Una Lucy Silberrad
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Una Lucy Silberrad ( – ) was a British author. She wrote about 40 novels, often characterized as "
middlebrow The term middlebrow describes easily accessible art, usually literature, and the people who use the arts to acquire culture and "class" (Reputation, social prestige). First used in the British satire magazine ''Punch (magazine), Punch'' in 1925, t ...
", which highlight conservative middle-class virtues even as they focus on capable female protagonists.


Topics

It was not until 1899 when Silberrad was 27 years old that her first novel, ''The Enchanter'', was published. It received one of its first reviews in'' The Bookman'', a trade periodical published in New York and London. After 1899 she wrote and published regularly. Of her more than 40 titles, most were novels. She also wrote short stories and a few non-fictional works. Her first 26 books were published by a variety of publishers, based in London and New York, but the second half of her oeuvre came out with
Hutchinson & Co Hutchinson was a British publishing firm which operated from 1887 until 1985, when it underwent several mergers. It is currently an imprint which is ultimately owned by Bertelsmann, the German publishing conglomerate. History Hutchinson began ...
. Her permanent
literary agent A literary agent is an agent who represents writers and their written works to publishers, theatrical producers, film producers, and film studios, and assists in sale and deal negotiation. Literary agents most often represent novelists, screenwrit ...
was A. & P. Watt & Co. Apart from her fictional work, she wrote one work on horticulture: ''Dutch Bulbs and Gardens'', a collaborative work written after a visit to the
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
. It contains appendices by Sophia Lyall and illustrations by Mina Nixon. Her writing was most likely intended for a conservative middle-class, middlebrow audience. Her novels contain many allusions to other literary works and concepts, but her prose style, which might be classified as late-Victorian, is eclectic. She reused several literary topics that are closely connected with her life, including geographical locations, such as
Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and G ...
, the North of England and the City of London. Another recurring theme is the sciences, particularly
chemistry Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...
and
alchemy Alchemy (from Arabic: ''al-kīmiyā''; from Ancient Greek: χυμεία, ''khumeía'') is an ancient branch of natural philosophy, a philosophical and protoscientific tradition that was historically practiced in China, India, the Muslim world, ...
, which appear in over half of her novels, undoubtedly using her brother's professional experiences and education:
Oswald Silberrad Oswald J. Silberrad (1878 – 17 June 1960) was a British chemist who specialised in explosives, the related field of dye stuffs, and metallurgy. Life and works Silberrad was born at Buckhurst Hill in Essex and was the younger brother of th ...
was a renowned early 20th-century chemist. Several early works feature a brother of the heroine who studies chemistry. A colophon in ''Keren of Lowbole'' (1913) describes her own attempts at making artificial
lapis lazuli Lapis lazuli (; ), or lapis for short, is a deep-blue metamorphic rock used as a semi-precious stone that has been prized since antiquity for its intense color. As early as the 7th millennium BC, lapis lazuli was mined in the Sar-i Sang mines, ...
(ultramarine) and
ether In organic chemistry, ethers are a class of compounds that contain an ether group—an oxygen atom connected to two alkyl or aryl groups. They have the general formula , where R and R′ represent the alkyl or aryl groups. Ethers can again be c ...
.


