The Getting of Wisdom : Introduction single work   criticism  
First known date: 1981 Issue Details: First known date: 1981... 1981 The Getting of Wisdom : Introduction
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

Greer discusses The Getting of Wisdom in relation to the themes expressed in Maurice Guest, Richardson's preceding novel, and identifies many parallels in the tensions between characters, ranging from sexual to artistic tension. Greer praises The Getting of Wisdom at the expense of Richard Mahony because the former is less ambitious and presents a subject that is "like the rest of us, ordinary, and therefore deeply important".

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

  • Appears in:
    y separately published work icon The Getting of Wisdom Henry Handel Richardson , London : Heinemann , 1910 Z901329 1910 single work novel (taught in 25 units)

    'A coming-of-age story of a spontaneous heroine who finds herself ensconced in the rigidity of a turn-of-the-century boarding school. The clever and highly imaginative Laura has difficulty fitting in with her wealthy classmates and begins to compromise her ideals in her search for popularity and acceptance.' (From the publisher's website.)

         London : Virago , 1981     pg. v-xxi
  • Appears in:
    y separately published work icon The Getting of Wisdom Henry Handel Richardson , London : Heinemann , 1910 Z901329 1910 single work novel (taught in 25 units)

    'A coming-of-age story of a spontaneous heroine who finds herself ensconced in the rigidity of a turn-of-the-century boarding school. The clever and highly imaginative Laura has difficulty fitting in with her wealthy classmates and begins to compromise her ideals in her search for popularity and acceptance.' (From the publisher's website.)

         New York (City) : Dial Press , 1981
  • Appears in:
    y separately published work icon The Getting of Wisdom Henry Handel Richardson , London : Heinemann , 1910 Z901329 1910 single work novel (taught in 25 units)

    'A coming-of-age story of a spontaneous heroine who finds herself ensconced in the rigidity of a turn-of-the-century boarding school. The clever and highly imaginative Laura has difficulty fitting in with her wealthy classmates and begins to compromise her ideals in her search for popularity and acceptance.' (From the publisher's website.)

         Melbourne : Text Publishing , 2000
Alternative title: The Getting of Wisdom
  • Appears in:
    y separately published work icon Scripsi vol. 1 no. 3-4 Summer-Autumn 1982 Z614142 1982 periodical issue 1982 pg. 4-12
VIEW PUBLICATION DETAILS FOR ALL VERSIONS ()

Related Works

The Writing of Wisdom (from The Getting of Wisdom : Introduction) Germaine Greer , 2000 extract
— Appears in: The Age , 1 July 2000; (p. 7)
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 1 July 2000; (p. 8)
VIEW ALL RELATED WORKS (1)

Works about this Work

Maurice the Obscure: Provincial Expatriate in Search of a Voice Fay Zwicky , 1985 single work criticism
— Appears in: Meridian , October vol. 4 no. 2 1985; (p. 99-111) European Relations : Essays for Helen Watson-Williams 1985; (p. 115-130) The Lyre in the Pawnshop : Essays on Literature and Survival 1974-1984 1986; (p. 148-166) Zwicky investigates the advantages and disadvantages of exile for the creative process. Comparing Maurice Guest with Hardy's Jude, The Obscure, Zwicky examines their modern form and content, concluding that Richardson was unable to assert a distinct voice because she was an exile by temperament. Hardy's poetic voice can express "alienation and metaphysical isolation simultaneously" because "its identity [is] assured by history and a firm sense of its origins". Zwicky concludes that Richardson "repressed the lyricism that might have flowered in musical composition" but acknowledges that it surfaces in "arresting bursts" in Maurice Guest through Richardson's depiction of Louise.
Maurice the Obscure: Provincial Expatriate in Search of a Voice Fay Zwicky , 1985 single work criticism
— Appears in: Meridian , October vol. 4 no. 2 1985; (p. 99-111) European Relations : Essays for Helen Watson-Williams 1985; (p. 115-130) The Lyre in the Pawnshop : Essays on Literature and Survival 1974-1984 1986; (p. 148-166) Zwicky investigates the advantages and disadvantages of exile for the creative process. Comparing Maurice Guest with Hardy's Jude, The Obscure, Zwicky examines their modern form and content, concluding that Richardson was unable to assert a distinct voice because she was an exile by temperament. Hardy's poetic voice can express "alienation and metaphysical isolation simultaneously" because "its identity [is] assured by history and a firm sense of its origins". Zwicky concludes that Richardson "repressed the lyricism that might have flowered in musical composition" but acknowledges that it surfaces in "arresting bursts" in Maurice Guest through Richardson's depiction of Louise.
VIEW ALL WORKS ABOUT (1)
Last amended 4 May 2017 13:36:01
4-12 The Getting of Wisdom : Introductionsmall AustLit logo Scripsi
v-xxi The Getting of Wisdom : Introductionsmall AustLit logo
The Getting of Wisdom : Introductionsmall AustLit logo
The Getting of Wisdom : Introductionsmall AustLit logo
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  • 1880s
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