“Affinity” (1999) by Sarah Waters As an Experimental Historiographic Novel

Abstract. The article deals with the original historiographic experiment in the novel “Affinity” (1999) by contemporary British writer Sarah Waters, a professional historian, an author of several neo-Victorian novels. Historiographical key of the novel is already demonstrated by scholars pointing to the use of both historical documents and contemporary intellectual frames of thought in the novel. The focus is on the representation of the Victorian prison Millbank, built under the plan of Bentham; the meaning of surveillance implemented in the prison, regarding the well-known concept of Michel Foucault. These views can be supplemented by observations of the Waters’ experiment: postmodern historiographical “rewriting” of history is given not only by indirect of self-reflexivity and intertextuality recognized by the reader but in the narrative form of diary entries, the raw material for the future historical and social essay. This unfinished form which does not appear to be canonical gives way to affective response to being in prison, and to a detailed description of the mundane life practices of womenprisoners of Millbank in particular.

Keywords: historiographical novel, neo-victorian novel, Millbank, historical and sociological essay, women prisoners, Sarah Waters, “Affinity”.