Middlebrow/Middle class

The requirement for economic success is one of the indicators of
middlebrow The term middlebrow describes easily accessible art, usually literature, and the people who use the arts to acquire culture and "class" (Reputation, social prestige). First used in the British satire magazine ''Punch (magazine), Punch'' in 1925, t ...
writing. Silberrad's novels "are clearly targeted to a conservative middle-class audience". Her works were frequently published in reprint series, decent but inexpensive copies which catered for the needs of the increasing numbers of potential readers, particularly among the suburban middle classes.
Ross McKibbin Ross Ian McKibbin, FBA (born January 1942) is an Australian academic historian whose career, spent almost entirely at the University of Oxford, has been devoted to studying the social, political and cultural history of modern Britain, especially f ...
defines middlebrow novels as "reasonably well written and usually (though certainly not always) about non-trivial subjects ndat least approachable." Harold Williams' description of Silberrad's style of writing corresponds to this definition. His view of Silberrad is that she “has less gift as a stylist, and her method is sometimes crude, but she is observant, her characters live and her tales are marked by a kind of conscious energy.” Nicola Humble furthermore defines the feminine middlebrow literature of Silberrad’s time as “a powerful force in establishing and consolidating, but also in resisting, new class and gender identities " Analogously, Silberrad demonstrates a high degree of class-consciousness and shows the typical measuring of a middlebrow world against other values. ''The Good Comrade'' (1907), for instance, reflects the negotiation of cultural and class-related values on various levels. Also with respect to gender roles, Silberrad integrates critiques of gender relations and stereotypes into her fiction, whilst retaining typical middlebrow narrative frameworks, such as the ‘romance that ends in marriage’ topos (see below).


Silberrad and the Victorian and Edwardian periods

Many of Silberrad's early works are deeply rooted in the Victorian era. Not only does she take up and mix popular 19th-century genres such as
melodrama A modern melodrama is a dramatic work in which the plot, typically sensationalized and for a strong emotional appeal, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Melodramas typically concentrate on dialogue that is often bombastic or exces ...
,
romance Romance (from Vulgar Latin , "in the Roman language", i.e., "Latin") may refer to: Common meanings * Romance (love), emotional attraction towards another person and the courtship behaviors undertaken to express the feelings * Romance languages, ...
, and
Gothic fiction Gothic fiction, sometimes called Gothic horror in the 20th century, is a loose literary aesthetic of fear and haunting. The name is a reference to Gothic architecture of the European Middle Ages, which was characteristic of the settings of ea ...
, but she is also preoccupied with late Victorian and Edwardian concerns such as class and gender. The emerging 'New Woman' and the growing universal suffrage movements led Silberrad to place different female characters in the center of her fiction. Her women struggle to find the best possible positions for themselves in life. Often the author finally seems to advocate a middle position between the meek and obedient 'angel in the house' and the radical
suffragette A suffragette was a member of an activist women's organisation in the early 20th century who, under the banner "Votes for Women", fought for the right to vote in public elections in the United Kingdom. The term refers in particular to members ...
. She portrays women who find contentment through their independence of mind, education, and the little freedoms they fight for and obtain in their homes. From the
Edwardian period The Edwardian era or Edwardian period of British history spanned the reign of King Edward VII, 1901 to 1910 and is sometimes extended to the start of the First World War. The death of Queen Victoria in January 1901 marked the end of the Victori ...
onwards, Silberrad's writing becomes more conscious of class questions. This becomes obvious in Rawson-Clew, the aristocratic hero of her novel ''The Good Comrade''. He is most often depicted in the street or in other public places. His house in the North of England is only mentioned in passing and is never described in detail. This gives the aristocratic spaces he inhabits a certain utopian quality which is at once affirmative of the aristocracy and conscious of the fact that as a class it is far removed from the reality of life. Instead, it is the middle class that is gaining new importance. This new middle class is represented by the novel's heroine, practical and resourceful Julia Polkington who fights through adverse situations and emerges victorious. It is her special kind of diligence and moral disposition that will determine the future society. Not only does Julia renew the aristocracy through her marriage to Rawson-Clew, but she also negotiates gender relations. Before agreeing to the marriage, the young woman sets conditions for it which Rawson-Clew obviously accepts. To ensure its continuing existence, the
aristocracy Aristocracy (, ) is a form of government that places strength in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocracy (class), aristocrats. The term derives from the el, αριστοκρατία (), meaning 'rule of the best'. At t ...
has to move towards the middle class. Only by combining the strengths of both classes, social stability can be maintained. Apart from depicting shifts in the English class structure, the relationship between Julia and Rawson-Clew is also exemplary of a new orientation with respect to gender questions. Marriages in which freedom, equality, and mutual respect are dominant are portrayed as the future. Silberrad perceives social changes in Edwardian society but does not treat them harshly. She rather focuses on the gradual and almost imperceptible changes that shape future society. The only Victorian 'institution' she mercilessly exposes in ''The Good Comrade'' is the family. Its slow decline is visible in the Polkingtons, individuals who express selfish desires aimed at a good appearance rather than upholding moral values. The only exception again is Julia, the 'middle' daughter who takes charge of her own life. And again it could be said that she finally sets up a new family on her own terms with Rawson-Clew. The treatment of class as well as gender questions shows Una Silberrad's penchant for advocating gradual change and middle courses.


