History Literature / ARomanceOfTwoWorlds

** Heliobas then inverts the trope, claiming that most women are actually ''not'' delicate, citing the AlphaBitch, ObsessedWithFood, GossipyHens, {{Malicious Slander}}ers (who all have "thin lips and pointed noses"), TheScrooge, TheDitz, and otherwise refined, educated women who recite stuff with DoubleEntendre and UnfortunateImplications.[[note]]He specifically singles out Tennyson's "Rizpah", where a woman loses her mind when her [[UsedToBeASweetKid beloved son]] [[PeerPressureMakesYouEvil runs with the wrong crowd]], and is tried, convicted and hung for a relatively minor crime. She secretly buries his bones in consecrated ground, believing she'll see him again in heaven. It's BasedOnATrueStory [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Lion_Inn,_Shoreham-by-Sea that happened in 1792]] and refers to a very similar story in the Bible ([[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rizpah 2 Samuel 21]]). Why it is considered a coarse tale with "questionable allusions" that "no man would dare to undertake", Corelli only knows. Obviously she was never a mother.[[/note]] While Heliobas is meant to be a wise sage Corelli obviously doesn't want us to see him as perfect. She was also a Creator/WilliamShakespeare scholar and couldn't avoid knowing [[CountryMatters all]] [[GetTheeToANunnery that that implies]].

** Heliobas then inverts the trope, claiming that most women are actually ''not'' delicate, citing the AlphaBitch, ObsessedWithFood, GossipyHens, {{Malicious Slander}}ers (who all have "thin lips and pointed noses"), TheScrooge, TheDitz, and otherwise refined, educated women who recite stuff with DoubleEntendre and UnfortunateImplications.[[note]]He specifically singles out Tennyson's "Rizpah", about a woman who loses her mind when her [[UsedToBeASweetKid beloved son]] [[PeerPressureMakesYouEvil runs with the wrong crowd]], and is tried, convicted and hung for a relatively minor crime. She secretly buries his bones in consecrated ground, believing she'll see him again in heaven. It's based on a story in the Bible (2 Samuel 21). Obviously Corelli was never a mother.[[/note]] While Heliobas is meant to be a wise sage Corelli obviously doesn't want us to see him as perfect. She was also a Creator/WilliamShakespeare scholar and couldn't avoid knowing [[CountryMatters all]] [[GetTheeToANunnery that that implies]].

** This was believed by some Rosicrucians, adapted into Theosophy and evolved into New Age beliefs in [[https://www.google.com/search?q=twin+flame&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8 Twin Flames]] or [[http://www.mojan.com/content/soul-mates-twin-souls/ Twin Rays]], but it goes all the way back to Plato's ''Symposium'' and Sufi sacred texts, and there are hints of it in Judaism [[note]]certain creation legends in the Midrash, also the ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mizpah_(emotional_bond) mizpah]]'' which can also apply to RomanticTwoGirlFriendship -- or two-guy friendship[[/note]] and Transcendentalism. Your twin flame, twin ray or mirror soul is the other half of ''you'' -- you'll merge together and AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence (like [[Film/StarTrekTheMotionPicture Decker and Ilia)]] when your incarnations are complete; your soul''mate'' is important throughout many lifetimes and will always remain close to you, but is a separate person. Zara and the narrator are probably soulmates.

''A Romance of Two Worlds'' is an UrbanFantasy that doubles as a religious treatise on Corelli's form of spirituality -- more or less a blend of Christianity and mysticism or spiritualism (she dismissed the SpookySeance type as nonsense, though). Some NewAge believers promote it as a partly- or mostly-factual account and it was certainly taken seriously by the Rosicrucians and some Theosophists. Corelli's unnamed AuthorAvatar is afflicted with debilitating depression and anxiety. She takes a sabbatical in Cannes to try to lift her spirits. Here, she encounters an Italian artist named Raffaello Cellini, who seems to possess some bizarre power that is gradually improving her health. Cellini refers to her to a mysterious man named Heliobas for further treatment, which begins her journey into finding the truth about the nature of life, God, and the heavens.

