Jean Webster: Storytelling Storyteller
For the information below, Wikipedia cites Mary and Alan Simpson's biography of Webster, Jean Webster: Storyteller:
Jean Webster began an affair (apparently in 1907 or 1908) with Glenn Ford McKinney, the brother of her friend Ethelyn McKinney. Mr. McKinney separated from his wife, Annette Reynaud, in 1909, and after their separation, he traveled to Ireland with Webster, Ethelyn McKinney, and Lena Weinstein. He only managed to divorce his wife in 1915, and he and Webster were then married in Washington, Connecticut. (Paraphrased from Wikipedia, which cited the above book.)Webster had an affair! With a married man! Prior to the First World War! Perhaps such bold initiative on her part would give her an ear for the possible double entendres that I've suggested on certain expressions noted in recent blog entries.
And just now, I've come across a scholarly source that confirms what I've cited from Wikipedia, so take a look.
Labels: Literary Criticism
posted by Horace Jeffery Hodges @ 8:10 AM
4 comments
4 Comments:
I am beginning to feel that your series on Webster will be interpreted by students of literary criticism as a demonstration of the futility, the attendant naivete, the narcissism, and the complete worthlessness of studying literature, especially novels. It really is a bunch of flatulence, isn't it?
Well . . . lit-crit often is hyper-flatulent, if that's what you're saying, but serious literary analysis does get done, and undone, so one is not done.
Jeffery Hodges
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I must say, however, that the Simpson's book with that fab title Jean Webster: Storyteller has rekindled my interest in literature, both as an intellectual enterprise and as a gateway into the wonderful world of talking about cool stuff in class. And that Spider on the cover--wow! I bet young people will want to be seen carrying the Simpson's book around campus so everyone knows they're sophisticated English majors. That spider--clearly a spider without gender--could inspire some way transgressive tattoos!
It's a transgender spider!
Jeffery Hodges
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