Mrs. Maxon Protests

Hope, Anthony, 1863-1933Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.3

Word count: 563K words
Chapters: 57

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Mrs. Maxon Protests by Anthony HopeAuthor: Hope, Anthony, 1863-1933,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Oct 25, 2012

Editor's review

Mrs. Maxon Protests is an urban novel by Anthony Hope worth attention beyond The Prisoner of Zenda; the word "protests" in the title directs readers to the tension between the heroine's marriage, social expectations and personal will. Hope excelled at handling moral dilemmas in respectable society with a light, faintly satirical touch; this book suits readers interested in early twentieth-century British social fiction and narratives of women's circumstances. As you read, note the social conventions and self-justifications in the characters' dialogue, and see how "protest" turns from private feeling into public stance. The public-domain electronic edition makes it easy to search related social-history materials, suitable as a discussion text for literature courses or reading groups. The pacing and issues carry period limitations; understand them in historical context rather than judging simply by contemporary standards.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy early twentieth-century British social fiction
Readers concerned with women's marital circumstances and self-expression
Literature enthusiasts studying Anthony Hope's works
Organizers needing a public-domain English novel for reading-group discussion

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer strong plots and action scenes
Readers impatient with the pace of early English social novels
Readers expecting systematic contemporary feminist theory

Reading tips

Map the heroine's social relationships first, then observe how the object of her "protest" changes.
Excerpt conventional expressions in dialogue and analyse how social pressure is presented.
Use material on early twentieth-century British marriage and women's status to aid understanding.
Reading groups can debate whether the protest is effective.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book in the same style as The Prisoner of Zenda?

No. The Prisoner of Zenda leans toward adventure and romantic legend, while this is an urban social novel focused on the conflict between marriage, respectability and personal will. Hope's light touch and irony continue, but expectations should be set on social observation and character psychology rather than adventure plot.

Can I read this book without knowing British history?

You can, but understanding will suffer. The marriage attitudes, social etiquette and rules of respectable society reflect early twentieth-century Britain. Read a little background first, or use an annotated edition to grasp the social context before entering the dialogue and plot; the weight of the "protest" will then be easier to grasp.

Is it suitable as a feminist text?

It can serve as a supplementary text, but don't expect systematic theory. The novel presents a woman's circumstances and posture of resistance within marriage and social expectations in a particular era, with value for literary-historical observation. Readers may analyse it with feminist critical methods, but should note the work's period limitations and avoid applying contemporary concepts directly.

Comments

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About the author

Hope, Anthony, 1863-1933 Author

Anthony Hope (1863–1933) was an English novelist best known for his adventure romances. The library holds 36 of his works, including his代表作 The Prisoner of Zenda and its sequel Rupert of Hentzau, as well as The King's Mirror, Mr. Witt's Widow, Half a Hero, Frivolous Cupid, and The Heart of Princess Osra. His fiction is typically set in the courts of invented Central European states, blending mistaken identity, political intrigue, and romantic entanglement in tightly paced, entertaining plots that combine legend with popular appeal. The Prisoner of Zenda established the classic "substitute king" motif and has exerted a lasting influence on later adventure narratives, frequently adapted for stage and screen. Public information about his life is limited, but these works clearly show his gift for weaving suspense and romance within imaginary historical settings.