The well of loneliness, the most important novel of hall s career, was published in 1928 to immediate sensation and controversy. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 414 pages and is available in paperback format. The well of loneliness, by radclyff hall, free ebook. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones.
Radclyffe halls the well of loneliness, a candid, semiautobiographical novel about coming to terms with a lesbian identity, brought to the forefront the question of whether or not the frank portrayal of lesbianism in a book was grounds for charges of obscenity. The well of loneliness audiobook by radclyffe hall. The well of loneliness is a 1928 lesbian novel by the british author radclyffe hall. The well of loneliness is a novel that follows an upperclass englishwoman who falls in love with another woman while serving as an ambulance driver in world war i.
The book was banned for obscenity because its main character is a lesbian, and it subsequently became a notorious bestseller, thrusting hall into a literary rogues gallery of fame. The well of loneliness louisville free public library. Interestingly though, it has remained in print ever since. Jul 17, 2017 the well of loneliness radclyffe hall fromthedustybookshelf. She finds love with mary llewellyn, whom she meets while serving as an ambulance driver in world war i, but their happiness together is marred by social. Author of the well of loneliness, adams breed, the well of loneliness, the unlit lamp, the unlit lamp, a saturday life, the sixth beatitude, the other persuasion radclyffe hall open library donate. Mar 17, 2020 the well of loneliness by radclyffe hall.
The well of loneliness, by radclyffe hall chapter twentysix like a river that has gradually risen to flood, until it sweeps everything before it, so now events rose and gathered in strength towards their inevitable conclusion. Well of loneliness signed radclyffe hall bauman rare. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Hall, born marguerite radclyffe hall but known to her loved ones as john, was an out lesbian who dressed in mens clothes in a society and era when samesex love was considered not only. The thinly disguised story of halls own life, it was banned outright upon publication and almost ruined her literary career. The well of loneliness, the most important novel of halls career, was published in 1928 to immediate sensation and controversy. The novel tells the story of stephen gordon so named because. The well of loneliness by radclyffe hall goodreads. Octavo, original silverstamped cloth and paper boards, top edges gilt, uncut. As a man loved a woman, that was how i lovedit was good, good. The well of loneliness by radclyffe hall one chapter. Hall was also awarded prestigious literary prizes for the novel adams breed and she produced a large body of accomplished verse. Hall wrote a number of novels and volumes of poetry, but is best remembered for her novel the well of loneliness 1928, which supported lesbianism and, although not in any way obscene, was banned in the uk. Sir charles byron, bow street magistrate, yesterday adjudged obscene miss radclyffe halls book the well of loneliness, which has been the object of much discussion and litigation since its publication last summer.
The well of loneliness is probably the most famous lesbian novel ever written, and certainly the most widely read. First published in 1928, this timeless portrayal of lesbian love is now a classic. He knew little about books and had been a slack student, but stephen and he had other things in common. The well of loneliness ebook written by radclyffe hall. The well of loneliness, by radclyffe hall chapter nineteen through the long years of life that followed after, bringing with them their dreams and disillusions, their joys and sorrows, their fulfilments and frustrations, stephen was never to forget this summer when she fell quite simply and naturally in love, in accordance with the dictates of. She published five volumes of poetry and seven novels. Radclyffe hall is the pen name of marguerite radclyffe hall 18801943, an english poet and novelist. The first thing i noticed about radclyffe hall s the well of loneliness, was the beautiful descriptive exposition. A seminal banned classic english edition di radclyffe hall venduto da.
