‘The air of an early muse’: The Visionary Fictions of Ann Scott-Moncrieff

Abstract: This article offers the first sustained critical consideration of four short stories by Ann Scott-Moncrieff which were published posthumously in Chapman magazine (Spring 1987). In presenting synopses and close readings of ‘The Longest Day’, ‘Strong Girl’, ‘Threesome’ and ‘Nothatus’, I make a claim for Scott-Moncrieff’s (now largely overlooked) place within the ‘Renaissance’ project of cultural renewal during the inter-war era. I contend that an active politics and religious belief are two clear strands of Scott-Moncrieff’s writing and argue that her exploration of girlhood, nationhood and sexual politics are especially fresh and welcome interventions within the literary landscape of revival. Ultimately, this article makes the case for renewed critical attention to Scott-Moncrieff’s writing for an adult market.