Frances Trollope’s America: Four Novels

On November 4, 1827, Frances Trollope, burdened by her husband’s debts, set out for a fresh start in America. With her were three of her children and a young French artist: her husband and her sons Anthony and Tom remained behind. She returned to them four years later, destitute but undaunted, and began, at the age of 52, her publishing career. This study of the novels based on her experiences in America explores the technical and artistic decisions she made when fictionalizing those experiences. Linda Ellis provides a critical reading of four little-known works, placing them in the context of early nineteenth-century political, social, and aesthetic values.