Emancipation

From her early narrative texts onwards, Silberrad consistently casts female
protagonists A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...
with independent and self-determined lives, who are contrasted with sets of ridiculously unemancipated women, often ludicrous striving after the 'good match'. Silberrad's female protagonists embody an entirely different type of
femininity Femininity (also called womanliness) is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles generally associated with women and girls. Femininity can be understood as socially constructed, and there is also some evidence that some behaviors considered fe ...
, moving with ease in traditionally male circles, while also working self-consciously as scientists, politicians, or even self-appointed spies. They are emancipated in spirit and fearless in the face of public opinion. Despite this, Silberrad's attitude towards the more political side of the issue of female emancipation seems ambiguous. In ''The Good Comrade'' she addresses the question of emancipation directly:
he remarked, "I think girls are usually brought up with too much protection; I mean girls of our class, they are too much shielded; one has them for the house only; if they were flowers I would call them stove-plants." Julia laughed. "You believe in the emancipation of women then?" she said; "you would rather a woman could take care of herself, and not be afraid than be womanly?" "No," he answered; "I would like them to be both, as you are."
The Good Comrade
' at Project Gutenberg. 69.
This scene illustrates the way in which Silberrad implicitly scrutinizes male attitudes towards the role of women in
society A society is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction, or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. Socie ...
. The cautious, tongue-in-cheek question of the female character works inductively. She aims to win the respect of her male counterpart by immersion rather than conversion. As in so many of Silberrad's texts, a pointedly modern stance in these matters is not a question of political campaigning but remains that of a state of mind. Emancipation is implicit rather than explicit, shown through one's small daily achievements and decisions rather than through radical speeches or political actions. The dictate of the happy end in the middlebrow novel requires her female protagonists to settle in matrimony. However, while such an ending may cause some dismay for readers who had hoped for a more accentuated feminist settlement one cannot ignore the fact that within Silberrad's vision of the traditional corset of marriage gender roles and their hegemonic balance are re-negotiated and thereby self-consciously re-calibrated. Modernization takes place within the institutional frameworks of society but does not operate against them. It follows from this that Silberrad communicates what must seem small-scale changes to an existing worldview but never opts for its radical discontinuation. This may sometimes disappoint in its calm if not cautious detachment from the radicalism of the modernist movement. However, Silberrad's writing reveals the osmotic and thus gradual domestication of modern thinking in the wider realms of British society in the early decades of the 20th century.


