An Introduction of Ann Radcliffe

Ann Radcliffe has been deemed as one of the most influential gothic novelist. That has influence many writers, novelist and poets because of her descriptions of the worlds she created. In Ruth Facer’s life history and description of Ann Facer writes, “Contemporary readers and modern day critics have variously dubbed Ann the ‘Mistress of Udolpho’, ‘The Great Enchantress’, and the ‘Mother of the Gothic’, but these are misleadingly exotic titles to bestow upon such a private person with such a prosaic life history.”
I would suggest the reason behind the fascination of Ann’s descriptions is simply because she was reclusive. From a review by The Edinburgh Review in 1823, “She never appeared in public, nor mingled in private society, but kept herself apart, like the sweet bird that sings its solitary notes, shrouded and unseen.” Because of her closed off life there is little known about her life.
Although she was reclusive she was married to William Radcliffe. They bore no children. Because of her marriage to William, she began to write. William was an editor for The English Chronicle this caused him to work late hours. To fill the time alone Ann began to write. In her life time she wrote six novels with the last being published posthumously. The first was The Castles of Athlin and Dunbayne in 1789, The Italian, The Mysteries of Udolph, The Romance of the Forest, A Sicilian Romance, Gaston de Blondeville.
What little we know comes from daily records kept by Ann, Facer writes, ” According to Sir Thomas Noon Talfourd’s Memoir of the Author, prefixed to Gaston de Blondeville, Radcliffe kept daily accounts and spent her days reading poetry and novels. She sang with exquisite taste: her voice, though 'remarkably sweet, was limited in compass’. She was a frequent visitor to the Opera and enjoyed sacred music, especially Handel oratorios. She admired Mrs. Siddons and occasionally accompanied her husband to the theatre where she sat in the pit because it was warmer and she was less likely to be recognized. According to the Memoir, ‘the very thought of appearing in person as the author of her romances shocked the delicacy of her mind’.”
The latter part of Radcliffe is unknown. Some say that she became ill and simply died. Others suggest that she went insane from her imagination and the worlds that haunted her and she was committed. According to Facer her husband, William, denied all accusations.
Along with being a novelist Ann was also a poet. She wrote several poems that never amounted to much success or acknowledgment.


Works Cited
Facer, Ruth. “Ann Radcliffe (1764-1823)”. Chawton House Library, 1-6. Chawton.org.Web.