The Old Wives' Tale

"The Old Wives' Tale," a novel by Arnold Bennett published in 1908, follows the contrasting lives of sisters Constance and Sophia Baines from their youth in their mother’s draper’s shop to their experiences in old age. Spanning from approximately 1840 to 1905, the narrative unfolds in Burslem and Paris across four parts: "Mrs. Baines," "Constance," "Sophia," and "What Life Is." The story explores themes of family dynamics, personal choices, and the socio-cultural landscape of their time, beginning with the sisters' adolescence and their differing paths as one elopes and the other marries.