Though these novels were well-received, Burney also faced considerable challenges. The pressure to produce work while balancing her family life and other responsibilities often weighed heavily on her. Her personal life became more complicated after her marriage to François d'Arblay, a French émigré and physician, in 1793. They had three children together, and Fanny’s responsibilities as a wife and mother led her to scale back her writing career.
Diaries and Personal Life
Aside from her novels, Fanny Burney’s diaries have become one of the most celebrated aspects of her literary legacy. Starting in 1768, Burney began keeping a diary, which she continued to write in throughout her life. These diaries are not only invaluable for understanding the literary scene of her time but also provide an intimate look at her personal life, her struggles, and her relationships with family, friends, and prominent figures in society.
One of the most striking aspects of Burney’s diaries is the way she describes her experience as a woman navigating a male-dominated society. The diaries provide candid and insightful reflections on her experiences of love, heartbreak, and social engagement, as well as her personal insecurities and emotional struggles. The diaries also offer glimpses into Burney's deep empathy for the plight of women in her society, which may have influenced the sympathetic portrayal of her female characters.
One of the most poignant entries in Burney's diaries is her description of her surgery in 1811. She had a mastectomy without anesthesia, which she recorded in a detailed and harrowing account. This event, and her resilience in the face of such pain, became a defining moment in Burney’s personal narrative. shutdown123