One of the many admiring descriptions of the work of Elizabeth Bowen surrounds her talent for writing about life in London during the Second World War. It is perhaps surprising, then, to learn that it was during this very period when she was least prolific in terms of novel-writing. Instead, the war appears to have stimulated, for Bowen, the backward glance; during these years she wrote her family memoir,

Bowen's Court

(1942).

Bowen's Court

evokes the feeling of digging through long-forgotten boxes discovered in an attic – Bowen's readings of old documents, portraits and letters lend the weight of authority to what essentially becomes an historical document. Indeed, Bowen weaves together the elements of collective history and individual memory in ways that serve to highlight not only…

2893 words

Citation: Gildersleeve, Jessica. "Bowen's Court". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 24 September 2007 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=10656, accessed 19 March 2024.]

10656 Bowen's Court 3 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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