Loneliness

The sixth and final of Robert Hugh Benson's "mainstream" novels, "Loneliness", published posthumously in 1915, examines the life of a woman who sacrifices everything to be accepted by people who can see her only in terms of her singing ability and the roles she plays on the stage. They abandon her when she can no longer fit into their preconceived ideas.

This is a novel about renunciation. A young singer is forced to choose between her religion (Catholicism) and the man she loves (a tepid Anglican). Which will leave her more lonely?

"Loneliness" may be Benson's least known, yet one of his most insightful — and entertaining — novels. It highlights the tendency to judge people for what they can do for us, rather than their value as human beings.