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George Eliot’s last heroine 150 years on

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Literature, Fiction, Jane Austen, Books, book-review

If Elizabeth Bennet is one of English literature’s most delightfully engaging heroines, Gwendolen Harleth might claim to be one of its most compelling, and not only because as a victim of emotional abuse she may – or may not – be guilty of murder.

‘Some readers of this history will doubtless regard it as incredible that people should construct matrimonial prospects on the mere report that a bachelor of good fortune and possibilities was coming within reach…’ here is the sentence in chapter five of George Eliot’s 1876 novel Daniel Deronda in which she nods to the famous opening of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice published in 1813.

George Eliot’s admiration for Jane Austen was profound and dated back to her first falling in love with the philosopher and literary critic George Henry Lewes, the man she lived with from 1854 until his death in 1878. His 1852 essay The Lady Novelists in the Westminster Review praised Austen’s novels as ‘like an actual experience of life’. For him, and for George Eliot too, Jane Austen was ‘the most truthful, charming, humorous, pure-minded, quick-witted and unexaggerated of writers’.

George Eliot

But the ‘easy playfulness’ of Jane Austen’s heroine and opening sentence in Pride and Prejudice is altogether missing in Daniel Deronda. The rewritten sentence is heavy with irony and extends to some ten lines of philosophical observation about human nature. George Eliot sets her characters against a vast panoramic view and profound moral discussion of society and history, painting a picture of the position of Jews in Europe and the dream of a homeland, in contrast to Jane Austen’s much-quoted choice of ‘three or four families in a country village’. George Eliot never did anything by halves; the novel is dauntingly long and it’s not a light read.

Nor can we feel secure of a happy and conclusive ending like Jane Austen gives us in Pride and Prejudice. For Grandcourt, the ‘handsome lizard’ whom Gwendolen marries to escape becoming a governess, is what modern psychology would call a sociopath. Early in the novel we see him baiting one of his dogs; we know from that chilling moment how he will treat Gwendolen when he has her in his power.

Unlike Charlotte Lucas in Pride and Prejudice who marries Mr Collins with her eyes open, being both sensible and realistic about her prospects and with the strength of character to live within them, Gwendolen is a spoiled child who makes the fatal mistake of thinking she can marry Grandcourt and go on doing just what she likes.

Jane Austen doesn’t condemn Charlotte Lucas for doing what was common among women of her time, and George Eliot makes the reader feel that Gwendolen has no real choice but to rescue herself and her family from degrading poverty. But Charlotte isn’t taking what belongs to someone else. Gwendolen’s real crime is in knowingly betraying another woman and breaking a promise. Punishment for this lack of loyalty to her own sex will come on her wedding night.

Although we already know what Gwendolen is capable of when something gets in her way, whether she could have actually saved her sadistic husband from drowning is left uncertain. Murderous thoughts in women towards the men who are controlling or abusing them was something that interested George Eliot, and crops up several times; even the noble-minded Dorothea in Middlemarch comes close to violence when Casaubon repulses her after he’s learnt that his illness is serious. And Gwendolen has none of the religious ardour and passionate desire for the welfare of others which ultimately governs Dorothea.

But she develops something else which makes her a gripping psychological study for modern readers – a yearning to escape from the prison of her own selfishness and tormenting conscience.

It is perhaps because of the magnetic appeal of Gwendolen Harleth that Andrew Davies’ 2002 BBC television series focused on the infinitely moving relationship between her and the eponymous hero. There is nothing that jars in this beautifully filmed adaptation with its inspired casting: Hugh Bonneville, Hugh Dancy, Jodhi May, Edward Fox, Greta Scacchi, David Bamber, Celia Imrie, Amanda Root – and above all Romola Garai’s riveting performance as Gwendolen. A perfect introduction to the last novel George Eliot wrote before her death in 1880, as searching and unforgettable a read as Middlemarch.

