The Emancipated, George Gissing
The Emancipated, George Gissing
List: $7.99 | Sale: $5.60
Club: $3.99

The Emancipated

Author: George Gissing

Narrator: Amara Wrenn

Unabridged: 13 hr 58 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 06/02/2025

Categories: Fiction, Classic


Synopsis

The Emancipated explores the complexities of marriage, personal freedom, and societal expectations in late Victorian England. The story centers on Everard Domby, a disillusioned barrister trapped in a loveless marriage to a woman whose conventional mindset stifles his intellectual and emotional growth. As he grows closer to Dora Mead, a divorced and independent-minded woman considered scandalous by society, Everard is forced to confront his own ideals versus social reality. Gissing critiques the institution of marriage and the rigid moral codes of the time, portraying the inner turmoil of individuals torn between duty and desire. With psychological depth and sharp social observation, the novel questions what it truly means to be free—especially for those who challenge the norms of family, gender, and class.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Diane on January 10, 2014

As Gissing worked on "The Emancipated" he received indications that, at long last, he was beginning to be recognized as a writer to be reckoned with. There were respectful reviews on "A Life's Morning" and "The Nether World" from America, "Demos" was being translated in both French and German and he wa......more

Goodreads review by Becky on June 04, 2024

Set, as many of his books are, among the middle class in the late 19th century, Gissing continues to show his willingness to eviscerate every element of that society that he can get his pen near. He is brilliant at finding just the right words to totally deconstruct the motives and virtues of his ch......more

Goodreads review by Gareth on November 14, 2021

Gissing's great phase (New Grub Street through The Whirlpool) begins just after this book. A few powerful scenes aside, this is a fairly enjoyable portrait of bohemian middle-class life in the 1870s, featuring Italy as well as England. Gissing's understanding of feminism is progressive for the time,......more

Goodreads review by William on November 10, 2023

Was aight 🤓......more

Goodreads review by Pippa on September 20, 2012

Not one of Gissing's best.......more