Phases of an Inferior Planet

Name: Phases of an Inferior Planet
Author: Ellen Glasgow

The novel revolves around the life of a young woman named Anthony Mallory, who belongs to an aristocratic family in Virginia. The story explores her struggles with poverty, love, and identity after her family's downfall. Through Anthony's experiences, the novel portrays the decline of the old aristocracy in the post-Civil War era in the United States.

By Ellen Glasgow · First published 1898 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Romance, Social Commentary · 35 chapters · 108,424 words

First lines

_"Some turned to folly and the sweet works of the flesh. "_ -- Hymn to Zeus.

Along Broadway at six o'clock a throng of pedestrians was stepping northward. A grayish day was settling into a gray evening, and a negative lack of color and elasticity had matured into a positive condition of atmospheric flatness. The air exhaled a limp and insipid moisture, like that given forth by a sponge newly steeped in an anaesthetic. Upon the sombre fretwork of leafless trees, bare against red-brick buildings, drops of water hung trembling, though as yet there had been no rainfall, and the straggling tufts of grass in the city parks drooped earthward like the damp and uncurled fringe of a woman's hair.

What this Textopian page supports

Phases of an Inferior Planet is listed on Textopian as a novel by Ellen Glasgow, dated 1898 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Novel
Author: Ellen Glasgow
Date: 1898 CE
Language: English
Genres: Literary Fiction, Romance, Social Commentary, Realism, Historical Fiction
Length: 108,424 words
Structure: 35 chapters, 2,898 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

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Discussion starters

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Similar titles

Genres

Literary Fiction — Explores complex characters and social issues with a focus on psychological depth and moral ambiguity.
Romance — Central plot revolves around romantic relationships and emotional entanglements.
Social Commentary — Critiques societal norms and explores themes of class and gender.
Realism — Depicts everyday life and ordinary people in a realistic manner.