Penulis: Mrs. Gunning

Mrs. Gunning, whose Christian name was Susannah, was a noted English novelist who flourished during the latter half of the 18th century, within the Georgian era”s literary circle. Although much of her personal life remains enshrouded in the mists of history, her contributions to the genre of epistolary novels are nonetheless significant. Mrs. Gunning”s “Barford Abbey, a Novel: In a Series of Letters”, published circa 1768, cemented her position in the annals of literary history. This work, emblematic of the sentimental novel tradition, explores themes of morality, love, and social standing, and is illustrative of the 18th-century fascination with novels of sensibility written in letter form. The craftsmanship of Mrs. Gunning”s literary style is distinguished by its carefully wrought prose and its depiction of contemporaneous manners and norms, capturing the essence of the elite”s lives through vivid letters that form the narrative”s backbone. Much like her contemporaries, Samuel Richardson and Frances Burney, Mrs. Gunning expertly dexterized the epistolary technique to comment on and critique the societal structures of her time. Although later eclipsed by the likes of Jane Austen, Mrs. Gunning”s work is a noteworthy precursor to the Regency novel and serves as a valuable piece for scholars interested in the evolution of the novel and women”s writing in the 18th century.