engleski

A Superfluous Woman

Emma Frances Brooke entered the contentious discourse of the emerging New Woman phenomenon with the publication of A Superfluous Woman in 1894, alongside authors such as Mary Chavelita Dunne, writing under the pen-name of George Egerton, George Gissing, and Sarah Grand. Although Brooke initially published the novel anonymously, a contemporary review in The Athenaeum clamored that the discourse of the novel was too feminine to suggest the male pronoun (243). The reviewer criticized the author for being "possessed with the desire to preach a sermon" (243) which, in his opinion, indicated that Brooke was "probably very young, and certainly very inexperienced, both with regard to society as it is and to novel-writing as it ought to be" (243). Little did the reviewer know that Brooke was a prolific writer and a fervent political activist who had published five novels, an epic poem in blank verse, and several political articles focused on the ‘Woman Question.' However, it was not until 1894 that Brooke was recognized as a best-selling author. A Superfluous Woman became immensely popular, so much so that it underwent five re-printings during the first year of its initial publication.

Brooke, superfluous woman

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