Nineteenth century French writer, journalist, and social activist André Léo published over a dozen novels throughout the course of her lifetime. Her novel

first appeared in 1868 in serial form in

and was published as a complete work the following year.

recounts the story of Aline de Maurignan, a young upper-class woman determined to advocate for women’s rights. After learning about marriage’s role in female subordination from her sister Suzanne, Aline realizes that her fiancé considers her inferior and would not respect her independence once they married. Aline therefore calls off their engagement and dons masculine clothing, presenting as Ali de Maurion, a Frenchman traveling with his father in Switzerland. There Ali meets and becomes…

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Citation: Tilger, Lauren. "Aline-Ali". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 17 April 2017 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=35745, accessed 22 November 2024.]