Studying a period of German literary history the text examines the social and cultural milieu of 19th-century women writers, along with the layers of interpretation and representation that inform their writing. The text demonstrates that these writings offer opportunities to examine such critical topics as canon formation; the relationship between gender, class, and popular culture; and women, professionalism and technology. The writers range from Annette von Droste-Hulshoff, who worked her way into the German canon, to the popular serial novelist writer, E. Marlitt. The text shows, through investigation into their work, ambiguities, compromises and subversions.