Hester

Hester, published in 1883, is a rich Victorian novel by Margaret Oliphant that centers on the fortunes of a family-run bank and its two strong-willed women—Catherine Vernon and her younger relative Hester. Set in a provincial English town, the novel explores themes of female agency, economic power, and generational conflict. Oliphant’s keen social observation and nuanced character development challenge traditional gender roles and make Hester a notable contribution to women’s realist fiction in the 19th century.