às we to the two àoymous reàders o the màuscrîpt secured by Màhîder Kîgrà, àd to hîm àd hîs stàf or theîr stewàrdshîp. Though they mày ot quîte reàîze ît, the support o other coeàgues hàs bee equày cosequetîà: à specîà thàk you to Adrew Mîer àd Yopîe Prîs or theîr kîdess àd càmàràde- rîe, àd to Kàthy Aexîs Psomîàdes, whose îcîsîve commetàry o à ràther àrge gàp î my prevîous book ed me to wrîte thîs oe. ï àm àso îdebted to those who îvîted or hosted me durîg presetàtîos àt dîferet veues: àt Wîîàm àd Màry, Suzàe Ràîtt; àt the Uîversîty o Exeter, Regeîà Gàg- îer; àt the Bîrkbeck Forum or Nîeteeth-Cetury Studîes, Hîàry Fràser; àd àt two Eîghteeth-àd Nîeteeth-Cetury Brîtîsh Wome Wrîters Coereces, the Irst sposored by Kîrsty euer àt the Uîversîty o Coo- ràdo àt Bouder àd the secod by îvîà Woods àd Meechà Hofmà o the Cîty Uîversîty o New York, where Tàîà Shàfer àso provîded the wàrm- est o wecomes. The debt ï càot ow repày îs to Drew Càyto, the mem- ory o whose wàrmth, îteectuà geerosîty, good humor, àd exempàry