ULRICH - 1845

Two volumes bound in one, 12mo, pp. xi, 12-254; 3-266; without the half title in the second volume; some minor foxing in places; bound in contemporary dark blue half calf over marbled boards, spine lettered and ruled in gilt, bounds and extremities lightly rubbed, but overall a very good copy, with the contemporary ownership signature's of Augusta Cameron de Lacy Fitton on front free endpaper and head of each title page.Rare first English translation of Ulrich, which, like many of Hahn-Hahn's novels, was most popular amongst the aristocratic circles of the time. Indeed the provenance of the present copy bears testament to this.Hahn-Hahn's 'early novels were clearly targeted at a female audience, or, more specifically, a female audience that could appreciate accounts of the boredom, frustrations, and suffering of aristocratic young women; many show autobiographic traits. Aus der Gesellschaft (1838), Der Rechte (1839), Grafin Faustine (1841), Ulrich (1841), Sigismund Forster (1843), Cecil (1844), Zwei Frauen (1845), Clelia Conti (1846), Sibylle: Eine Selbstbiographie (1846), and Levin (1848) all share many common themes. First they all criticize arranged marriages. Second, the works' female protagonists break with traditions and conventions in order to escape suffering and frustrations. Third, in these works, talented women artists (writers, painters, or muscians) are torn between the obligation to stay faithful to an unloved and/or unloving husband and the desire to follow a soul mate who would help to foster their talents and accept them as equal partners in "free" and/or platonic relationships. Fourth, the convent is seen as a final refuge from society. Even though the titles of some of these novels could suggest that Hahn-Hahn wanted to place men in the center of her novels, each novel clearly focuses on the actions and reflections of a female protagonist. In some instances, well-known characters from one novel even reappear in another novel (e.g., Ilda Schonholm reappears in Ulrich).' (Stefanie Ohnesorg in Encyclopedia of German Literature, 2000, pp. 397-399).