[[http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4394 The entire text is online]] in several formats at Project Gutenberg along with all of Marie's other works. See also ''Literature/{{Ardath}}''.

Marie Corelli was a Christian mystic/spiritualist and the author of many other Victorian fantasy-romances. Her stories often had strong [[AnAesop Aesops]] about the hypocrisy of society, unfairness towards women, and cold rationality without compassion or spirituality. She believed in universal health care and women's right to vote. She was either a Lesbian or had a very strong RomanticTwoGirlFriendship with her housemate Bertha Vyver. She wrote of drug addiction in ''Wormwood'', illegitimacy in ''Innocent'' and adapted the Theatre/{{Faust}} legend in ''The Sorrows of Satan'', which was made into a film. She was a friend of Creator/{{Ouida}}.

** Heliobas then inverts the trope, claiming that most women are actually ''not'' delicate, citing the AlphaBitch, ObsessedWithFood, GossipyHens, {{Malicious Slander}}ers (who all have "thin lips and pointed noses"), TheScrooge, TheDitz, and otherwise refined, educated women who recite stuff with DoubleEntendre and UnfortunateImplications.[[note]]He specifically singles out Tennyson's "Rizpah", about a woman who loses her mind when her [[UsedToBeASweetKid beloved son]] [[PeerPressureMakesYouEvil runs with the wrong crowd]], and is tried, convicted and hung for a relatively minor crime. She secretly buries his bones in consecrated ground, believing she'll see him again in heaven. It's based on a story in the Bible (2 Samuel 21). Obviously Corelli was never a mother.[[/note]] While Heliobas is meant to be a wise sage Corelli obviously doesn't want us to see him as perfect. She was also a Creator/WilliamShakespeare scholar and couldn't avoid knowing [[CountryMatters all]] [[GetTheeToANunnery that that]] [[GettingCrapPastTheRadar implies]].

** Heliobas then inverts the trope, claiming that most women are actually ''not'' delicate, citing the AlphaBitch, FatGirl / ObsessedWithFood, GossipyHens, {{Malicious Slander}}ers (who all have "thin lips and pointed noses"), TheScrooge, TheDitz, and otherwise refined, educated women who recite stuff with DoubleEntendre and UnfortunateImplications.[[note]]He specifically singles out Tennyson's "Rizpah", about a woman who loses her mind when her [[UsedToBeASweetKid beloved son]] [[PeerPressureMakesYouEvil runs with the wrong crowd]], and is tried, convicted and hung for a relatively minor crime. She secretly buries his bones in consecrated ground, believing she'll see him again in heaven. It's based on a story in the Bible (2 Samuel 21). Obviously Corelli was never a mother.[[/note]] While Heliobas is meant to be a wise sage Corelli obviously doesn't want us to see him as perfect. She was also a Creator/WilliamShakespeare scholar and couldn't avoid knowing [[CountryMatters all]] [[GetTheeToANunnery that that]] [[GettingCrapPastTheRadar implies]].

* BeautyEqualsGoodness

* GorgeousPeriodDress: to the point of CostumePorn.

* HeterosexualLifePartners: The narrator and Zara, [[spoiler:at least they would have been.]]

* NoNameGiven: The narrator. Could be another reason people think this is autobiographical.

* PurpleProse

* SceneryPorn: Especially the interior of Heliobas' place.

