With the explosive growth of periodicals and the decline of the three-volume novel, the short story became an invaluable venue for women writers to address controversial issues that might otherwise have been concealed. With gender concerns widely and forcefully debated at century’s end, these authors contested prevailing opinions that foreclosed possibilities and opportunities. The stories in this book study significant problems in relationships with men, primarily focused on the institution of Victorian marriage. The book examines the intriguing work of numerous authors, including George Egerton, Sarah Grand, Ella D’Arcy and Olive Schreiner, who focused an illuminating lens on the gender controversy that shaped the late century.