W. E. A.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19806, 23 May 1934, Page 13

W. E. A.

LITERATURE CLASS EARLY ENGLISH WOMEN NOVELISTS The fourth lecture to the W.E.A. Literature and Drama Class was delivered on Monday evening by Miss M. E. Baker, M.A. The subject was, “Early English Women Novelists,” with special reference to the writings of Fanny Burney, afterwards Madame D’Arblay. Miss Baker detailed the reasons why women novelists arrived so late in the history of English literature. In considering Fanny Burney’s writings it was necessary to study the background of her time and the social condition of women. In her day women .with the gift and urge to write were opposed by the enormous body of masculine opinion, hence many of the early women novelists wrote under masculine pen-names like “Currer Bell” and “George Eliot.” Reference was made to the pioneer women who claimed the right equally with men to educational advantages. In the 18th century the few who wrote were considered very eccentric. The speaker then detailed several events that favoured the entrance of women into the realm of literature. Addison’s “Spectator” interested women equally with men in reading and thought. Samuel Richardson’s writings opened a new era with his novels of emotion. Mrs Appra Benn was the first professional woman novelist. The circumstances of Fanny Burney’s early life were next described, and the intellectual atmosphere of her father’s home. Her urge to write persisted in spite of her stepmother’s efforts to discourage her from such a supposedly improper and unladylike course. When women did begin novelwriting, their early efforts were very crude, but the publication of Fanny Burney’s first novel, “Evelina,” in 1778 marked a great advance, and received high praise from the leading writers and thinkers of the time, such as Dr. Johnson, Burke, and Sir Joshua Reynolds. “Evelina” marked a definite deviation in the progress of natural fiction, and had a very marked influence on later women writers, Jane Austen, the Brontes, and Miss Mitford. Miss Baker read several interesting passages from “Evelina,” and also quoted Macaulay’s statement that “Fanny Burney took away the reproach which lay on a useful and delightful species of composition. She vindicated the rights of her sex to an equal share in a fair and noble province of letters. Several acomplished women have followed in her track. At present the novels which we owe to English ladies form no small part of the literary glory of our country.” An interesting discussion followed the close of the lecture. One member, in seconding the vote of thanks accorded to the speaker, expressed a hope that Miss Baker would favour the class on a future date with another interesting literary address.