A. S. Byatt, Angels and Insects

Emma Victoria Miller (University of Durham)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.09: English Writing and Culture: Postwar and Contemporary Britain , 1945-present.
Vol. editors: Gina Lyle (University of Glasgow), Graham MacPhee (University of Manchester), Kerry Myler (Birmingham Newman University), Jenni Ramone (The Nottingham Trent University)

Dates

First circulation or publication 1992

Places

England (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Anthology/ Collection
Novella

Resources

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Angels and Insects

(1992) is a collection of two neo-Victorian novellas,

Morpho Eugenia

and

The Conjugial Angel.Morpho Eugenia

has attracted more attention because it was made into a critically acclaimed film in 1995, which was called after the umbrella title of the collection rather than the name of the novella itself.

Morpho Eugenia

is, as reviewers such as Paul Taylor and Peter Kemp have remarked, also the easiest to read without extensive prior knowledge of the historical period depicted. It follows the fortunes of William of Adamson, who has returned to England after time spent in the Amazon as a naturalist and explorer. We meet Adamson as he arrives at the home of Reverend Harold Alabaster, a collector of exotic artefacts, who is expecting Adamson to bring him some exhibits from…

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2409 words

Citation: Miller, Emma Victoria. "Angels and Insects". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 10 June 2011 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=6668, accessed 26 April 2024.]

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