* SelfInsertFic such that many readers still believe some or all of it really happened.
* TakeThatCritics: Happens a ''lot.''
* TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth: [[spoiler:Zara]].
* TragicKeepsake: [[spoiler:Zara's gem.]]
* WomenAreDelicate: The narrator, in her rant to Heliobas, asserts that this is true, but just because women are unable to accomplish what men do doesn't mean they don't aspire to greatness.
** Heliobas then inverts the trope, claiming that most women are actually ''not'' delicate, citing the AlphaBitch, FatGirl / ObsessedWithFood, GossipyHens, {{Malicious Slander}}ers (who all have "thin lips and pointed noses"), TheScrooge, TheDitz, and otherwise refined, educated women who recite stuff with DoubleEntendre and UnfortunateImplications.[[note]]He specifically singles out Tennyson's "Rizpah", about a woman who loses her mind when her [[UsedToBeASweetKid beloved son]] [[PeerPressureMakesYouEvil runs with the wrong crowd]], and is tried, convicted and hung for a relatively minor crime. She secretly buries his bones in consecrated ground, believing she'll see him again in heaven. It's based on a story in the Bible (2 Samuel 21). Obviously Corelli was never a mother.[[/note]] While Heliobas is meant to be a wise sage Corelli obviously doesn't want us to see him as perfect. She was also a UsefulNotes/WilliamShakespeare scholar and couldn't avoid knowing [[CountryMatters all]] [[GetTheeToANunnery that that]] [[GettingCrapPastTheRadar implies]].

** Heliobas then inverts the trope, claiming that most women are actually ''not'' delicate, citing the AlphaBitch, FatGirl / ObsessedWithFood, GossipyHens, {{Malicious Slander}}ers (who all have "thin lips and pointed noses"), TheScrooge, TheDitz, and otherwise refined, educated women who recite stuff with DoubleEntendre and UnfortunateImplications. While Heliobas is meant to be a wise sage Corelli obviously doesn't want us to see him as perfect. She was also a UsefulNotes/WilliamShakespeare scholar and couldn't avoid knowing [[CountryMatters all]] [[GetTheeToANunnery that that]] [[GettingCrapPastTheRadar implies]].

** Heliobas then inverts the trope, claiming that most women are actually ''not'' delicate, citing the AlphaBitch, FatGirl / ObsessedWithFood, GossipyHens, [[MaliciousSlander Malicious Slanderers]] (who all have "thin lips and pointed noses"), TheScrooge, TheDitz, and otherwise refined, educated women who recite stuff with DoubleEntendre and UnfortunateImplications. While Heliobas is meant to be a wise sage Corelli obviously doesn't want us to see him as perfect. She was also a WilliamShakespeare scholar and couldn't avoid knowing [[CountryMatters all]] [[GetTheeToANunnery that that]] [[GettingCrapPastTheRadar implies]].

* VictorianBritain: Although much of the novel takes place in Paris.

** Heliobas then inverts the trope, claiming that most women are actually ''not'' delicate, citing the AlphaBitch, FatGirl / ObsessedWithFood, GossipyHens, [[MaliciousSlander Malicious Slanderers]] (who all have "thin lips and pointed noses"), TheScrooge, TheDitz, and otherwise refined, educated women who recite stuff with DoubleEntendre and UnfortunateImplications. We're not sure if this is entirely an AuthorTract since Corelli was a huge fan of WilliamShakespeare [[CountryMatters with all]] [[GetTheeToANunnery that that]] [[GettingCrapPastTheRadar implies]].

** Heliobas then inverts the trope, claiming that most women are actually ''not'' delicate, citing the AlphaBitch, FatGirl / ObsessedWithFood, GossipyHens, [[MaliciousSlander]]ers (who all have "thin lips and pointed noses"), TheScrooge, TheDitz, and otherwise refined, educated women who recite stuff with DoubleEntendre and UnfortunateImplications. We're not sure if this is entirely an AuthorTract since Corelli was a huge fan of WilliamShakespeare [[CountryMatters with all]] [[GetTheeToANunnery that that]] [[GettingCrapPastTheRadar implies]].

''A Romance of Two Worlds'' is an UrbanFantasy that doubles as a religious treatise on Corelli's form of spirituality -- more or less a blend of Christianity and mysticism or spiritualism (she dismissed the SpookySeance type as nonsense, though). Some NewAge believers promote it as a partly- or mostly-factual account and it was certainly taken seriously by many Theosophists. Corelli's unnamed AuthorAvatar is afflicted with debilitating depression and anxiety. She takes a sabbatical in Cannes to try to lift her spirits. Here, she encounters an Italian artist named Raffaello Cellini, who seems to possess some bizarre power that is gradually improving her health. Cellini refers to her to a mysterious man named Heliobas for further treatment, which begins her journey into finding the truth about the nature of life, God, and the heavens.

