The Corvey Novels Project at the University of Nebraska
Studies in British Literature of the Romantic Period
Biographical Information about Mary Meeke,
with particular relevance to Independence
Mary Meeke (?-1816)
The life history of the British novelist, Mary Meeke, is a mystery in
some respect. Her date and place of birth are unknown. Though she is known
to have died in 1816 in Staffordshire, England. Her husband is believed
to have been the Reverend Francis Meeke. The couple resided at Johnson Hall
at Staffordshire. Francis died in 1801.
As she was an avid reader, Mary had great literary knowledge. Gothic fiction
was her favorite genre to read. Regarding gothic fiction, she called it
"a very innocent, if not a very profitable recreation." She wrote
novels for twenty years from 1795-1815. She is responsible for 34 published
pieces. Four of her works are under the name of Gabrielli, her pseudonym.
In the early 19th century, Meeke's novels were popular and her writing was
well-known. One of the most important Gothic pioneers, Anne Radcliffe, had
an enormous influence on her. Mary's publisher was the Minerva Press. This
press was the publisher most responsible for encouraging the Gothic novel.
Many of Meeke's novels are of the Gothic genre.
Her first novel was Count St. Blancard or The Prejudiced Judge in
1795. Another of her novels published later this same year was The Abbot
of Clugny. Other works of Meeke include What Shall Be, Shall Be
(1801), Independence (1802), Midnight Weddings (1802), Ellen,
Heiress of the Castle (1807), There's a Secret: Find it Out (1808),
and Conscience (1814). She is known for her enticing titles. Three
examples are Which is the Man? (1801), Amazement! (1804),
and Matrimony the Height of Bliss or Extreme of Misery (1811). One
can notice that many works were published posthumously. The final of her
published works, a children's story book, came out in 1825, ten years after
her death. Other less known works of Meeke are The Mysterious Wife
(1797), Ellesmere (1799), Anecdotes of the Altamont Family
(1800), Mysterious Husband (1801), A Tale of Mystery; or, Celina
(1803), The Nine Days' Wonder (1804), The Old Wife and Young Husband
(1804), Something Odd! (1804), The Wonder of the Village
(1805), Something Strange (1806), Julien; or, My Father's House
(1807), The Monks and the Robbers: A Tale of the Fifteenth Century
(1808 -- probably not by Meek, see "Anonymous
- Unattributed"), Laughton Priory (1809), Stratagems
Defeated (1811), and The Spanish Campaign; or, The Jew (1815).
She also translated many works from French and German to English. By examining
these titles with words hinting at the unknown and mysterious, the author's
love for the Gothic novel is visible. The titles are a good ploy because
they make one want to buy the various volumes of a novel to see what the
"mystery" is.
Meeke often begins her novels in working class settings such as factories.
Characters of nobility normally do not come onto the scene until a little
distance into the novel. There are numerous school situations throughout
her novels. She enjoyed writing on the topics of European politics, other
issues of British society, and poetic justice. The turning points of Meeke's
novels usually occur when a young hero discovers his identity. The identity
of the hero is always socially resplendent. The virtuous heroes of her novels
often suffer through hard times and are later rewarded with a sum of money
for the suffering they have endured. In addition, inheritance conflicts
are rampant in her works. This is not unusual for literature of the Romantic
period. Meeke is known as a sentimental writer as well. For example, the
characters often have overestimated sensibilities.
Meeke often advised her fellow novelists to contact their publishers before
starting to compose a novel in order to see what types of novels are currently
popular and selling well. She emphasized the importance of writing about
societal issues that may be controversial but that people are interested
in reading about. Mary was often attacked by critics for having a below
average literary style. She was seen as a writer lacking variety in her
writing. Though as long as the public is feeding off of a certain type of
novel, one cannot blame her for continuing to write what she knew would
sell. Themes were the same in the majority of the novels and characters
often were spitting images of ones in other pieces. For example, usually
the main character believes he is of a low social rank and in some ways
discovers he is in fact an elite nobleman.
SOURCESBritish Women Writers: A Critical Reference Guide. Ed. Jane Todd (New York: Continuum Publishing, 1989).Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. XIII. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, Reprinted 1921).Internet: www.adam-matthew-publications.co.uk/collect/p631.htmThe Feminist companion to literature in English: women writers from the Middle Ages to the present. Ed. Virginia Blain, Patricia Clements, and Isobel Grundy (New Haven: Yale UP, 1990).The Oxford guide to British Women Writers. Ed. Joanne Shattock (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993).
-Prepared by Stephen P. Sizemore, University of Nebraska, December
2002