Romola Garai as Gwendolin Harleth

Writing Competitions to Enter in October

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Books, Creative Writing, Fiction, Writing

Why not put on your thinking caps and write something for one of these October competitions:

The Dinesh Allirajah Prize for Short Fiction is for stories inspired by the theme of ‘Found Fiction’. Writers are invited to use found text as format, mimicking real documents (ie letters, text messages, newspaper reports, diaries, etc). There is a first prize of £500 and all ten shortlisted writers will be published in an ebook anthology by Comma Press. Enter original, unpublished stories between 2,000 and 7,500 words. Entry is FREE. Closing date: 11 October. Details: https://commapress.co.uk/news/the-dinesh-allirajah-prize-for-short-fiction-2025

The London Magazine Short Story Competition 2026. The long-standing literary journal The London Magazine is inviting entries to its prestigious short story competition. Entries should be original, unpublished short stories no longer than 4,000 words and prizes are £1,000, £600 and £400. Winners will be published in future issues of The London Magazine. The entry fee is £12, and £6 for any subsequent entries. Closing date: 18 October. Details: https://thelondonmagazine.org/short-story-prize-2026/

The Scratch A4 Competition Winter 2026. Enter 1,000 word stories for the chance to read at the Scratch December event. Six shortlisted writers will be invited to read their story in London on the 6th December. The judges are author Leon Craig, Mehar Anaokar, editor at Serpent’s Tail, and Scratch Books publisher Tom Conaghan. Entry £4. Closing date: 24 October. Details: https://www.scratch-books.co.uk/scratcha4competition

The Wenlock Olympian Society 2026/2027 Competition for original, unpublished short stories no longer than 2,500 words. Prizes are £150, £50 and £25, plus gold, silver and bronze Wenlock Olympian Society medals. Entry is £6 for one, £11 for two and £15 for three. Closing date: 29 October. Details: https://wenlock-olympian-society.org.uk/wenlock-olympian-society-arts/creative-short-story/

New Writers Novel Prize 2026 for the opening 500 words of an unpublished novel. Entry £12. Prizes: 1st £1,000 plus lifetime access to the Novel Factory; 2nd £300, plus 12 month standard subscription to the Novel Factory, 3rd £200 plus basic subscription to the Novel Factory. Closing date 31 October. Details: newwriters.org.uk/novel-prize

The Bedford Competition for unpublished stories up to 3,000 words. Prizes: £2,000, £400, £300, plus inclusion in paperback anthology. Entry: £8.50. Closing date 31 October. Details: bedfordwritingcompetition,co.uk Please check entry details on website.

Not many competitions this month, but don’t let that deter you. And please remember to check all details before entry.

Writing Competitions to Enter in September

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Books, Creative Writing, Fiction, Poetry, Writing, Writing Competitions

The McNeile Writing Competition 2026 is for a short story, no longer than 1,000 words, or two paragraphs (whichever is shortest) on the theme of “Absent Friends” by writers who are unpublished and/or self-published. All entries must be unpublished and original. To inspire you, perhaps Skipper in the picture above is pining for the return of someone he cares for? There are prizes of £200 and 2 x £50. Entry fee is £5. Closing date: 5 September. The theme is interpreted broadly as loss, memory, distance, nostalgia or reunion. Details: https://claphambookfestival.com/competition/

The BPA Short Story Award 2026 is for original, unpublished short stories up to 2,500 words by writers who are unpublished and unagented The winner will receive £1,000 and an agent introduction. There are second and third prizes of £300 and £200. Entry fee: £20. Closing date: 13 September. Details: https://www.bluepencilagency.com/short-story-prize-2026

The Mslexia Short Story Competition for up to unpublished 3,000 words written by women. Prizes: Winner receives £3,000 plus publication in Mslexia magazine and in the Best Women’s Short Fiction 2026 ebook anthology. Entry fee: £14 Deadline: 21 September. Details: Submit through the Mslexia Short Story Competition Page.

