17 Facts About Rhoda Broughton

Rhoda Broughton was a Welsh novelist and short story writer.

Rhoda Broughton's novel Lavinia depicts a seemingly "unmanly" young man, who wishes he had been born as a woman.

Rhoda Broughton was a niece of Sheridan le Fanu, who helped her to start her literary career.

Rhoda Broughton was a long-time friend of fellow writer Henry James and was noted for her adversarial relationship with both Lewis Carroll and Oscar Wilde.

Rhoda Broughton was born in Denbigh in North Wales on 29 November 1840, the daughter of the Rev Delves Broughton, youngest son of the Rev Sir Henry Delves-Broughton, 8th baronet, and Jane Bennett, daughter of a leading Irish barrister, George Bennett.

Rhoda Broughton developed a taste for literature as a young girl, especially poetry.

Rhoda Broughton was influenced by William Shakespeare, as frequent quotations and allusions throughout her works show.

Rhoda Broughton in turn introduced Mary Cholmondeley to her publishers in about 1887.

Rhoda Broughton's writing style was to influence other writers like Mary Cecil Hay, who is thought to have a similar style of dialogue.

Rhoda Broughton made an effort to employ the popular three-decker form and adapt it to the assumed taste of Bentley's readers.

Rhoda Broughton never married, and some critics assume that a disappointed attachment was the impulse that made her try her pen instead of some other literary work like that of Mrs Thackeray Ritchie.

Rhoda Broughton compares her work with other novelists of the time and concludes that hers reaches a much higher quality.

Rhoda Broughton's dying husband's last will obliges her to decide between love and fortune.

Rhoda Broughton's love turns out to be too shallow for her happiness.

Rhoda Broughton's collection Tales for Christmas Eve was a collection of five ghost stories.

The latter is said to have declined an invitation because Rhoda Broughton would be present.

Rhoda Broughton had been forbidden to open it on account of its 'sinfulness'.