George Egerton

Mary Chavelita Dunne Bright (née Mary Chavelita Dunne, formerly Higginson and Clairmonte; 14 December 1859 – 12 August 1945), better known by her pen name George Egerton (pronounced Edg'er-ton), was an Irish writer of short stories, novels, plays and translations, noted for her psychological probing, innovative narrative techniques, and outspokenness about women's need for freedom, including sexual freedom. Egerton is widely considered to be one of the most important writers in the late nineteenth century New Woman movement, and a key exponent of early modernism in English-language literature. Egerton referred to herself throughout her life as "intensely Irish".

Early life

Egerton was born Mary Chavelita Dunne in 4 December 1859 at a British Army base in Melbourne, Colony of Victoria to Captain John Joseph Dunne (1837–1910), an Irish Catholic army officer, writer and member of the Home Rule movement, and Isabel Dunne (née George-Bynon; 1833–1875), a Welsh Protestant. The eldest of six siblings, Egerton was raised in a Catholic household.

The family lived in Australia, New Zealand and Chile before returning to Dublin when Egerton was 11 years old. In Ireland, Egerton was educated at a private Catholic school. Following the death of her mother in 1875, Egerton was sent to school in Germany. Returning to Ireland in 1877 to care for her younger brothers and sisters, Egerton later trained as a nurse in London.

In 1884, Egerton went to America in order to find work. Egerton spent two years in New York in an abortive attempt to earn money to support her father, brothers and sisters. Failing at this endeavour (though some of her experiences in the USA would serve as inspiration for her 1898 novel The Wheel of God), she returned to live in England.