The Mslexia Novel Competition is for unpublished novels by women writing in English of at least 50,000 words. Submit only the first 5,000 words initially. Prizes: Winner: £5,000, manuscript feedback from The Literary Consultancy, plus pitch training and personal agent/editor introductions in partnership with New Writing North. Finalists will receive manuscript feedback, pitch training and personal agent/editor introductions. Entry fee: £28. Deadline: 21 September. Details: mslexia.co.uk/competitions

The Mslexia Flash Fiction Competition for unpublished fiction by women up to 300 words. Prizes: £1,000, 3x£100, 8 shortlistees will receive £50. Entry fee: £8. Closing date: 22 September. Details: mslexia.co.uk/competitions.

The Anthology Flash Fiction Competition is run by Anthology magazine and is for original, unpublished stories up to 250 words. The winner will receive 300 Euros, Reedsy Learning membership for a year, and their story will be published in Anthology. Shortlisted writers will receive a Reedsy Learning live craft masterclass. Entry is 12 Euros. Closing date: 30 September. Details: https://anthology-magazine.com/awards/flash-fiction-competition/

The Bedford Flash Fiction Competition is for original, unpublished flash no longer than 300 words. There is a single prize of £500 and anthology publication. Entry fee is £8.50 for one story, and £17 for three. All profits donated to Dementia UK. Closing date: 30 September. Details: https://bedfordwritingcompetition.co.uk/flash-fiction-2/

Bridport Prize – Non-fiction Memoir. Prizes: £1,500, £750, 3x£150. Entry fee: £26. Closing date: 30 September. Details: bridportprize.org.uk

Hammond House International Literary Prize for short stories of 1,000 to 5,000 words, poems up to 40 lines and scripts up to 10 pages. Prizes: £100 for short stories; £1,000 for poetry; £100 for scripts. Entry fee: £10. Closing date: 30 September. Details: hammondhousepublishing.com

Please always remember to check entry details, since deadlines can be changed at short notice.

Best of luck!

Watch North and South Stream-free on Channel 4

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Elizabeth Gaskell, North and South, Victorian industrial society

If our recent post about this tremendous novel has whetted your appetite, you can watch the four-part adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell’s passionate story set against the divide in the changing world of Victorian industrial society stream-free on Channel 4.

Just the thing for a hot Saturday night’s viewing.

Writing Competitions to Enter in August

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Aesthetica Magazine Creative Writing Award, Edinburgh Award for Flash Fiction, Val Wood Prize

Sadly, our garden is beginning to look a bit sorry for itself now. We never use a hose pipe, but the water butt is almost empty and with no rain in sight it is time, perhaps, to concentrate on writing rather than on our drooping plants.

Here are a few competitions to enter in August.

Clevedon Litfest Flash Fiction Award for original unpublished stories up to 500 words. Prizes: £300, £100, £50. Entry fee: £6. Deadline 22 August. Details: Clevedonlitfest.org.uk/flash-fiction-award-2026

The Edinburgh Award for Flash Fiction wants stories on any genre up to 250 words. Prizes: £2,000, £500, £250. Entry fee: £10. Closing date: 31 August. Details: scottishartstrust.org/flash

Aesthetica Magazine Creative Writing Award for poetry and short fiction up to 2,000 words. Prizes: £2,500 plus publication in Aesthetica Creative Writing Annual and an Arvon Writing Course. Entry fee: £18 Poetry. £24 short fiction. Closing date: 31 August. Details: http://www.aestheticamagazine.com/creative-writing-award

Val Wood Prize. An international short story competition, for up to 1,500 words, in partnership with Hull Library, celebrating fiction inspired by the titles of of Val Wood’s books. The theme is “Titles”. Prizes: £100 plus a signed Val Wood book. Deadline: 31 August. Entry: FREE. Details: http://www.valeriewood.co.uk

…and always remember to check details before entering any competition.

