Katharine Burdekin

January 23, 1896 (age 67)

Spondon, Derbyshire, United Kingdom

Burdekin began her literary career in 1922 with Ann Colquhoun, a realistic novel that takes place in Australia. She followed with another realistic tale, The Reasonable Way, which appeared in 1924. Three years later she produced her first science fiction work, The Burning Ring, which features an introverted protagonist who falls into possession of a magic ring that enables him to enter the past. Two years later, Burdekin published The Children’s Country, wherein two Scottish children find themselves in a world where justice is upheld and sexism is absent. Burdekin next produced another realistic novel, Quiet Ways, before she turned again to science fiction with The Rebel Passion, which features, as its protagonist, a medieval monk possessing the soul of a woman. Burdekin issued The Rebel Passion under the name Kay Burdekin. In her subsequent works she assumed the more secretive identity of Murray Constantine. Proud Man, the first of Burdekin’s tales under the Constantine pseudonym, concerns an androgynous space alien who travels from the future and arrives in Britain in the 1930s. The Devil, Poor Devil!, the next of Burdekin’s writings as Constantine, relates the disappointing experiences of Satan when he visits the world and discovers that few people regard him as a real entity. In 1937 Burdekin, still writing as Constantine, published Swastika Night, which is probably her best- known novel. In this tale Burdekin projects a world ruled by Nazis. Here women are maintained in cages and are regarded as suitable only for breeding purposes. In the posthumous End of This Day's Business, which appeared in 1989, Burdekin counters the male-oriented world of Swastika Night with a feminist utopia. Here, however, men realize a measure of happiness even though they are afforded no opportunity for power. Among Burdekin’s other works is Venus in Scorpio: A Romance in Versailles, 1770-1793, a historical novel concerning Marie Antoinette which was written—under the Constantine pseudonym—with Margaret Leland Goldsmith and published in 1940. Burdekin published no further novels in the remaining two decades of her life.

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Works

book

Proud Man

(Originally published in England in 1934, this searing, st...)

1934

Swastika Night

(Published in 1937, twelve years before Orwell's 1984, Swa...)

1937

End Of This Day's Business (One thousand years in the future, women control a utopian...) 1989

Katharine Burdekin

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also known as Katharine Penelope Cade, Kay Burdekin, Murray Constantine

writer

Background

Katharine Burdekin was born on January 23, 1896, in Spondon, Derbyshire, United Kingdom.

Education

Burdekin attended Cheltenham Ladies’ College for 6 years from 1907. She wanted to study at Oxford like her brothers, but her parents did not allow her.

$Education period of Katharine Burdekin in Cheltenham Ladies\u2019 College$

Career

Burdekin began her literary career in 1922 with Ann Colquhoun, a realistic novel that takes place in Australia. She followed with another realistic tale, The Reasonable Way, which appeared in 1924. Three years later she produced her first science fiction work, The Burning Ring, which features an introverted protagonist who falls into possession of a magic ring that enables him to enter the past.

Two years later, Burdekin published The Children’s Country, wherein two Scottish children find themselves in a world where justice is upheld and sexism is absent.

Burdekin next produced another realistic novel, Quiet Ways, before she turned again to science fiction with The Rebel Passion, which features, as its protagonist, a medieval monk possessing the soul of a woman.

Burdekin issued The Rebel Passion under the name Kay Burdekin. In her subsequent works she assumed the more secretive identity of Murray Constantine.

Proud Man, the first of Burdekin’s tales under the Constantine pseudonym, concerns an androgynous space alien who travels from the future and arrives in Britain in the 1930s.

The Devil, Poor Devil!, the next of Burdekin’s writings as Constantine, relates the disappointing experiences of Satan when he visits the world and discovers that few people regard him as a real entity.

In 1937 Burdekin, still writing as Constantine, published Swastika Night, which is probably her best- known novel. In this tale Burdekin projects a world ruled by Nazis. Here women are maintained in cages and are regarded as suitable only for breeding purposes.

In the posthumous End of This Day's Business, which appeared in 1989, Burdekin counters the male-oriented world of Swastika Night with a feminist utopia. Here, however, men realize a measure of happiness even though they are afforded no opportunity for power.

Among Burdekin’s other works is Venus in Scorpio: A Romance in Versailles, 1770-1793, a historical novel concerning Marie Antoinette which was written—under the Constantine pseudonym—with Margaret Leland Goldsmith and published in 1940.

Burdekin published no further novels in the remaining two decades of her life.

Works

book
- Proud Man
  (Originally published in England in 1934, this searing, st...)
  1934
- Swastika Night
  (Published in 1937, twelve years before Orwell's 1984, Swa...)
  1937
- End Of This Day's Business
  (One thousand years in the future, women control a utopian...)
  1989

Connections

Burdekin married Olympic rower and barrister Beaufort Burdekin, in 1915, and they had two daughters - in 1917 and 1920.

husband:: Beaufort Burdekin

Main Photo