Sign-In
Cart
The History of Emily Montague
Paperback
Classic FictionGeneral FictionLiterary Fiction
ISBN13: 9781988963747
Publisher: Universitas Press
Published: Sep 22 2024
Pages: 400
Weight: 1.17
Height: 0.82 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
The History of Emily Montague opens three years after the conclusion of the Seven Years' War, with letters spanning from April 1766 to November 1767. This epistolary novel, primarily written from the perspectives of Colonel Edward Rivers, a British officer seeking a future in the newly acquired Canadian colony, and Arabella Fermor, the witty friend of Emily Montague, offers readers a unique blend of romance, historical context, and intellectual trends. While the love story follows traditional themes-financial struggles, marital misunderstandings, and eventual resolutions-Brooke's novel stands out for its incorporation of various literary movements from the 18th century.
Brooke, whose work bridges the Augustan Age and the Age of Sensibility, combines sentimental fiction, pre-Romanticism, and even early feminist ideas in this rich narrative. The History of Emily Montague engages with the sublime and picturesque, offering an early exploration of the picturesque landscape of Canada. The Canadian wilderness, depicted as both Edenic and gothic, plays a pivotal role, almost becoming a character itself, influencing the emotional and physical experiences of the protagonists. This unique depiction of Canadian colonial life sets Brooke's novel apart from other works of sentimental fiction, as it presents realistic details about life in Quebec, highlighting both personal relationships and broader nationhood concerns.
What further distinguishes the novel is Brooke's protofeminist critique of social norms. Like other early feminist authors such as Aphra Behn and Mary Wollstonecraft, Brooke questions arranged marriages and societal expectations of women, positioning her novel as a bridge between traditional courtship tales and the more progressive feminist literature that would later emerge, such as the works of Jane Austen. This makes the novel not only a significant epistolary romance but also an important feminist text.
Brooke's blending of realism, sentimentalism, and the picturesque within a colonial setting, along with her commentary on British imperialism and identity, offers readers a fresh perspective on both 18th-century fiction and early Canadian literature. With its unique mix of romance, political and social commentary, and picturesque aesthetics, The History of Emily Montague continues to captivate readers interested in the literary and cultural trends of the time.
7 different editions
Also available
Also from
Brooke, Frances
Marian: A Comic Opera, in two Acts. Performed at the Theatre-Royal, Covent-Garden. By Mrs. Brookes
Brooke, Frances
Hardcover
The Siege of Sinope. A Tragedy. As it is Acted at the Theatre-Royal, in Covent-Garden. By Mrs. Brooke,
Brooke, Frances
Hardcover
Rosina, a Comic Opera, n [sic] two Acts. Performed at the Theatre-Royal, in Covent-Garden
Brooke, Frances
Hardcover
The History of Lady Julia Mandeville, by the Translator of Lady Catesby's Letters
Brooke, Frances
Hardcover
The Excursion, a Novel, by Mrs. Brooke, ... In two Volumes. The Second Edition. of 2; Volume 2
Brooke, Frances
Hardcover
Also in
Classic Fiction
James Fenimore Cooper: The Leatherstocking Tales Vol. 1 (Loa #26): The Pioneers / The Last of the Mohicans / The Prairie
Cooper, James Fenimore
Hardcover
Four Comedies: The Taming of the Shrew, a Midsummer Night's Dream, the Merchant of Venice, Twelfth Night
Shakespeare, William
Paperback
Before Gatsby: The First Twenty-Six Stories
Baughman, Judith
Fitzgerald, F. Scott
Bruccoli, Matthew J.
Paperback
The Princess Bride Deluxe Limited Edition: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure
Goldman, William
Paperback
The Fellowship of the Ring: Being the First Part of the Lord of the Rings
Tolkien, J. R. R.
Paperback
The Lord of the Rings Illustrated by the Author: Illustrated by J.R.R. Tolkien
Tolkien, J. R. R.
Hardcover
The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure
Goldman, William
Hardcover
The Pilgrim's Progress: A Readable Modern-Day Version of John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress (Revised and easy-to-read)
Vermilye, Alan
Bunyan, John
Paperback
Frankenstein, Dracula, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Shelley, Mary
Stevenson, Robert Louis
Stoker, Bram
Paperback