Good luck!

Time to revisit ‘North and South’?

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Mrs Gaskell

Andy Burnham’s creation of a ‘No.10 North’ has been controversial, largely among Scots like me to whom Manchester is the tropical south. What about the 600 miles of the UK north of Manchester? Or indeed the 350 miles of UK south-west to Penzance? Really it should be called ‘No.10 Central’. The ‘North’ designation just reinforces the fact that everything is viewed from London. Missed a trick there, Andy.

However, what the outreach project does mean is that a lot of southerners will find themselves upping sticks and moving to the land of Big Football, dark satanic mills converted to bright apartments, and Vimto. It will be a culture shock, I’m sure, just as it was for Margaret Hale in Mrs. Gaskell’s ‘North and South’.

As Tanya argued here in her discussion of the novels of Mrs. Gaskell, ‘North and South’ is less about the social disparities and more about individuals from different backgrounds learning how to understand each other and work together. A timeless moral, I feel.

Time to revisit?

Writing Competitions to Enter in July

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HG Wells Short Story Competition, Laurie Lee Writing Prize, Norwich Writer' Circle Olga Sinclair Open Short Story Competition, Sean O'Faolain Short Story Competition, The Doris Gooderson Short Story Competition

Here are a few competitions to tempt you during July.

HG Wells Short Story Competition for stories between 1,500 words and 5,000 words on the theme of ‘The Cheat’. Prizes: £1,500 and the entry fee is £10. Deadline 7 July. Details: hgwellscompetition.com

The Doris Gooderson Short Story Competition for stories up to 1,200 words on an open theme. Prizes: £350. Entry fee: £5. Closing date: 12 July. Details: wrekinwriterswordpress.com

Laurie Lee Writing Prize for 125 lines of poetry, or 2,500 words of prose, on the theme of conservation. Entry: FREE. Deadline: 15 July. Details: stroudbookfestival.org.uk

Norwich Writers’ Circle Olga Sinclair Open Short Story Competition for stories up to 2,000 words on the theme of “Walls”. Perhaps the picture of Kent’s Ightham Mote above might motivate you. Prizes: £200, £150, £100. Entry fee: £5. Deadline: 31 July. Details: norwichwriters.wordpress.com

Sean O’Faolain Short Story Competition for stories up to 3,000 words. Prizes: Euros 2,000, 500 and 400. Entry fee: Euros 19. Deadline: 31 July. Details: http://www.munsterlit.ie

Best of luck – but do please check all competition details before entry.

Prayers from the Ark and The Beasts’ Choir

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Carmen Bernos de Gasztold, Jean Primrose, Rumer Godden

As we get older, memories of the distant past seem to have a habit of clicking into clear focus, while what we did yesterday can be an elusive blur…

It’s more than half a century since my mother gave me the book Prayers from the Ark published by Macmillan in 1963 and read aloud The Prayer of the Elephant first of all, elephants being a favourite animal. An unclouded memory of joy in childhood – and a book that still gives it in the present.

Prayers from the Ark is a collection of prayer-poems written by the French poet Carmen Bernos de Gasztold (1919-1995), and translated into English by the novelist Rumer Godden (1907-1998). The prayers are beautifully illustrated by Jean Primrose (1907-2009), with a line in the original French underneath each drawing.

There’s nothing twee about these prayers. Carmen Bernos de Gasztold’s early life was one of hardship, poverty and illness, before she was given a home and encouragement by the nuns at the Benedictine Abbey of Saint Louis du Temple at Limon-par-Igny in France. As Rumer Godden wrote in the foreword: ‘Carmen de Gasztold has seen too much of the seamy side of life to be a sentimental animal lover…In her world a dog is to guard the house, a horse to work its strength out for its master, a pig to be eaten … it is the truthfulness of the prayers, especially as it reflects on us, unthinking humans, that causes pain.’

