Lifespan: 1764-1823
Nationality: English
Genres: Gothic Fiction
Types of Work: Novels
Contemporaries:
Style: Romantic, vivid descriptions of landscape and scenery, gothic elements- seemingly supernatural events. Traditional morals asserted, women's rights are advocated.
Bio: Ann Ward was born July 9, 1764 in Holborn London to William Ward (a haberdasher) and Ann Oates. She married journalist William Radcliffe in 1787. As her husband often worked late, she began to amuse herself by writing and reading her work to him when he was home. They couple never had any children.
Very little detail is known about Ann's life. The popular poetess, Christina Rossetti once set out to write a biography of Ann, but abandoned it for lack of information. She seldom appeared in public and kept mostly to herself.
She published 6 novels in all, and is considered the founder of Gothic literature. Jane Austen parodied her novel, Mysteries of Udolpho in her own Northanger Abbey.
Ann died on February 7, 1823. Rumors circulated after her death that she was insane, but her husband fervently maintained she died from an asthma attack.
Novels:
The Castles of Athlin and Dunbayne
Gaston de Blondeville
The Italian
The Mysteries of Udolpho
The Romance of the Forest
A Sicilian Romance