Revolution in Antiquity: The Classicizing Fiction of Naomi Mitchison

The writer and activist Naomi Mitchison (1897–1999) came from a prominent establishment family but was member of the Labour Party wife MP. Her work explicitly marked by Russian Revolution, even when she wrote about antiquity. In 1920s 1930s, produced number works historical fiction set in ancient Greece Rome, which were highly regarded at time. use canvas antiquity to experiment with many forms political social radicalism, challenging focus on female sexuality. article discusses four specific representations revolution mobilize agency ways that are themselves unconventional. However, these also invoke Fraserian figure dying king who leads disaster, compromising revolutionary energy. This tension speaks Mitchison’s own contradictory positioning as patrician radical. 1972, however, novel Cleopatra’s People revisits theme stages more successful uprising. is centered sacrificial queen instead king, it enlists mass people, saves hiding its key figures Africa. During her final excursion into antiquity, thus found way press history useful service.