Sandra Belloni — Volume 4

"Sandra Belloni" by George Meredith is a novel from the late 19th century that delves into the complexities of love, class, and social expectations. The narrative centers around the character Emilia, who finds herself in a tumultuous love affair with a young man named Wilfrid. The story intricately explores themes of passion and emotional turmoil as Emilia navigates her feelings in the context of her uncertain societal position and the expectations imposed by those around her. The opening of the novel introduces readers to a scene where Mr. Pole is conversing with Emilia, revealing a mix of familial dynamics and romantic tension. Emilia expresses her love for Wilfrid, which sends Mr. Pole into a state of distress as he struggles with the revelation that his son may be leading Emilia on while being engaged to another woman of higher status. This initial exchange sets the stage for a dramatic exploration of love's trials, challenging the characters’ moral and emotional foundations as they confront the realities of their relationships. Overall, the beginning sets a tone of heartfelt inquiry into love’s many facets, leaving readers eager to see how the characters will navigate their intertwined fates. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

George Meredith was an English novelist and poet of the Victorian era. At first, his focus was poetry, influenced by John Keats among others, but Meredith gradually established a reputation as a novelist. The Ordeal of Richard Feverel (1859) briefly scandalised Victorian literary circles. Of his later novels, the most enduring is The Egoist (1879), though in his lifetime his greatest success was Diana of the Crossways (1885). His novels were innovative in their attention to characters' psychology, and also portrayed social change. His style, in both poetry and prose, was noted for its syntactic complexity; Oscar Wilde likened it to "chaos illumined by brilliant flashes of lightning". Meredith was an encourager of other novelists, as well as an influence on them; among those to benefit were Robert Louis Stevenson and George Gissing. Meredith was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature seven times.