PODCAST · arts

History Of Lady Barton

by Elizabeth Griffith

This is the story of the three Cleveland siblings: Fanny, the innocent yet very sympathetic sister; Louisa, the strong willed sister whose miserable marriage to Sir William is the center of the novel; and Sir George who tries to get over the loss of his lover by touring the world. Louisa is not an amoral woman, she is beautiful and very lively, values which 18th century society promotes, yet she suffers only affliction from her "respectable" college educated husband. In the main plot, and all the sub plots (of which there are many), the book tests many prominent values of the time and brings to light their negative implications. It raises questions such as: is marriage always right for women? If a woman is miserable in her marriage, when is enough? Is a great tour to find yourself always a good idea, or should you consider its implications on those around you? Does formal education matter or should inter personal communication skills be more important? Or, perhaps most importantly, is