A Journey Through Historical Fiction

The limits that society used to set on women are brought to life in historical fiction novels, which place the characters in the past and illuminate their struggles against the backdrop of a world that had not seen the fruition of the feminist movement. Strong women being subdued by men is not an uncommon theme for novels in general, and in three popular historical fiction books the women in question face overwhelming odds and find their own way to battle for independence, justice, and love.

Nicholas Van Tassel, the protagonist of Anita Shreve's All He Ever Wanted, sees Etna Bliss after they have both escaped a fire during a dinner party and is immediately entranced with her. His obsession drives him to court her, and it is obvious from the beginning that Etna does not have the same feelings for Nicholas, and this, combined with the fact that the story is told from Nicholas's point of view so that we have a full understanding of the depths of his infatuation, the reader sympathizes with Nicholas.

When he finally wins Etna over and they marry, the reader believes, along with Nicholas, that through his uxorious affection he will cause her to love him back. As the book progresses, however, we learn the depths of his obsession and the unforgivable actions that are caused by it. We also learn of Etna's past and her secrets from her husband, and by the time the novel unfolds we learn of the couple's fate and the true nature of their marriage, and the effects of this nature on their two children. All He Ever Wanted is a story about obsessive love, possession, and independence set in a time when women were not afforded the freedoms they have today.

The Alchemist's Daughter (by Katherine McMahon) is set in early eighteenth century, where Emilie Selden is an apprentice of her father John, a natural philosopher and alchemist. She herself is an experiment of his, her learning process, with all her successes and failures being documented in a notebook by him every night. He shelters her from the outside world, and when a clergyman named Thomas Shales arrives at their home and takes an interest in Emilie, showing their shared fascination with natural philosophy, John forbids him from the home. When dashing young Robert Aislabie arrives, John's sway over his daughter is challenged and their futures are irrevocably changed.

Her new romance is a whirlwind, with Emilie caught up in the bustle of London and her yearnings for her old life with her father. Time reveals the true character of her husband, her father, and Emilie herself. As the story progresses and Emilie matures, she discovers the true nature of her past which determines her ultimate actions. Set in the Age of Reason, The Alchemist's Daughter is like an adult fairy tale, with an intelligent heroine battling against such dire circumstances as death, a binding marriage, and the clash of classes in society.

The conflict between science and religion is the emotional backdrop of James Morrow's The Last Witchfinder, set in 17^th century England during the heyday of the Parliamentary Witchcraft Act. The story itself is told through two characters; Jennet Stearne, whose father Walter is a well-known "witchpricker" who hopes to become the Royal Witchfinder, and Isaac Newton's opus Principia Mathematica, who speaks directly to the reader as Jennet's story unfolds.

Jennet serves as the voice of reason in her household when her beloved Aunt Isobel is accused of sorcery and is set to burn as a witch. She is helpless against her father, whose belief in his cause overshadows any personal doubt he might have, and her younger brother Dunstan, who hopes to become a witchfinder like their father.

After witnessing Isobel's fiery death, Jennet vows to end the witchfinding business by using reason and Newton's own arguments as weapons. Her journey takes her to the burgeoning American colonies, where the family becomes involved in the Salem witch trials in Massachusetts. From there she finds herself kidnapped by a local Indian tribe, and from there she finds herself rescued yet again. The book is anything but predictable and is indeed the tour-de-force it is called on the book's jacket. The addition of the book as its own narrator provided great ironic and satirical humor as well as historical insight, and helped to set this novel apart from the other two (and most books in general).

All three novels had something in common - they featured a strong heroine who sought after truth and freedom, and all who were held back by men (Etna Bliss by her husband, Emilie Selden by her father and then her husband, Jennet by her father). The women's struggles and frustrations at their inability to act as individuals are a testament to the times in which the characters are portrayed. These novels were educational as well as highly entertaining, and in the case of The Last Witchfinder, it was an extra treat to see actual historical figures included.