But how do you translate poetry? Rumer Godden wrote that translating these prayers, so economical with words and containing so much subtle play on double meaning and evocative sound, was an almost impossible task.  How, in The Prayer of the Old Horse, ‘replace that word encense in Ma pauvre tête encense toute la solitude de mon Coeur! which gives, in two syllables, the double picture of the old horse’s swinging head and a censer swinging to ‘offer up’ in the Catholic sense all that he has left, his loneliness?’

It’s the close of The Prayer of the Old Horse that may make us tearful. ‘…Stiff on my thickened legs I stand here before You: Your unprofitable servant. Oh! Of Your goodness, give me a gentle death.’ Some of the other prayers make us smile. The Prayer of the Little Ducks asks God for plenty of luscious things to eat!

The Prayer of the Cat captures a cool independence: ‘It is not, exactly, that I have something to ask of You! No – I ask nothing of anyone – but, if You have by some chance, in some celestial barn, a little white mouse, or a saucer of milk, I know someone who would relish them.’ The Prayer of the Goldfish ends with a longing for transformation: ‘Let me no longer be a little goldfish in its prison of glass, but a living spark in the gentleness of Your reeds.’

The Prayer of the Tortoise is one that I’ve come to enjoy more with age: ‘A little patience, O God, I am coming. One must take nature as she is! I do not mean to criticise this house on my back – it has its points – but you must admit, Lord, it is heavy to carry! Still, let us hope that this double enclosure, my shell and my heart, will never be quite shut to You.’

In every prayer there is a sense of intimacy with God. Fears, questions, complaints, requests, hopes, pleas, are all there, along with an acceptance of things, expressed in uncomplicated conversation between the created and the creator. They say it all – and something to us.

The Beasts’ Choir is a further collection of prayers, also translated by Rumer Godden and illustrated by Jean Primrose, published by Macmillan in 1967. The front cover flap describes how ‘Again the poet speaks for the voiceless ones: birds, beasts, fishes, even the humblest – and most impudent – insects, letting each animal make its own “statement of being” in honour of its Creator. Lion and bear, peacock, toad and centipede, all join their voices in a choir of praise, testifying to the infinite variety of the natural world and the endless compassion of God’s understanding.’

In her foreword, Rumer Godden writes that ‘each animal, bird, fish, reptile, or insect voice makes, as it were, a statement of its situation, its circumstances – what, perhaps, we humans would call its problem. Some of the voices are assertive… most of the poems are a direct communication between the beast, large or small, and its Creator, and the link is as powerful with the flea as with the whale – though the flea being a flea, is less respectful… again and again Carmen de Gasztold shows that in a few lines she can catch the essence of a creature and without sentimentality – indeed, she discovers that some have most dislikeable traits; but why should we take it for granted that beasts are born with “nice” characters? Kindness, the virtue in humanity extolled nowadays more than any other, is completely lacking in animals; yet their faults – if these can be called faults – are redeemed by innocence, a quality human grown-ups have almost always lost.’

Some lines from The Snail: ‘You must admit, Lord, You have made my life hard. So many enemies!’ From The Bear: ‘To have my name among the stars, then to think I may end up as a bedside rug!’ From The Peacock: ‘I must say I derive some satisfaction from my good looks…Your world is badly made, if I may say so: the nightingale’s voice in me would be properly attired – and soothe my soul.’ From The Mole: ‘A hidden life, Lord, but not a poor one – my velvet coat shows that. In shadowy gloom one can walk without presumption and be perfectly safe – but the sun can turn one’s head…’

Two beautiful books saying something of infinite meaning to our world – well worth searching for in second hand bookshops and elsewhere.

