Sandra Belloni — Volume 6

"Sandra Belloni — Volume 6" by George Meredith is a novel written in the late 19th century. The work revolves around the titular character, Emilia, as she grapples with profound despair and a significant loss of her singing voice, which serves as both her passion and her identity. As she navigates a tumultuous emotional landscape, her interactions with other characters, such as the dubious Mr. Pericles and the supportive Merthyr Powys, unfold a complex narrative filled with themes of love, loss, and self-worth. At the start of the book, we find Emilia in a state of deep sadness after a confrontation with Mr. Pericles, who mocks her plight and dismisses her worth. Sir Purcell, another character in the scene, appears concerned but ultimately feels triumphant upon receiving a promise from Mr. Pericles. Emilia's internal struggle intensifies as she wanders through a fog-laden city, feeling disconnected from her previous life and yearning for companionship. Despite her despair, she still clings to a flicker of hope as she fantasizes about reclaiming her voice and seeks solace in fleeting encounters with strangers. This opening chapter sets the stage for Emilia's emotional journey, highlighting the contrast between her aspirations and the harsh realities she faces. (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.