The Odd Women
George Gissing
The Odd Women
The Odd Women is considered by many to be one of George Gissings best works, possibly second only to New Grub Street.
This book received a large increase in readership in the sixties
because of its apparent feminist subject matter. And yes, it does
deal with a very controversial Victorian subject, but even if the book
was devoid of its controversy it would still be worth reading because
of Gissings honest approach to realism and his writing style.
A Brief Biography
Gissing was born at Wakefield, Yorkshire on November 22nd 1857.
Not much is know about Gissing's early years, but it is know that the
death of his father, a chemist, left Gissing heartbroken, although he
never really cared for his mother. Gissing was an extraordinarily
bright child. When he was just 15 he won a scholarship to Owens
College, Manchester, where he did exceedingly well. He then moved
on to London University, where it seemed he was destined for a life of
scholarly leisure. However, his life was dramatically changed
when he was caught stealing from the coat room of the University.
He was arrested, expelled, and forced to do a month of labor. The
reason for his crime was his desire to reform the prostitute Nell
Harrison who he was in love with. After his disgrace, which left
him uncomfortable with his own history, he traveled to America to start
a new life. However, he soon became disillusioned with America
and nearly starved to death. In 1877 he traveled back to England
and married Nell. His life with Nell was a living hell.
Nell developed a love of alcohol and often reverted to her old job to
pay for her expensive habits. Gissing eventually paid Nell to
live away from him, and Nell died in 1888. Gissing married Edith
Underwood in 1891, and proceeded to hate a second marriage. With
Edith Gissing had two children, but unfortunately that did nothing to
soothe the discomforts of his married life so Gissing left Edith.
Eventually Gissing did find someone he could be happy with.
Gabrielle Fleury was a French translator who Gissing fell in love
with. Unfortunately he could not legally marry her because he was
still married to Edith. Gissing and Fleury lived together until
Gissing's death on December 28th 1903.
Publication Information
The Odd Women
was published on April 10th 1893 by Lawrence & Bullin. The
Book was published in a three volume format. Gissing was paid 100
guineas when he was first commissioned to write the book and nearly 60
pounds when the book was finished. Heineman & Bolestier
purchased the printing rights for The Odd Women for 35
guineas and they produced the continental edition for sale in America,
for this purchase Gissing was given nearly 19 pounds. Sales were
moderate. From its release in April till the end of June the book
sold 275 copies, and then in July another 57.
Reviews
Oscar Wilde, Gissings friend and fan, said of Gssing:
"On
the whole Gissing does not write of the worst depths of poverty, but
one can hardly read his descriptions of lower-middle-class life, so
obviously truthful in their dreariness¡K"
"¡Kmerely on the strength of New Grub Street, Demos and The Odd Women I am ready to maintain that England has produced very few better novelists."
Works cited
The George Gissing website http://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/english/Gissing/Gissing_HomePage.htm
Gissing in cyberspace
http://www.lang.nagoya-u.ac.jp/~matsuoka/Gissing.html
Coustillas, Pierre. London and the Life of Literature in Late Victorian England The Diary of George Gissing, Novelist. Lewisburg, Bucknell University Press, 1978.
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