
The Duchess
The Duchess is a historical novel set in the late 18th century. It tells the story of the beautiful and ambitious Duchess of Devonshire, Georgiana Spencer.
Georgiana is a young woman of high society, born into a powerful family. She is married off to the Duke of Devonshire, a much older man, and is expected to be a dutiful wife and mother. But Georgiana is determined to make her own way in the world, and she soon finds herself at the center of a scandalous affair with the charismatic Charles Grey.
As her affair with Charles Grey continues, Georgiana finds herself caught between her duty to her husband and her own desires. She must make a difficult decision between her love for Charles and her loyalty to her husband.
The Duchess is a captivating story of love, ambition, and scandal in the high society of 18th century England.
By Margaret Wolfe Hamilton · First published 1890 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Biographical Fiction · 2 chapters · 954 words
First lines
Margaret Wolfe Hamilton, a.k.a. Mrs. Hungerford.
My first novel! Alas! for that first story of mine--the raven I sent out of my ark and never see again! Unlike the proverbial curse, it did _not_ come home to roost, it stayed where I had sent it. The only thing I ever heard of it again was a polite letter from the editor in whose office it lay, telling me I could have it back if I enclosed stamps for the amount of twopence halfpenny, otherwise he should feel it his unpleasant duty to "consign it to the waste-paper basket."
What this Textopian page supports
The Duchess is listed on Textopian as a short story by Margaret Wolfe Hamilton, dated 1890 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Margaret Wolfe Hamilton
- Date: 1890 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance, Biographical Fiction, Historical Romance, Literary Fiction
- Length: 954 words
- Structure: 2 chapters, 29 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Duchess by Margaret Wolfe Hamilton
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
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- How does this short story by Margaret Wolfe Hamilton fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Historical Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
Genres
- Historical Fiction — The Duchess is a novel based on the life of Margaret Cavendish, the 17th-century English aristocrat and writer. It follows her life from her childhood to her death, and is set in the context of the English Civil War and the Restoration period.
- Romance — The novel follows the romantic relationships of Margaret Cavendish, including her marriage to William Cavendish, the Duke of Newcastle. It also explores her relationships with other men, such as the Earl of Newcastle and the Earl of Clarendon.
- Biographical Fiction — The Duchess is a fictionalized account of the life of Margaret Cavendish, the 17th-century English aristocrat and writer. It follows her life from her childhood to her death, and is set in the context of the English Civil War and the Restoration period.
- Historical Romance — The Duchess is a novel based on the life of Margaret Cavendish, the 17th-century English aristocrat and writer. It follows her life from her childhood to her death, and is set in the context of the English Civil War and the Restoration period. It also explores her romantic relationships with other men, such as the Earl of Newcastle and the Earl of Clarendon.
Tags
historical fiction · romance · aristocracy · society · drama · intrigue · love · betrayal · court life · female protagonist · 19th century · class struggle
Contents
More by Margaret Wolfe Hamilton