The well of loneliness by radclyffe hall one chapter more. Published by radclyffe hall herself in 1928, it was immediately banned in britain due to its lesbian theme and was allowed in the united states only after a long court battle. It contains no explicit sex scenes, yet in 1928, the year in which the novel was published, it was deemed obscene in a british court of law for its defense of sexual inversion and was forbidden for sale or import into england. Two years later she received the eichelbergher humane award. The judgment was given on a summons to show cause why seized. Free download or read online the well of loneliness pdf epub book. Born marguerite radclyffehall in 1880, hall wrote eight novels, the most famous being the well of. Radclyff hall a project gutenberg of australia ebook ebook no 0609021h. Jul 02, 2015 the well of loneliness ebook written by radclyffe hall. It follows the life of stephen gordon, an englishwoman from an upperclass family whose sexual inversion homosexuality is apparent from an early age. Read the well of loneliness by radclyffe hall available from rakuten kobo.
Hall was renowned for her open homosexuality, a subject dealt with in her bestknown novel, the well of loneliness 1928, a semiautobiographical work and the only one of her eight novels to deal with. The well of loneliness, describing the lesbian invert stephen, was banned on publication in 1928. The well of loneliness by radclyffe hall free ebooks. Radclyffe hall 1880 1943 was a british author best known for her semiautobiographical novel about a young womans coming to terms with her lesbian identity the book caused a furor when first published in england in 1928. Charting her romantic and professional adventures during the first world war and beyond, the novel provoked a furore on first publication in 1928 for its lesbian. Marguerite radclyffe hall was born on 12th august 1880, in bournemouth, england. The well of loneliness kindle edition by hall, radclyffe. The main characters of this fiction, lgbt story are stephen gordon. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the well of loneliness. She was educated at kings college, london, and later undertook further studies in germany. Radclyff hall to our three selves authors note all the characters in thi. Pronounced obscene following a sensational trial, the book has become a cultural icon as well as a source of considerable debate, especially among feminists, lesbians, and.
It is hall s most direct artistic expression of her own personal sexual orientation. The well of loneliness by radclyffe hall overdrive rakuten. The well of loneliness wordsworth classics kindle edition by. Radclyffe hall, the pen name of marguerite radclyffehall, was born in bournemouth on august 12, 1880. The well of loneliness ebook by radclyffe hall 9781473374089. The well of loneliness is the fifth and bestknown novel by english author and poet radclyffe hall.
That same year also saw publication of the unlit lamp, the first work for which hall was known as simply radclyffe hall. Sep 26, 20 radclyffe hall s the well of loneliness, a candid, semiautobiographical novel about coming to terms with a lesbian identity, brought to the forefront the question of whether or not the frank portrayal of lesbianism in a book was grounds for charges of obscenity. The well of loneliness was prosecuted for obscenity and banned from publication and was not published in the united kingdom until 1949, six years after the death of the author radclyffe hall. It has influenced how love between women is understood, for the twentieth century and beyond. With its overtly lesbian theme, the book was published in 1928, but was deemed obscene and was withdrawn from circulation, not appearing again until 1949. Sapphic books written before the well of loneliness duration. The first thing i noticed about radclyffe halls the well of loneliness, was the beautiful descriptive exposition. Radclyffe hall is the pen name of marguerite radclyffehall 18801943, an english poet and novelist. The well of loneliness addressed its themes in a subtle and completely nongraphic manner, and yet, shortly after its publication, copies of the book were seized. The well of loneliness the radclyffe hall novel at times referred to as the bible of lesbianism was released in britain in 1928 and was immediately controversial. The well of loneliness tells the story of tomboyish stephen, who hunts, wears trousers and cuts her hair short and who gradually comes to realise that she is attracted to women.
Radclyffe halls 1928 novel the well of loneliness caused a publishing scandal in 1928 and is now recognised as the first overt lesbian novel in english literature. The first edition of the novel was published in 1928, and was written by radclyffe hall. The well of loneliness by radclyffe hall free ebooks download. Maureen duffy was born in 1933 and educated at kings college london. Author of the well of loneliness, adams breed, the well of loneliness, the unlit lamp, the unlit lamp, a saturday life, the sixth beatitude, the other persuasion. It is halls most direct artistic expression of her own personal sexual orientation. The well of loneliness is a lesbian novel by british author radclyffe hall that was first published in 1928 by jonathan cape. Descriptions of the english countryside, of london and of paris are some of the finest written in english. Stephen never went to her fathers study in order to talk of her grief over collins. With the publication of the well of loneliness public library, the way gender and sexual identities are formulated and articulated was forever changed.
