ABSTRACT

Margaret Oliphant articulated her views on marriage and women's place within it, on divorce and on other issues related to what became known as the 'Woman Question'. This chapter examines her articles on the 'Woman Question' written over a period of nearly four decades. It focuses on two powerful novels written in the, The Ladies Lindores and its sequel, the novella Lady Car, which reflect contemporary views on marriage, the impact of recent reforms to women's legal position and the limited power of women to resist societal pressures and the demands of family. Oliphant's articles confirm that she was attuned to the political issues of her day which concerned women, the campaigns, petitions and the ongoing legislative reforms. Oliphant, in her articles on the 'Woman Question', supported the reform of married women's property law and recognized that in certain cases, marriages must end in divorce or separation.