The Old Wives’ Tale

The Old Wives’ Tale by Arnold Bennett (1908) is a richly detailed novel that follows the contrasting lives of two sisters, Constance and Sophia Baines, over several decades, from their youth in a provincial English town to their old age.Constance stays in their hometown of Bursley, leading a quiet, dutiful life running the family drapery business. Sophia, in contrast, rebels against convention, elopes to Paris, and experiences a turbulent, more dramatic life, including surviving the Siege of Paris during the Franco-Prussian War.Despite their very different paths, the novel explores how both women endure love, loss, aging, and societal change. It offers a profound reflection on the passage of time, the resilience of women, and the seemingly ordinary yet complex lives people lead.The title refers to the idea that the stories of so-called 'old wives' are filled with quiet wisdom and hidden depth.