Fanny Burney: The Mother of English Fiction

by Nigel Nicolson

As the author of "Evelina" and "Cecilia", both of which created new dimensions for the novel, Fanny Burney is as well remembered for her memoirs of Johnson, her mastectomy and her account of the Battle of Waterloo. This portrait of Burney paints a picture of this forward-looking woman.

Genres: Biography

112 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2005

Reviews

[Adrienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

fascinating biography of Fanny Burney, who was given the title 'Mother of English Fiction' by Virgina Woolf.

Had Queen Victoria not come the throne, life would be far better. The Georgians were an amazing bunch of people, we have far more in common with them than we think.

Fanny Burney was free to write, travel marry whomever she wished. Her life was action packed (though perhaps not from choice) and she had a mastectomy in 1811, without anesthetic which was a success.She traveled across Belgium, France and Prussia alone just after the Franco-Prussian war ceased, to find her French husband using a French passport which showed her English name...Brave lady!

Together with some lesser known works she wrote 3 major novels in her lifetime. Was ripped off with the first, made a little more with the 2nd and was more astute by the third. She lived at Windsor Castle as maid to Queen Charlotte. Was friends with George III. Then lived hand to mouth with her 'aristocratic' French Husband who was in exile in England following the French Revolution.

As a young woman she was well read and well acquainted although her background was modest middle class. The daughter of music teacher. Her intelligence and way of seeing the world stood her in good stead. Had she born in the middle years of Victoria's reign she would have perhaps faded into oblivion.

I enjoyed this. It was a library loan but I'd consider buying a copy.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a strong woman she was. Her mother died prematurely. Her father, Dr. Charles Burney, was a composer, and historian of music. He named her Frances but everyone called her "Fanny." She had published novels, first was Amelia, a moral tale, and later Carolyn Evelyn, Evelina, Cecilia, Camillia, and The Wanderer. Unfortunately her plays were not as desired. It was Virginia Woolf who called Fanny Burney the "Mother of English Fiction." She married Alexandre despite his lack of money (soldier) which prevented her father from attending their wedding. Her brother James gave her away in the absence of her father.

In 1811 she noticed "a swelling lump" in her breast and told that an operation must take place. Second opinion confirmed the diagnosis. The doctor asked if she cried out in pain during labor and she said yes. He said good, she must not restrain her screams. She asked that she should not be warned of the operation until 2 hours before it would take place. One day they called her home, and she walked in and "saw two old mattresses covered by a sheet had been prepared for her to lie on. She was given a wine cordial, the effect of which as an analgesic was negligible. She was told to undress and lie down. They offered to bind her to prevent struggling, but she refused. They put a handkerchief over her eyes, it was semi-transparent, and she watched the doctors gather round. She saw the glitter of polished steel. She closed her eyes, and the doctor asked who will support the breast, and she said I will. She wrote --

"I began a scream that lasted unintermittingly during the whole time of the incision-- so excruciating was the agony. But again I felt the knife, describing a curve, cutting against the grain. The instrument this second time withdrawn. I concluded the operation was over. Oh no! The cutting was renewed. I felt the knife racking against the breast-bone, scraping it! I remained in utterly speechless torture."

Her whole breast removed, it lasted 20 minutes. Twice she fainted. Undergoing this torture she cried out "How I pity you!" Fanny was 59 years old, and because of the surgery she lived another 29 years without any recurrence of the cancer. Truly a very strong woman!!

[Ronel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea who Fanny Burney was when I picked this up in the bargain bin at my book store (a habit of mine) and I really enjoyed this book. This was not really a biography but rather a short account of her life, work, and acquaintances. Some biographies are long and sometimes boring but this was quick paced yet still gave you a good idea of who Fanny Burney was as well as her family. I will have to read her full biography to really know the full extent of her rather exciting life but this book has certainly enticed me to read her work. Ultimately the only problem I had was that the author often quoted many of her correspondences that were in French without supplying an English translation.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting introduction to a novelist whom Virginia Woolf called the 'Mother of English Fiction'.