The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins (Book Analysis): Detailed Summary, Analysis and Reading Guide

By Bright Summaries

Unlock the more straightforward side of The Woman in White with this concise and insightful summary and analysis!

This engaging summary presents an analysis of The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins, a mystery novel which is considered one of the forerunners of the genre of detective fiction. It tells the story of Laura Fairlie and Anne Catherick, two women with an extraordinary resemblance. However, when Laura’s duplicitous husband becomes aware of this, he decides to use it against them in order to ensure that his chequered past never comes to light and to seize Laura’s inheritance for himself… Wilkie Collins was a Victorian-era novelist and playwright who is known for his complex mystery novels. His work often drew on his legal background, and today he is considered the father of modern detective fiction.

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This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you:

• A complete plot summary
• Character studies
• Key themes and symbols
• Questions for further reflection

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• Language: English
• Publisher: BrightSummaries.com
• Release date: Apr 3, 2019
• ISBN: 9782808016278

Book preview

ENGLISH NOVELIST, PLAYWRIGHT AND SHORT STORY WRITER

Born in London (England) in 1824.

Died in London (England) in 1889.

Notable works:

No Name (1862), novel

Armadale (1866), novel

The Moonstone (1868), novel

Wilkie Collins was the son of famous Royal Academician landscape painter, William Collins (1788-1847). He spent his early life living in London with his deeply religious family. Between 1836 and 1838 his family lived in Italy and France, which allowed him to become fluent in both Italian and French. On returning to England, he attended the Reverend Cole’s private boarding school, where he was bullied by a boy who would force Collins to tell him stories before going to sleep. In later life, Collins attributed his discovery of his talent for story-telling to this time. After school, Collins decided to study law and was eventually called to the bar (although he never formally practised). In March 1951, Collins was introduced to Charles Dickens (English writer and social critic, 1812-1870), which helped him to further his writing career. Collins did not believe in the institution of marriage and instead split his time between Caroline Graves and Martha Rudd, his common law wife with whom he had three children. He died in 1889 following a paralytic stroke.

AN EARLY DETECTIVE NOVEL EXPLORING IDENTITY AND DECEPTION