Porter, Anna Maria

Anna Maria Porter (1778–1832) published a significant body of novels, stories, and poems during the Romantic era. Many of her novels went into multiple editions, several were translated into French, and a handful remained in print well into the Victorian era. But she has not received the level of scholarly attention recently given to Maria Edgeworth, Lady Morgan, or even to her sister Jane Porter. A precocious writer who published four substantial works while still a teenager, Anna Maria Porter was part of an important literary and artistic family, and her many surviving letters provide insights into the era. Her novels, which cover a remarkable variety of historical and geographical settings, often feature a morally upright protagonist finding his way through a period of social change. While her writings may lack the subtlety or strong narratives of some of her contemporaries, she is a significant figure in the development of the British historical novel.