The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall

First published in 1928, this timeless portrayal of lesbian love is now a classic. The thinly disguised story of Hall’s own life, it was banned outright upon publication and almost ruined her literary career.

The Story

“The Well of Loneliness” (1928) follows the life of Stephen Gordon, a woman who identifies as an “invert” (the term used at the time for homosexuality). The novel traces Stephen’s life from birth to adulthood:

Born to wealthy parents in England, Stephen’s father had desperately wanted a son and names her Stephen

From childhood, Stephen feels different, preferring “masculine” activities and clothing

She falls in love with a neighbor, Angela Crossby, who ultimately betrays her

After being rejected by her mother following the discovery of her sexuality, Stephen leaves her ancestral home

She moves to London, then Paris, where she finds community among other “inverts”

During World War I, Stephen serves as an ambulance driver

She meets and falls deeply in love with Mary Llewellyn

Though they build a life together in Paris, Stephen ultimately sacrifices her relationship with Mary, believing Mary would have a better life with a man

The novel ends with Stephen’s heartbreaking decision to push Mary away, leaving herself alone with her “masculinity” and suffering

Literary Significance

One of the first mainstream novels to portray lesbian experience openly and sympathetically

Challenged the literary silence around female homosexuality during a time when such content was heavily censored

Created space for lesbian existence in literature despite its sometimes problematic portrayals

Established a tradition of lesbian literature that later authors could build upon and respond to

Demonstrates early attempts to articulate lesbian identity in an era before modern LGBTQ+ terminology

Cultural and Historical Impact

Censorship and Obscenity Trial: The book was famously banned in the UK immediately after publication in 1928 for “obscene libel.” The resulting obscenity trial brought unprecedented public attention to lesbianism.

Visibility: Despite (or because of) the ban, it made lesbianism visible in public discourse at a time when it was largely unacknowledged

Community Formation: The book became a way for isolated lesbians to recognize themselves and each other

Identity Validation: For many women attracted to other women, it provided the first recognition that they were not alone

Mixed Legacy: The novel’s portrayal of lesbians through the lens of “sexual inversion” theory (the idea that lesbians were essentially male souls in female bodies) is considered outdated and problematic today, yet the emotional truth of the story resonated regardless.

Political Significance

The censorship battle became an early flashpoint in the fight for gay and lesbian rights

Positioned lesbian existence as political by asserting the right to depict lesbian lives in literature

Virginia Woolf, E.M. Forster, and other prominent writers defended the book, linking lesbian representation to broader literary freedom.

Notable Editions

Original Edition – First published in July 1928 by Jonathan Cape in London. Original UK editions are rare collectors’ items due to the subsequent ban.

Pegasus Press Edition – After UK censorship, an English-language edition was published in France by Pegasus Press in 1928. These editions became coveted “forbidden books” smuggled back to England

First American Edition published by Covici Friede in New York in December 1928. Faced legal challenges but ultimately prevailed in court, allowing it to remain in print in the US while banned in the UK

Virago Modern Classics – Virago Press’s 1982 edition with an introduction by Alison Smith played a key role in reclaiming the novel for feminist literary history.. Featured the distinctive green spines of the Virago Modern Classics series

Anniversary Editions: The 50th anniversary edition (1978) helped bring the book back into mainstream awareness. The 75th anniversary edition (2003) included scholarly apparatus contextualizing the novel’s complicated legacy

Digital and Audiobook Versions: Now widely available in multiple formats, removing the access barriers that once made the book difficult to obtain. Various audiobook versions have helped introduce the text to new generations.

The Complex Legacy

Writing in The Times newspaper in 2008, author Jeanette Winterson didn’t mince her words, declaring that “The Well of Loneliness is one of the worst books yet written”.

Professor Laura Doan, co-editor of “Palatable Poison: Critical Perspectives on The Well of Loneliness,” told BBC Culture, “In a way, the function of The Well of Loneliness is to convince you that lesbianism matters – lesbianism matters so much that the government can ban us and silence us, and that works very well to put you on the cultural map.”

In recent years, though, conversation around the novel has been reignited by new debates. This time, the controversy centers less on the book’s content itself and more on how it is interpreted through the lens of 21st-century gender identity politics. A woman who dresses in men’s clothing, adopts a male name, and is portrayed as “midway between the sexes”—could it be that one of the world’s most iconic lesbian novels has actually been a trans novel all along?

At the same time, it’s important to remember that gender expression has always been complex. Radclyffe Hall lived as a woman and described herself in terms we might today associate with a masculine lesbian identity. While fresh interpretations offer valuable insights, they also remind us that not every story of gender nonconformity necessarily points to a trans experience. Sometimes, it simply reflects the wide range of ways women have lived outside traditional norms.

Click here for an admittedly incomplete list of Editions and Revisions.