Tales And Novels Vol. III Belinda

By Maria Edgeworth

Book Overview

Tales and Novels, Vol. III: Belinda by Maria Edgeworth is a novel that explores themes of love, marriage, and social expectations through the experiences of its titular character. In Part 3, the narrative delves deeper into Belinda's relationships and the societal pressures she faces as a young woman navigating the complexities of romantic involvement. Belinda, an intelligent and spirited heroine, grapples with her feelings for various suitors while contending with her aunt's strong opinions on marriage. This section highlights her struggle between personal desires and societal expectations, particularly regarding the qualities that make a suitable partner. Edgeworth uses Belinda's journey to critique the superficial values often associated with courtship and marriage. Through rich character development and engaging dialogue, Edgeworth presents a nuanced portrayal of women's roles in society. The challenges Belinda faces underscore the importance of self-awareness and moral integrity, ultimately suggesting that true happiness lies in finding a partner who values genuine connection over social status or wealth.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 9368093520
• ISBN13: 9789368093527
• Release Date: January 2024
• Publisher: Double 9 Books
• Length: 414 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Memorable Characters

Lady Delacour is by far the most intriguing character in this novel but Belinda and the two male leads, (Mr. Hervey and Mr. Vincent) can carry their own. This is a wonderful novel filled with a few surprises and mystery. For instance - who is the captive Virginia, what is her story, and how does she figure into Belinda's future? The book is highly readable and you won't want to put it down in order to find out who will end up with who and what will become of the enigmatic Lady Delacour. Typical themes of the times - sexism, colonialism, etc are woven throughout the beautiful prose. Highly recommended!

Arrived in Plenty of Time

I needed this book for an English class I was taking and NONE of the bookstores around me carried it. Thanks for getting to me so quickly. Why the bookstores didn't carry it I don't know...excellent piece of literature.

A joy to read

I started reading Belinda around 6pm and finally around 2:30am I decided that I had best go to bed and finish the book later. Well, 10 minutes later my light was back on and I stayed up until 6:30am finishing the book. Not even all of Jane Austen's work has done that to me!The themes of gender and sexual attitudes, colonialism, religion, etc can easily be found in this work if you're interested in it for its scholarly value. However for the lay person it is a beautifully written, light read that is reminiscent of Austen's Mansfield Park or Sense and Sensibility (I certainly don't see many parallels to Pride and Prejudice as one reviewer did). If you're looking to go past Austen into early 19th century English literature, I would certainly recommend this book highly.

A good read!

Why I never heard about this book until I stumbled upon it online, I will never know! This is as good as any Jane Austen novel, and should have a BBC film of it's own.