* AuthorAvatar: Say, Marie Corelli was a half-Italian improvisational pianist, too. This is probably why some people take much of the book as an autobiography -- plus the Introduction is written by the ''narrator'', and people may mistake it as being by the ''author''.

* FlatEarthAtheist: Even after [[spoiler:being killed by Zara and brought back to life by Heliobas]] using spiritual electricity, Prince Ivan ''still'' doesn't believe in it?

* HeManWomanHater: Heliobas, to some extent. He thinks women and sex are a distraction from work, spiritual and otherwise.

* LightningCanDoAnything
* NoHuggingNoKissing: ''None'' of the main characters' twin flames exist on Earth in the story, so they all remain single in a corporeal sense. There's still plenty of hugging and kissing, but only between [[LesYay the narrator and Zara]].

** This was adapted into Theosophy and evolved into New Age beliefs in [[https://www.google.com/search?q=twin+flame&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8 Twin Flames]] or [[http://www.mojan.com/content/soul-mates-twin-souls/ Twin Rays]], but it goes all the way back to Plato's ''Symposium'' and Sufi sacred texts, and there are hints of it in Judaism [[note]]certain creation legends in the Midrash, also the ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mizpah_(emotional_bond) mizpah]]'' which can also apply to RomanticTwoGirlFriendship -- or two-guy friendship[[/note]] and Transcendentalism. Your twin flame, twin ray or mirror soul is the other half of ''you'' -- you'll merge together and AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence (like [[Film/StarTrekTheMotionPicture Decker and Ilia)]] when your incarnations are complete; your soul''mate'' is important throughout many lifetimes and will always remain close to you, but is a separate person. Zara and the narrator are probably soulmates.

* ScienceMarchesOn: Suffers badly from this. The novel tries to assert that the moon doesn't exist but is really an elaborate hologram and that Jupiter and Saturn are inhabited by advanced humanoid races.
* SelfInsertFic such that many readers still believe some or all of it really happened.

[[Marie Corelli]]'s first novel, published in 1886.

''A Romance of Two Worlds'' is an urban fantasy that doubles as a religious treatise on Corelli's form of spirituality -- more or less a blend of Christianity and mysticism or spiritualism (she dismissed the SpookySeance type as nonsense, though). Some NewAge believers promote it as a partly- or mostly-factual account and it was certainly taken seriously by many Theosophists. Corelli's unnamed AuthorAvatar is afflicted with debilitating depression and anxiety. She takes a sabbatical in Cannes to try to lift her spirits. Here, she encounters an Italian artist named Raffaello Cellini, who seems to possess some bizarre power that is gradually improving her health. Cellini refers to her to a mysterious man named Heliobas for further treatment, which begins her journey into finding the truth about the nature of life, God, and the heavens.

Marie Corelli's first novel, published in 1886.

''A Romance of Two Worlds'' is an urban fantasy that doubles as a religious treatise on Corelli's form of spirituality -- more or less a blend of Christianity and spiritualism. Some NewAge believers promote it as a mostly-factual account. Corelli's AuthorAvatar is afflicted with debilitating depression and anxiety. She takes a sabbatical in Cannes to try to lift her spirits. Here, she encounters an Italian artist named Raffaello Cellini, who seems to possess some bizarre power that is gradually improving her health. Cellini refers to her to a mysterious man named Heliobas for further treatment, which begins her journey into finding the truth about the nature of life, God, and the heavens.

[[http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4394 The entire text is online]] in several formats at Project Gutenberg. See also ''Literature/{{Ardath}}''.

324dMarie Corelli's first novel, published in 1886.

