Olive Schreiner, From Man to Man

Carolyn Burdett (Birkbeck, University of London)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.07: English Writing and Culture of the Victorian Period, 1837-1901.
Vol. editors: Gillian Fenwick (University of Toronto), Jessica Gossling (Goldsmiths College, University of London)

Dates

First circulation or publication 1926

Places

South Africa (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Novel

Resources

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From Man to Man

remained incomplete at Schreiner’s death and was published only posthumously. Its critical reception remained lukewarm through much of the twentieth century, with critics frequently negative about its flawed realism, the plot seemingly marred by long sections which meditate on social and political issues. The book has, nevertheless, had its defenders, increasing in number in recent years, who argue that

From Man to Man

contains some of Schreiner’s most assured and subtle novelistic work. The book was conceived and begun when Schreiner was a young woman, working as a governess in South Africa. There is some evidence to suggest that she may have submitted a completed manuscript when she moved to England at the beginning of the 1880s. It was rejected, however, and…

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1500 words

Citation: Burdett, Carolyn. "From Man to Man". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 17 December 2004 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=9047, accessed 18 April 2024.]

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