Sylvia Townsend Warner

About the Author

Sylvia Townsend Warner was born on December 6th, 1893, to a middle-class family in Harrow-on-the-Hill, England. Though her father was a teacher at the all-boys Harrow School, Warner was homeschooled in her childhood. A gifted musician, Warner started her career as a musicologist, but later became a novelist after moving to London and befriending writers who would later become part of the Bloomsbury set. Her first novel, Lolly Willowes, was published in 1926. In Dorset, Warner met her partner of forty years, the female poet Valentine Ackland. The two women became committed members of the Communist Party, and in 1937, they travelled together to Spain during the Civil War to try to stop the spread of Fascism. Warner’s novels, poetry, and short stories explore themes of feminism, socialism, and homosexuality. After Ackland died of cancer in 1969, Warner remained alone until her own death—of old age—in 1978.

LitCharts guides for works by Sylvia Townsend Warner

Explore LitCharts literature guides for works by Sylvia Townsend Warner. Each guide includes a full summary, detailed analysis, and helpful resources for studying Sylvia Townsend Warner's writing.

The Phoenix

Lord Strawberry, a British aristocrat who collects birds, owns the grandest aviary in Europe. His only missing specimen is a phoenix, so he travels to Arabia in search of the rare bird. There, he f... view guide