Sandra Belloni — Volume 1

"Sandra Belloni — Volume 1" by George Meredith is a novel written during the late 19th century. This work centers on the lives of the Pole sisters, who are daughters of a London merchant, as they navigate societal ambitions, artistic aspirations, and personal relationships in their provincial surroundings. The story introduces key characters such as the enigmatic singer Emilia Belloni, who captures the attention of the ladies of Brookfield with her extraordinary talent, and a Greek financier named Mr. Pericles, whose fascination with music leads to pivotal developments in the narrative. The opening of the novel introduces the reader to the Pole sisters—Arabella, Cornelia, and Adela—who are determined to elevate their social standing through art. A mysterious and captivating voice is heard in the nearby woods, prompting the sisters and their companions to seek its source. The atmosphere is playful but tinged with ambition as they plan to capture the essence of the enigmatic voice, believed to belong to an opera singer. As they embark on an expedition into the woods, they discover Emilia, leading to unexpected social dynamics and emotional revelations. This initial setup presents a blend of satire and social commentary, foreshadowing the complex interpersonal relationships and artistic ambitions that will unfold throughout the novel. (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.