Sneak Peek: "By Love Possessed"

About this Episode

"By Love Possessed" was hailed at first as the great novel of its decade.  A few months later it was traduced as a symbol of Eisenhower-era 'middle-brow' complacency.  The second verdict stuck.

The problem was its message: it praised acquiescence rather than transformation. It is indeed a 'novel of resignation'. Is that a good thing?