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Newspaper Sensationalism Dora Russell, Beneath the Wave (1878)


The novels of Dora Russell, with Beneath the Wave notable among them, are best understood as leading examples of a type of women’s sensation narrative prevalent in Britain from the earlier 1870s, which I would like to call ‘newspaper fiction’. In his diatribe on the sensation fiction boom of the early 1860s, the Reverend H. L. Mansel had coined the term ‘Newspaper Novel’ as a stick to beat authors for (allegedly) recycling the sordid affairs recounted in those newspaper columns devoted to the divorce and criminal courts. Here, however, I intend something rather different. For my purposes, ‘newspaper fiction’ is a complex concept deriving from, but by no means narrowly limited to, the print context in which stories like Russell’s initially appeared – syndicates of cheap provincial weekly news miscellanies. In spite of their number and variety, these venues provide specific indications of the cultural identities of the communities of readers who constituted Russell’s principle audience – identities which can be charted in terms of regional, social, religious and political affiliations, as well as by gender. At the same time, the format of the local weekly paper must be seen as having an impact on the narrative form and content of the fiction appearing in its pages. As noted in a contemporary review of Beneath the Wave, writing regularly in measured weekly instalments tended to favour the mechanics of enigma and suspense:

This story, which … originally appeared in weekly instalments in various country newspapers, is peculiarly suited for such a mode of publication. The incidents are numerous and startling enough … the rush of events proceeds with stirring effect to the end. The whole narrative is of an exciting character, and though many degrees removed from the highest style of art will be enjoyed by the numerous class of readers who consider that a story is nothing if not sensational.

Volume Contents

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    Front Matter
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    Introduction By Graham Law
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    Bibliography of the Fiction of Dora Russell By Graham Law
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    Chronology of Dora Russell By Graham Law
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    Note on the Text By Graham Law
  • Beneath the Wave (1866) By Dora Russell
    • Volume I
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        I
        Sanda-By-The-Sea
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        II
        The Storm
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        III
        Sir George Hamilton
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        IV
        Sir George’s Offer
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        V
        At Sanda Hall
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        VI
        A Farewell Word
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        VII
        Sir George at Home
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        VIII
        The Tutor
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        IX
        At Massam Park
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        X
        A First Proposal
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        XI
        The Featherstones
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        XII
        Hugh Warrington
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        XIII
        False!
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        XIV
        Reaping the Whirlwind.
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        XV
        Despair
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        XVI
        Delilah
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        XVII
        Hayward’s Mother
    • Volume II
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        I
        Hayward’s Relations
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        II
        Florentia Villa
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        III
        Among Type
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        IV
        A Change
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        V
        Wedding Guests
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        VI
        A Good Marriage
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        VII
        Hilda’s Pupils
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        VIII
        ‘How Wonderful is Death!’
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        IX
        Bride and Bridegroom
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        X
        Isabel’s Friend
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        XI
        Rank and File
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        XII
        An Unexpected Blow
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        XIII
        A Hesitating Answer
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        XIV
        Close On Life’s Tread Steals Death
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        XV
        Husband and Wife
    • Volume III
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        I
        Old Lovers
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        II
        A Great Surprise
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        III
        The Old Love and the New
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        IV
        A Son and Heir
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        V
        Fixing The Day
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        VI
        The Wedding Day
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        VII
        After the Wedding
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        VIII
        The Dead Woman’s Ring
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        IX
        Nemesis
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        X
        A Scandal
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        XI
        The Bitter End
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        XII
        A Woman’s Proposal
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        XIII
        A Lawsuit
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        XIV
        A Widower’S Wooing
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        XV
        A Telegram
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        XVI
        Near the Gates
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        XVII
        ‘There Are No Tricks in Plain and Simple Faith.’
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    Back Matter