Wilkie Collins, Basil

Stephen Knight (University of Melbourne)

Ed. by Grace Moore, University of Otago
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 1852

Places

England (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Novel

Resources

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When the young Wilkie Collins turned to writing novels, his first efforts were historical:

Ioláni

was set in the Pacific in the past, but was rejected by two publishers, and did not appear until 1999.

Antonina

(1850) was classical, an account of the Goths attacking Rome, with a woman among their leaders. Then Collins turned to modern fiction with

Basil

(1852). He asserted the story’s contemporary force in the sub-title

A Story of Modern Life

, and the main title suggests how the story is dominated by Basil’s viewpoint, experiences and developed feelings. The publisher, Richard Bentley, accepted the manuscript in 1852 and Collins, with the encouragement of Dickens, negotiated for the copyright the considerable sum of £350 – which today would be £350,000.

For the period Basil is a

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2281 words

Citation: Knight, Stephen. "Basil". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 30 September 2022 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=9750, accessed 18 April 2024.]

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