Religion

Silberrad was a regular churchgoer, being a staunch member of the
Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britain ...
. Apparently she was also well acquainted with a
Quaker Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belie ...
family in
Buckhurst Hill Buckhurst Hill is an affluent suburban town in the Epping Forest District, Epping Forest district of Essex, England. It is part of the Greater London Urban Area and adjacent to the northern boundary of the London Borough of Redbridge. The area de ...
in
Epping Forest Epping Forest is a area of ancient woodland, and other established habitats, which straddles the border between Greater London and Essex. The main body of the forest stretches from Epping in the north, to Chingford on the edge of the London ...
, her birthplace. References to both Church of England doctrines and Quaker beliefs are a common thread in her literary works, particularly in her historical fiction. ''The Wedding of Lady Lovell'' (1905) comprises short stories depicting the
dissenter A dissenter (from the Latin ''dissentire'', "to disagree") is one who dissents (disagrees) in matters of opinion, belief, etc. Usage in Christianity Dissent from the Anglican church In the social and religious history of England and Wales, and ...
Tobiah who overcomes evil in other characters' lives, e.g. seemingly illegitimate relationships or domestic violence. Other novels dealing with Quaker beliefs are ''The Second Book of Tobiah'' (1906) and ''Sampson Rideout, Quaker'' (1911). The narrators' comments on the Quaker characters oscillate between respect for their principles and ironic distance towards their outlandish and eccentric behavior. ''The Good Comrade'' (1907) discusses differences between societies following the Church of England and social circles influenced by
Calvinist Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John Ca ...
teachings. Again, the narrator treats both sides ambivalently. The irony, however, rests more on the restrictive, Calvinist-inspired family the main character Julia works for during her stay in the
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
. Echoing her frequent comparisons of the obscure practice of alchemy with modern science, Silberrad contrasts
Protestant Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
faith with rites rooted in
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
or
pagan Paganism (from classical Latin ''pāgānus'' "rural", "rustic", later "civilian") is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Judaism. ...
tradition. Simon Scroat in "The Wedding of Lady Lovell" performs a Satanic ritual to kill Tobiah the dissenter – only to be overcome by Tobiah.
Fortune telling Fortune telling is the practice of predicting information about a person's life. Melton, J. Gordon. (2008). ''The Encyclopedia of Religious Phenomena''. Visible Ink Press. pp. 115-116. The scope of fortune telling is in principle identical w ...
,
witchcraft Witchcraft traditionally means the use of magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually women who were believed to have us ...
and fear of the occult powers of
gypsies The Romani (also spelled Romany or Rromani , ), colloquially known as the Roma, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group, traditionally nomadic itinerants. They live in Europe and Anatolia, and have diaspora populations located worldwide, with sign ...
find discussion in ''Curayl'' (1906), ''Keren of Lowbole'' (1913) and many other texts. In general, the texts treat such practices as a result of irrational superstition. In later life, at
Burnham-on-Crouch Burnham-on-Crouch is a town and civil parish in the Maldon District of Essex in the East of England. It lies on the north bank of the River Crouch. It is one of Britain's leading places for yachting. The civil parish extends east of the town t ...
, Silberrad was also a leading member of the Women's Institute.


Private life

Silberrad first lived at
Buckhurst Hill Buckhurst Hill is an affluent suburban town in the Epping Forest District, Epping Forest district of Essex, England. It is part of the Greater London Urban Area and adjacent to the northern boundary of the London Borough of Redbridge. The area de ...
, and moved to
Burnham-on-Crouch Burnham-on-Crouch is a town and civil parish in the Maldon District of Essex in the East of England. It lies on the north bank of the River Crouch. It is one of Britain's leading places for yachting. The civil parish extends east of the town t ...
later in life. She was an elder sister of the chemist
Oswald Silberrad Oswald J. Silberrad (1878 – 17 June 1960) was a British chemist who specialised in explosives, the related field of dye stuffs, and metallurgy. Life and works Silberrad was born at Buckhurst Hill in Essex and was the younger brother of th ...
, and some fragments of his scientific work appear in her fiction. She never married.


Works


Novels


Short stories


Non-fiction


References


Bibliography

*Macdonald, Kate. "Edwardian transitions in the fiction of Una L Silberrad (1872–1955)". ''English Literature in Transition'', 54.1 (January 2011, forthcoming). *Fox, Tony. "Una Silberrad, Authoress, 1872–1955". ''Essex Journal'' 44.2 (Autumn 2009): 58–63. * Kemp, Sandra, Mitchell, Charlotte, Trotter, David (eds) ''Edwardian Fiction: An Oxford Companion'' (Oxford University Press, 1997, ) *Williams, Harold. ''Modern English Writers – Being a Study of Imaginative Literature 1890–1914''. Sidgwick & Jackson, 1918. Naismith Press, 2007. ()


External links

* *
''The Good Comrade''
at Project Gutenberg
Works
a
Open Library
{{DEFAULTSORT:Silberrad, Una Lucy English women writers 1872 births 1955 deaths People from Buckhurst Hill People from Burnham-on-Crouch People from Essex