Name: The Woman in White
Author: Wilkie Collins
ISBN: 9780199535637

The Woman in White

Wilkie Collins

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Author Description

The Woman in White (1859-60) is the first and greatest "Sensation Novel." Walter Hartright's mysterious midnight encounter with the woman in white draws him into a vortex of crime, poison, kidnapping, and international intrigue. This new critical edition is the first to use the original manuscript of the novel. John Sutherland examines Collins's contribution to Victorian fiction, traces his practices as a creator of plot, and provides a chronology of the novel's complicated events.About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

Menrva's Summary

THE PULSE

A chance midnight encounter between a drawing master and a mysterious woman dressed in white initiates a complex web of deception and peril. Walter Hartright, a young art teacher, finds his life irrevocably altered when he assists a distressed woman on a lonely road near London. As he becomes entangled with the aristocratic Fairlie family, he must navigate a labyrinth of identity theft, forced confinement, and legal machinations. The narrative unfolds through a series of witness testimonies and documents, creating a multi-perspective account that challenges the reliability of the characters involved.

INSIDE THE PAGES

Epistolary narrative structure utilizing multiple witness testimonies
Gothic atmosphere set within the confines of Victorian country estates
Exploration of legal and social vulnerabilities of women in the 19th century
Intricate plotting involving mistaken identity and inheritance fraud
Use of unreliable narrators to obscure the truth
Detailed character studies contrasting moral integrity with villainous ambition
Pacing driven by suspenseful revelations and sudden shifts in fortune
Integration of medical and psychiatric themes prevalent in the era

THE COLLECTIVE ECHO

Readers frequently highlight the novel as a foundational text in the development of the mystery genre, noting its innovative use of multiple perspectives to build suspense. Discussion often centers on the effectiveness of the villainous Count Fosco, who remains one of the most memorable antagonists in Victorian literature. Critics often examine how Collins balances the rigid social structures of the time with the chaotic, unpredictable nature of his plot. The atmospheric tension and the meticulous construction of the mystery continue to draw interest from those studying the evolution of suspense fiction.

Page Count:
736

Publication Date:
2008-05-15

Publisher:
Oxford University Press

ISBN-10:
0199535639

ISBN-13:
9780199535637

Mystery

Thriller

Gothic

classic

Victorian