The Works of Mary Robinson, Part I

Regularly the subject of cartoonists and satirical novelists, Mary 'Perdita' Robinson (1758-1800) achieved public notoriety as the mistress of the young Prince of Wales, later George IV. This eight-volume reset edition consolidates the recent shift in emphasis from her salacious life to her considerable literary achievements as both a novelist and poet. And recent interest in Robinson's work is fast awarding her a place of importance within the canon of British Romantic Literature. Her association with key romantic figures such as William Godwin and Mary Wollstonecraft, and the thematic comparisons between Robinson's work and that of her contemporary Charlotte Smith, make her a serious figure for scholarly research.With a keen eye for cultural and social critique her works expose the moral shortcomings of high society in Georgian England: the misogynistic treatment of women and the fetishistic obsession with wealth and social status receive particular attention. But more than social critique, these works identify Robinson as an avatar of subversive politics. Her well documented sympathy for the French Revolution evinces her political radicalism. And her unconventional treatment of gender and sexuality is emphasised by representations of transvestism and incest.This critical edition presents all seven of Robinson's novels for the first time. Also included is the unpublished play Nobody, a satirical afterpiece which sheds new light on Robinson's wider oeuvre. The edition is important for scholars of Romantic Studies and Women's Writing.