My Favorite Victorian Leading Ladies #victober

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Leading Ladies Mentioned:
Rachel Verinder - The Moonstone
Judith - In the Roar of the Sea
Mrs. Cratchitt - A Christmas Carol
Miss Mattie - Cranford
Janet Dempster - Janet’s Repentance
Catrin - A Welsh Witch
Aurora Floyd
Isabel Sleaford - The Doctor’s Wife
Margaret and Hester from Deerbrook
Romola - George Eliot
Grania - Emily Lawless
Dinah Morris from Adam Bede
Edith Granger - Dombey and Son
Alicia Audley - Lady Audley’s Secret
Mary Barton - Elizabeth Gaskell
Betsy Trotwood - David Copperfield
Dorothea - Middlemarch
Mary Garth - Middlemarch
Marian Halcomb - The Woman In White
Mirah Lapidoth - Daniel Deronda
Margaret Hale - North and South
Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
Molly Gibson - Wives and Daughters
Cynthia Kirkpatrick - Wives and Daughters

[miriamelizabethreads]

Marian Holcomb and Margaret Hale are a couple of my favourite characters of all time! I'm especially a fan of Marian, I think Wilkie Collins did an AMAZING job writing her character!

[kathleencraine]

Yay! for Aunt Betsy, Mary Garth and Miss Mattie! Two leading ladies I adore from Trollope's Palliser books are Lady Glencora Palliser and Madame Max. Lady Glencora is another character who at first seems flawed and silly, but over the course of the series shows tremendous growth. Madame Max is a woman of quiet strength and wisdom.

[rebeccaharris]

I'm glad you mentioned Cynthia from Wives & Daughters. I thought she was really well and thoughtfully written.

[TooFondofBooksJH]

Marion Halcombe is a favourite of mine as well. She shows such strength, and courage!

[mitzireadsandwrites]

I love that you included Mrs. Cratchett. That is such a warm heartfelt scene.
Betsey Trotwood will forever be my favorite. ❤
I haven't read Wives and Daughters, but can't wait! I'm holding it until I read all of Gaskell's other novels and I still have Sylvia's Lovers to go.

[Dinadoesyoga]

Those are some amazing ladies for sure! The one on this list that stands out for me is Mary Garth because she's a relatively minor character in Middlemarch but simply a paragon of all that is good in a person. I wanted her to end up with someone else...but oh well. That would be my choice of fan fiction, what if she ended up with the other man? 😁

[reddotreads]

Great video! I’m currently listening to Wives & Daughters and didn’t know that Molly and Cynthia were based on Gaskell’s daughter! That’s really fascinating! I also finished Lady Audley and I agree that Alicia is an interesting character; I felt she should have enjoyed a wider circle of friends, poor thing, to avoid her fixating on someone who was never going to reciprocate her feelings! 😊📚

[eringolive]

I’m just so impressed with how much you remember about all these books.

[jenniferbrooks]

What a great list, Kate! I am so excited about In the Roar of the Sea. So many great characters I haven't read about yet! The TBR is always growing, lol.

[teresaclark-kasch]

Hi Kate! What an inspiring list of ladies! I am new to Victorian literature and Victober reading (love it all!)...can you recommend a good starting place...Mary Barton sounds like someone I would love...perhaps you have already done a you tube for us newbies...thank you so much for this rich addition to my reading (and knitting) life!
Hugs, Teresa...ps perhaps joining your Patreon group would be helpful too?

[angelaluz]

I appreciate the love for Mrs. Cratchett! She's overlooked on the regular, I fear. I also really like the character of Cynthia in W&D. I don't think we would be BFFs or anything, but I do really like her character.

[scallydandlingaboutthebooks]

I was hoping you would pick Romola and Dinah Morris. Miss Mattie and Betsy Trotwood are right up there for me. I also have a soft spot for both Agnes Grey and Shirley. And Mary Thorne in Doctor Thorne.

[KierTheScrivener]

Ahhh I love Miss Mattie. Cranford is a favourite. Made me excited to read all these books

[barbarahelgaker]

Great list, lots to explore here. I have to admit to loving Mrs Proudie in Barchester Towers. She has determination and manages to express her ambition through her husband the bishop.

[timstoomanybooks]

I would like to add Magdalen Vanstone from Wilkie Collins' No Name for consideration. She is the protagonist of the novel and she is supposed to be the heroine but you'd be forgiven for sometimes thinking that she's the villain

[mattiez]

Oh my goodness, I really enjoyed this video Kate! You made a great list for my TBR. hehe Thank you for sharing about these Victorian leading ladies.

[jodihowe]

I am looking forward to The Moonstone!

[annas.]

What a delight this was!
I will be reading Deerbrook, for the first time, after I finish The Woman in White, which is a remarkably gripping story!
Thanks for the wealth of information on Victorian literature that you have been sharing with us!

[jimsbooksreadingandstuff]

Great selection, I'm now following Esther Summerson through Bleak House...

[lisabailes]

This is a wonderful list! There are many I need to learn more about. I would add Amy Dorrit from Little Dorrit and Bella Wilfur (maybe Jenny Wren?) from Our Mutual Friend.