Radclyffe Hall

The Well of Loneliness was banned for obscenity when published in 1928. It became an international bestseller, and for decades was the single most famous lesbian novel.

The Well of Loneliness

First published in 1928, this timeless portrayal of lesbian love is now a classic. The thinly disguised story of Hall's own life, it was banned outright upon publication and almost ruined her literary career.

The Classic of Lesbian Fiction

The Unlit Lamp

El pozo de la soledad

Quell der Einsamkeit

Marguerite Radclyffe Hall

" On la jugeait singulière, ce qui, dans ce milieu, équivalait à une réprobation. Troublée, malheureuse, comme un tout petit enfant, cette large créature musclée se sentait seule, elle n'avait pas encore appris cette dure leçon : elle n'avait pas encore appris que la place la plus solitaire en ce monde est réservée aux sans-patrie du sexe. " Le puits de solitude fit scandale lors de sa parution à Londres en 1928, où il fut interdit et les exemplaires imprimés jetés au feu. Marguerite Radclyffe Hall y dépeint l'amour de deux femmes, contrarié par une société hostile, et prend la défense de cette minorité incomprise et méprisée. Véritable plaidoyer en faveur de l'homosexualité, Le puits de solitude est aujourd'hui une référence littéraire reconnue par tous.

Le puits de solitude

Radclyffe Hall's "The Well of Loneliness" is a groundbreaking novel that explores the complexities of sexual identity and societal alienation in early 20th-century England. Written in a lyrical yet unflinching prose style, the narrative follows Stephen Gordon, a hermaphrodite who struggles with her identity amidst the oppressive constraints of a rigid society that demands conformity. Set against the backdrop of a post-World War I world grappling with changing social mores, Hall's work intricately weaves themes of love, loss, and the quest for self-acceptance, challenging the era's prevailing attitudes toward homosexuality. Its frank depiction of lesbian love was both revolutionary and controversial, marking it as a formative text in LGBTQ+ literature. Radclyffe Hall, a prominent figure in the modernist literary movement and an openly lesbian writer, brings her own experiences to bear in this poignant tale. Born in 1880 to a wealthy family, Hall faced significant personal challenges regarding her sexual orientation and societal expectations. Her desire to articulate the inner lives of marginalized individuals was further fueled by the legal and social ramifications of her own identity, making "The Well of Loneliness" not just a novel but a manifesto for those seeking solace in solitude. This seminal work is essential reading for anyone interested in the evolution of gender and sexuality in literature. Hall's indomitable spirit and meticulous storytelling invite readers to contemplate the human condition through the lens of love and longing. "The Well of Loneliness" stands as both a poignant historical document and a timeless exploration of the search for belonging.

Lesbian Classic

Well of Loneliness

This early work by Radclyffe Hall was originally published in 1906 and we are now republishing it with a brand new introductory biography. 'Twixt Earth and Stars' is a collection of poems that include 'In a Garden', 'Drifting', 'A Memory', and many more. Marguerite Radclyffe Hall was born on 12th August 1880, in Bournemouth, England. Hall's first novel The Unlit Lamp (1924) was a lengthy and grim tale that proved hard to sell. It was only published following the success of the much lighter social comedy The Forge (1924), which made the best-seller list of John O'London's Weekly. Hall is a key figure in lesbian literature for her novel The Well of Loneliness (1928). This is her only work with overt lesbian themes and tells the story of the life of a masculine lesbian named Stephen Gordon.

Twixt Earth and Stars

Il pozzo della solitudine

Despite his success as a waiter in London's best hotel, Gian-Luca is unable to come to terms with his uncertain parentage

Adam's Breed

Kniha vypráví o osudech Štěpy Gordonové, dceři nižšího britského šlechtice z Mortonského zámku, která postupně rozpoznává své lesbické založení. První je pochopil její vzdělaný a osvícený otec. Obává se však dceři i ženě pravdu vyjevit. Proto, když po tragické nehodě umírá, zemře s nedopovězenou pravdou na rtech. Vyjevení této pravdy mohlo být v dané chvíli projevem jeho životního hrdinství, neboť od chvíle, kdy ji poznal, znamenala pro něj nutný krok, kterého se nemohl odvážit. Místo toho zanechá zmatenou dceru i její okolí na pospas nepoznané skutečnosti. Štěpa se musí ke svému sebepoznání propracovat sama. Nikdy ji nepochopí matka a po skandálu se ženou, do které se Štěpa zamilovala, ji vyžene ze zámku. 
Ze Štěpy se stane spisovatelka, všimne si jí homosexuální dramatik Brockett, který pochopí její založení. Přiměje ji k odchodu do Paříže, kde se Štěpa seznamuje se světem homosexuálů i jejich subkulturou. 

Román anglické spisovatelky, vydaný r. 1928, způsobil tehdy podobné pozdvižení, jako hlavní díla J. Joyce a D. H. Lawrence. Autorka, poučena výtěžky Freudovy psychoanalýzy, se pokouší vystihnout fyzickou i psychickou osamělost lesbické ženy, která je ve společnosti uznávající jen heterosexuální lásku bytostí vyvrženou, nechápanou a přinucenou skrývat své tužby. Svědomitou snahu R. Hallové o pravdivé a rozumějící vypodobnění ocenil i významný sexuolog H. Ellis.

Studna osamění

A Saturday Life

The Master of the House

"The novel tells the story of Stephen, an ideal child of aristocratic parents--a fencer, a horse rider, and a keen scholar. Stephen grows to be a war hero, a bestselling writer, and a loyal, protective lover. But Stephen is a woman and is attracted to women. As her ambitions drive her, and society incarcerates her, Stephen is forced into desperate actions. Although Gordon's attitude toward her own sexuality is anguished, the novel presents lesbianism as natural and makes a plea for greater tolerance. It became an international bestseller, and for decades was the single most famous lesbian novel." -- Amazon.com, October 12, 2023.

By Radclyffe Hall, with a Commentary by Havelock Ellis

'If our love is a sin, then heaven must be full of such tender and selfless sinning as ours.' The Well of Loneliness is among the most famous banned books in history. A pioneering work of literature, Radclyffe Hall's novel charts the development of a 'female sexual invert', Stephen Gordon, who from childhood feels an innate sense of masculinity and desire for women. After relocating from Malvern to London and then to Paris, Stephen encounters fellow queer characters from all walks of life, from the sapphic salon hostess Valérie Seymour to the 'miserable army' of outcasts that frequents the 'merciless, drug-dealing, death-dealing' bars of Montmartre. Although Stephen and her acquaintances, allies, and antagonists are of their time, Hall's novel has offered support and solidarity to generations of LGBTQ+ readers, and it continues to shape debates about gender and sexuality today. This edition highlights previously overlooked points of influence, inspiration, and connections with other texts as well as situating the novel in historical contexts. In addition, the editors provide vital insights into Hall's engagement with religion, sexology, literary history, and popular culture.

Radclyffe Hall

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