Radclyffe hall, the pen name of marguerite radclyffehall, was born in bournemouth on 12 august 1880. Jan 07, 2014 buy the well of loneliness wordsworth classics. As a man loved a woman, that was how i lovedit was good, good, good stephen is an ideal child of aristocratic parent. All titles are available at the library or on hoopla. She died in 1943 and is buried in highgate cemetery in london. Pdf the well of loneliness download read online free. The well of loneliness by radclyffe hall best books by. Her open treatment of lesbianism in the well of loneliness occasioned a. Listen to the well of loneliness by radclyffe hall available from rakuten kobo. Becoming a runaway bestseller in its notoriety, it was originally banned by the british after a legal trial and all copies were ordered to be destroyed due to its lesbian plot and characters. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the well of loneliness. Radclyffe hall quotes author of the well of loneliness. Before the novel delves too far into modernism, it is apparent that it is hedging out the victorian.
Signed limited edition, number 5 of 225 copies signed by radclyffe hall, printed on van gelder handmade paper. Radclyffe hall project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. She finds love with mary llewellyn, whom she meets while serving as an ambulance driver in world war i, but their. Born marguerite radclyffe hall in 1880, hall wrote eight novels, the most famous being the well of loneliness. Stephen gordon is an ideal child of aristocratic parents a fencer, a horse rider and a keen scholar. Hall was renowned for her open homosexuality, a subject dealt with in her bestknown novel, the well of loneliness 1928, a semiautobiographical work and the only one of her eight novels to deal with overt lesbian themes. A seminal banned classic kindle edition by hall, radclyffe. Well of loneliness signed radclyffe hall bauman rare books. Featuring on the banned books list, the well of loneliness by radclyffe hall was published in 1928 and subsequently banned. Radclyffe hall born marguerite radclyffe hall on 12 august 1880 7 october 1943 was an english poet and author, best known for the novel the well of. Start a free 30day trial today and get your first audiobook free. Pdf the well of loneliness book by radclyffe hall free. It became an international bestseller, and for decades was the single most famous lesbian novel.
Pdf download the well of loneliness free ebooks pdf. Hall wrote many books but is best known for the well of loneliness, first published in 1928. First published july 1928 in england by jonathan cape, the well was soon seized and criminalized for violating the obscene. This early work by radclyffe hall was originally published in 1928 and we are. The well of loneliness isbn 9781473374089 pdf epub.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The well of loneliness by radclyffe hall a book club that focuses on diverse modern and classic literature. Hall 18801943 was legendary in her own timeor infamous, some might sayfor her fifth novel, the well of loneliness 1928. A powerful novel of love between women, the well of loneliness brought about the most famous legal trial for obscenity in the history of british law. The thinly disguised story of halls own life, it was banned outright. The well of loneliness is a 1928 book written by radclyffe hall about homosexuality. Published by radclyffe hall herself in 1928, it was immediately banned in britain due to its lesbian theme and was allowed in. The well of loneliness by radclyffe hall overdrive. The well of loneliness radclyffe hall fromthedustybookshelf. Radclyffe hall born marguerite radclyffe hall on 12 august 1880 7 october 1943 was an english poet and author, best known for the novel the well of loneliness.
The well of loneliness isbn 9780141191836 pdf epub. Sep 30, 2010 featuring on the banned books list, the well of loneliness by radclyffe hall was published in 1928 and subsequently banned. March 2015 project gutenberg of australia ebooks are created from printed editions which are in the public domain in australia, unless a notice is. Soon after the new year, nine months later, stephens second novel was published.