Oxford World's Classics: The Odd Women

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Set in grimy, fog-ridden London, the narrative explores the lives of 'odd' women, including the idealistic Mary Barfoot and Rhoda Nunn, who run a school for young women in office skills, alongside the Madden sisters, who struggle with low-paid jobs. The youngest Madden sister's marriage serves as a particularly sinister critique of societal norms. Gissing captures the ambivalence of contemporary society during a period of transition, engaging with major sexual and social issues of the late 19th century. Contemporary reviewers likened Gissing's work to that of Zola and Ibsen, recognizing it as 'intensely modern,' which is why its themes continue to spark debate today. The novel satirizes the prevailing image of the 'New Woman,' presenting unmarried women not as noble figures but as 'odd' and marginal compared to the ideal of womanhood. The story reflects the societal perception of the superfluity of unmarried women, a notion that the 'New Woman' novels of the 1890s sought to challenge. Through superb detachment, Gissing critiques the struggles and societal views of women during this transformative era.