Rebecca West: Heroism, Rebellion, and the Female Epic

(Hardback)

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Draws on archival material and published texts to examine the full body of West's writings, her spiritual and philosophical views, and her reinvention of epic heroism in feminist terms. Rebecca West (1892-1983) was a prominent English critic, journalist, and novelist. She contributed to feminist and socialist magazines, had a lengthy relationship with H. G. Wells, and was named Dame of the British Empire in 1959. Her literary reputation declined after 1970 and was revived in the mid- 1980s, with the posthumous publication of three novels and a memoir and the reissue of several earlier works. With the violent disintegration of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, her Black Lamb and Grey Falcon catapulted her into the limelight and brought her much critical attention. This book offers a much-needed assessment of her literary career. The volume analyzes West's spiritual and philosophical ideas and argues that she consciously continues the epic tradition in her novels and travel writings. In doing so, she reinvents epic heroism in feminist terms. The first part of the book studies her fiction, including, The Judge and her trilogy of novels about the Aubrey family. It then explores the philosophical and conceptual elements in her fictional and nonfictional prose and relates her ideas to other thinkers. The volume closes with a look at her reworking of epic conventions in her travel writings, including her unfinished Survivors in Mexico.

Reviews

In short, this is an essential volume for anyone who wishes to be up-to-date on West's work. The extensive notes and introduction show that Schweizer is keenly aware of the history of West criticism and his important place within it. Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty; general readers.-Choice
"In short, this is an essential volume for anyone who wishes to be up-to-date on West's work. The extensive notes and introduction show that Schweizer is keenly aware of the history of West criticism and his important place within it. Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty; general readers."-Choice

Author Bio

BERNARD SCHWEIZER is Assistant Professor of English Literature at Long Island University Born and raised in Switzerland he taught at the University of Zurich for three years. He is author of Radicals on the Road: The Politics of English Travel Writing in the 1930s (2001), and editor of Rebecca West's Survivors in Mexico (2002).