Frances Burney Biography

Frances Burney was an English novelist, diarist and playwright best known for her novel ‘Evelina’. One of the most popular novelists of the late 18th century, she is credited to have played an instrumental role in the development of the novel of manners. All of her novels explore the lives of English aristocrats, based on her keen observations of how the society of her era operated. As one of the six children of the music historian, composer and musician, Dr. Charles Burney, she was considered the least promising among the siblings. Losing her mother at a young age was a blow that affected her emotionally throughout life. As a young girl she sought solace in reading and soon began to write as well. However, the English society of her era was not supportive of female writers and thus she published her first novel ‘Evelina’ anonymously. The book became very popular and it led to the revelation of her authorship. She wrote three other novels which also became very popular. Following her death, her meticulously written diaries were discovered and published posthumously to much critical acclaim. Her writings are still valued for her outlook on the social lives and struggles of women of her time and her candid portrayal of the 18th century English society.