Writing Competitions to Enter in June

Tags

Competitions, Fiction, Short stories, Writing

Better late than never! Here are – sadly only a few – competition suggestions for June. (I thought this had been posted nearly a week ago, but somehow I must have pressed the wrong buttons…more apologies needed)

A writing for children competition. The Octo 2026 Competition for stories on the theme of ‘Hidden Worlds’ suitable for children aged 12 and under. This competition is run by independent children’s publisher Octo Books and is inviting entries from authors aged 7-17 or adult storytellers. Entries may be up to 800 words and must be original and unpublished. Winners will be published online and receive prize bundles. Entries close on 8 June. Details: https://octo-books.square.site/writing-competition-2026

The Moth Short Story Prize 2026 from Ireland’s literary magazine for original unpublished stories up top 3,000 words.The first prize is 3,000 Euros, the second 1,000 Euros, and the third a week at the Moth Retreat. The winning story will be published in the Irish Times as part of its summer fiction season and the second and third winners will be published in the Irish Times online. The entry fee is 17 Euros per story and the closing date the 15th June. Details: https://themothmagazine.com/moth-short-story-prize

Take Flight – commemorating 50 years since the first commercial supersonic flight, they want flight-themed stories between 1,500-1,700 words. The theme of flight must be central to the story. Prizes: £200, £50. Entry fee: £8.50/£7 to subscribers. Closing date: 15 June. Details: http://www.writers-online.co.uk

Grand Prize 2026. Win £1,000 for short fiction in any style and on any theme, up to 2,000 words. Prizes: £1,000. Entry fee: £18.50/£16 for subscribers. Closing date 30 June. Details: http://www.writers-on-line.co.uk

A Midsummer Tale Narrative Writing Contest for 1,000-5,000 words. Prizes: Amazon gift card and publication. Entry fee: FREE. Closing date 21 June. Details: tclj.toasted-chees-com

Cranked Anvil Short Story Competition for stories up to 1,500 words. Prizes: £300, £150, £100. Entry fee: £6, or £11 for two stories. Deadline: 30 June. Details: http://www.crankedanvil.co.uk

Do please remember to check before entry. Good luck…!

A challenging reading list (again)

Tags

Books, Fiction, Reading

As we head towards reading-on-holiday time, we thought it might be fun to reprise a 2016 post from Ed (mildly updated). It would be interesting to know if we can find a book that matches all the criteria. Or most of them? There’s a challenge!

From Ed:

A challenging reading list. It’s aimed at school students, but would do us all good if it widened our reading horizons. I found it attached to a tweet from King’s School in Worcester (@KSWLibrary), setting out what pupils (and staff!) are to read by February 2017 if they are to win a gold, silver or bronze award (if they want to podium, in fact). The tweet is dated 22 July if you want to hunt it down. The initiative is part of the BBC Year of Reading.

To win an award you should read:

1. A book shortlisted for a major award in 2025/26
2. A biography or autobiography
3. A book from a genre you have not yet tried
4. A book you’ve been meaning to read
5. A book recommended by a teacher
6. A book chosen for you by a friend
7. A book published before you were born
8. A book in a foreign language or translated from a foreign language
9. A literary classic
10. A book by a Midlands author
11. A book set in a foreign country
12. A book that will challenge you

I wonder if you’re allowed to double up. For example, I’ve just read David Lodge’s comic novel The British Museum is Falling Down. Would that allow me to tick off both A Midlands Author and A Friend’s Recommendation (if my sister is allowed to be a friend)? Before that I’d read Rambling On by Bohumil Hrabal (see https://ninevoices.wordpress.com/2016/08/05/rambling-on/) which would let me tick the Translated box and also the Set in a Foreign Country box.   I imagine that, if we’re honest, many of us have Literary Classics in our Books I’ve Been Meaning to Read category. So, if I do get round to Daniel Deronda or Silas Marner, I could tick two more boxes. No, three, because they were Published Before I Was Born.

This is getting too complicated. And I suspect the judges at the school would frown on all this sleight of hand. So it’s back to Death on the Cherwell.

Well done the school (and the BBC) – let’s hope it works.

What are your Meaning to Read books?