“It is a mysterious thing, the loss of faith—as mysterious as faith itself.”

A Clergyman’s Daughter tells the story of Dorothy Hare, the dutiful daughter of a tyrannical rector, whose life is turned upside down when she finds herself on the streets of London, destitute, with no memory of who she is, how she got there, or where she has come from. In this state, Dorothy scrabbles for survival; sleeping rough with down-and-outs in London, doing back-breaking work in the hop fields of Kent and teaching at an unlicensed private school in the suburbs for meagre wages.

As her memory gradually returns, Dorothy’s faith is challenged by all that she has experienced in this new life, and she is forced to confront and re-evaluate her beliefs.

Through Dorothy's experiences, Orwell offers social commentary on poverty, unemployment, and the challenges faced by individuals, particularly women, in navigating a society with limited social mobility.

Born Eric Arthur Blair, George Orwell (1903-1950) was a British novelist, essayist, and critic famous for his insightful social and political commentary. His personal engagement with real world issues imbues his work with a sense of social conscience that continues to resonate with listeners, and his two most famous novels, Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four, continue to captivate audiences worldwide.