Belinda | Belinda

At a glance:

Author: Maria Edgeworth
First Published: 1801
Type of Work: Novel
Type of Plot: Social realism
Time of Work: Late eighteenth century
Setting: London and southern England
Principal Characters: Belinda, Lady Delacour, Lord Delacour, Helena Delacour, Clarence Hervey, Virginia St. Pierre (Rachel Hartley), Mr. Vincent, Mrs. Selina Stanhope, Harriet Freke, Mr. Percival, Lady Anne Percival, Dr. X
Genres: Long fiction, Social realism
Subjects: Love or romance, Gender roles, Marriage, England or English people, Eighteenth century, Upper classes, Women, London
Locales: London, England

Belinda’s aunt, wishing Belinda to acquire a husband of wealth and social position, sent her to live with Lady Delacour, a leading figure in fashionable London. At first Belinda was dazzled by Lady Delacour’s wit and elegance and by the glamour of her world. Quickly, however, Belinda became disgusted by the shallow frivolity that permeated this world and by the manipulative jockeying for social position that drove its players. In particular, she realized that Lady Delacour’s social brilliance disguised a deeply unhappy woman who despised her husband and...

Belinda | Belinda

At a glance:

The Story:

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