The ConvertThe Convert is about the British Suffrage movement, which the author knew well. Part witty and scathing commentary on the upper classes, part political rhetoric quoted directly from open-air meetings, and part muck-raking realism, it moves back and forth between the personal and the political until the two can no longer be distinguished. The Convert uses as its frame the political "conversion" of Vida Levering, a beautiful, upper middle-class woman. We follow Vida's growing discontent with "country weekend" society and her increasing awareness of the common lot of women. Forthright and direct, Elizabeth Robins discusses issues that must have been shocking in 1907: unwed motherhood, the effects of the inequality of women, and the essential disrespect that underlies chivalry. Reminiscent of Jane Austen and foreshadowing the work of Virginia Woolf, The Convert is a fascinating novel. It provides us with a sense of history and a feeling of pride in what women could and did accomplish. It is also disturbing because far too many of the issues are still relevant. |
Contents
THE CONVERT | 1 |
CHAPTER II | 9 |
CHAPTER III | 25 |
CHAPTER IV | 34 |
CHAPTER V | 44 |
CHAPTER VI | 54 |
CHAPTER VII | 71 |
CHAPTER VIII | 94 |
CHAPTER XI | 151 |
CHAPTER XII | 164 |
CHAPTER XIII | 181 |
CHAPTER XIV | 209 |
CHAPTER XV | 231 |
CHAPTER XVI | 244 |
CHAPTER XVII | 272 |
CHAPTER XVIII | 284 |
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Common terms and phrases
afraid ain't arms asked Aunt called caught chairman child Christabel Pankhurst creature crowd dear Dick Farnborough door Dunbarton Elizabeth Robins Emmeline Pankhurst Ernestine Blunt eyes face Fox-Moore Freddy Freddy's friends G. B. Shaw garden Geoffrey Stonor girl give glanced Greatorex hand hear heard Heriot Hermione hostess Jean Jean's knew Labour Party Lady John Lady Whyteleafe laughed leaned Liberal listen London look Lord Borrodaile Lord John marry mean meeting Miss Claxton Miss Levering Miss Levering's mother never newsvendor paused person political poor question round Sara seemed shoulder side sister smiled Sophia sort speaker spoke stared stood stopped Suffrage Suffragettes suppose talk tell there's thing thought to-day told Trafalgar Square Tunbridge turned Ulland Vida Levering Vida's Virginia Woolf voice waited Wark what's whispered window woman Woman's Suffrage wonder words young