Daisy Chain, The

Definition

The Daisy Chain (1856) is one of the most abidingly popular novels of Charlotte M. Yonge (1823–1901). First serialized in The Monthly Packet, the High Church Anglican periodical Yonge edited, it became one of her best-loved and most-reprinted works and (unlike many others) has largely stayed in print. The Daisy Chain offers a vivid depiction of provincial upper-middle-class family life in the 1850s and especially of the differing educational experiences of boys and girls. Its plot is heavily concerned with questions of faith, doubt, vocation, and missionary work, and as such offers a valuable insight into the mid-Victorian Anglican revival. In recent years, its exploration of disability has also been highlighted by critics, as has its ambivalent treatment of the marriage plot.

Introduction

The Daisy Chain (1856) is one of the most abidingly popular novels of Charlotte M. Yonge (1823–1901). First serialized in The Monthly Packet, the Anglican periodical Yonge edited, and...