Sisters and rivals in British women's fiction, 1914-1939

What happens when two women love the same man? This is the first book to examine female rivalry as a distinctive theme in women's fiction and to analyze the female-identified erotic triangle, where two women are rivals for the same man, as a narrative pattern which has a special resonance for inter-war women writers. Focusing on five key writers, Diana Wallace offers a reconsideration of inter-war women's writing and an examination of the links and rivalries between women writers themselves. What Happens When Two Women Love The Same Man? How Do They Negotiate The Conflict Between The Need For Sexual Fulfilment And Their Loyalty To The Other Woman Who May Be A Friend Or Even A Sister? This Book Examines Female Rivalry As A Distinctive Theme In Women's Fiction. As Diana Wallace Shows The Female-identified Erotic Triangle, Where Two Women Are Rivals For The Same Man, Is A Narrative Pattern That Had A Special Resonance For Women Writers In The 1920s And 1930s, When A Population Imbalance Led To A 'surplus' Of Women. --book Jacket. 'an Age Of Transition': Historical Context -- Theorising Female Rivalry -- Rewriting The Victorians: May Sinclair's Transitional Modernism -- The 'other Woman': Rebecca West's 'difference Of View' -- A 'shared Working Existence': Vera Brittain And Winifred Holtby -- 'my Second Self': Winifred Holtby And Vera Brittain -- The 'recurring Dream' Of Romance: Rosamond Lehmann -- Census Population Of The United Kingdom. Diana Wallace. Based On The Author's Thesis (ph. D.). Includes Bibliographical References (p. 197-208) And Index. What happens when two women love the same man? How do they negotiate the conflict between the need for sexual fulfilment and their loyalty to the other woman who may be a friend or even a sister? This book examines female rivalry as a distinctive theme in women's fiction. As Diana Wallace shows the female-identified erotic triangle, where two women are rivals for the same man, is a narrative pattern that had a special resonance for women writers in the 1920s and 1930s, when a population imbalance led to a 'surplus' of women. Focusing on five key writers - May Sinclair, Rebecca West, Vera Brittain, Winifred Holtby and Rosamond Lehmann - whose work makes use of this pattern, she combines theoretical and textual criticism to offer a reconsideration of interwar women's writing and an examination of the links and rivalries between women writers themselves Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgements......Page 9 Abbreviations......Page 10 Introduction......Page 11 1. ‘An Age of Transition’: Historical Context......Page 20 2. Theorising Female Rivalry......Page 56 3. Rewriting the Victorians: May Sinclair's Transitional Modernism......Page 85 4. The ‘Other Woman’: Rebecca West's ‘Difference of View’......Page 106 5. A ‘Shared Working Existence’ : Vera Brittain and Winifred Holtby......Page 127 6. ‘My Second Self’: Winifred Holtby and Vera Brittain......Page 148 7. The ‘Recurring Dream’ of Romance: Rosamond Lehmann......Page 170 Conclusion......Page 191 Appendix 1: Census Population of the United Kingdom......Page 201 Appendix 2: Chronology of Main Legislation Relating to Women, 1914-39......Page 202 Notes......Page 203 Bibliography......Page 207 Index......Page 219 This is an examination of female rivalry as a distinctive theme in women's fiction and an analysis of the female-identified erotic triangle. Diana Wallace offers a reconsideration of inter-war women's writing