Marie Corelli was a Christian mystic/spiritualist and the author of many other Victorian fantasy-romances. Her stories often had strong [[AnAesop Aesops]] about the hypocrisy of society, unfairness towards women, and cold rationality without compassion or spirituality. She believed in universal health care and women's right to vote. She wrote of drug addiction in ''Wormwood'', illegitimacy in ''Innocent'' and adapted the Theatre/{{Faust}} legend in ''The Sorrows of Satan'', which was made into a film. She was a friend of Creator/{{Ouida}}.

* AuthorAvatar: Say, Marie Corelli was a half-Italian improvisational pianist, too. This is probably why some people take much of the book literally.

* NoNameGiven: The narrator.

** This was adapted into Theosophy and evolved into New Age beliefs in [[https://www.google.com/search?q=twin+flame&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8 Twin Flames]] or [[http://www.mojan.com/content/soul-mates-twin-souls/ Twin Rays]], but it goes all the way back to Plato's ''Symposium'' and there are hints of it in Judaism [[note]]certain creation legends in the Midrash, also the ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mizpah_(emotional_bond) mizpah]]'' which can also apply to RomanticTwoGirlFriendship -- or two-guy friendship[[/note]] and Transcendentalism. Your twin flame, twin ray or mirror soul is the other half of ''you'' -- you'll merge together and AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence (like [[Film/StarTrekTheMotionPicture Decker and Ilia)]] when your incarnations are complete; your soul''mate'' is important throughout many lifetimes and will always remain close to you, but is a separate person. Zara and the narrator are probably soulmates.

Marie Corelli was a Christian mystic/spiritualist and the author of many other Victorian fantasy-romances. Her stories often had strong [[AnAesop Aesops]] about the hypocrisy of society, unfairness towards women, and cold rationality without compassion or spirituality. She believed in universal health care and women's right to vote. She wrote of drug addiction in ''Wormwood'', illegitimacy in ''Innocent'' and adapted the Theatre/{{Faust}} legend in ''The Sorrows of Satan'', which was made into a film.

Marie Corelli was the author of many other Victorian fantasy-romances. Her stories often had strong [[AnAesop Aesops]] about the hypocrisy of society, unfairness towards women, and cold rationality without compassion or spirituality. She believed in universal health care and women's right to vote. She wrote of drug addiction in ''Wormwood'', illegitimacy in ''Innocent'' and adapted the Theatre/{{Faust}} legend in ''The Sorrows of Satan'', which was made into a film.

Marie Corelli's first novel, published in 1886.

[[http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4394 The entire text is online]] in several formats at Project Gutenberg.

* DoingItForTheArt: Heliobas' sister Zara makes her exquisite statues for self-expression only. The idea of selling or exhibiting them revolts her. In fact, before the end, she makes the narrator promise to destroy her unfinished masterwork. Good thing she's independently wealthy. Perhaps more understandably, Heliobas does all his medical work for free, while Cellini sells his pictures but gives most of the money to charity. The author of the "Letters from a Dead Musician" was so in awe of the Platonic idea of Music that he ended up not daring to compose or play a note.

** This was adapted into Theosophy's [[https://www.google.com/search?q=twin+flame&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8 Twin Flames]] or [[http://www.mojan.com/content/soul-mates-twin-souls/ Twin Rays]], but it goes all the way back to Plato's ''Symposium'' and there are hints of it in Judaism [[note]]certain creation legends in the Midrash, also the ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mizpah_(emotional_bond) mizpah]]'' which can also apply to RomanticTwoGirlFriendships -- or two-guy friendships[[/note]] and Transcendentalism. It's in many New Age faiths today. Your twin flame, twin ray or mirror soul is the other half of ''you'' -- you'll merge together and AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence (like [[Film/StarTrekTheMotionPicture Decker and Ilia)]] when your incarnations are complete; your soul''mate'' is important throughout many lifetimes and will always remain close to you, but is a separate person. Zara and the narrator are probably soulmates.

* AuthorAvatar: Say, Marie Corelli was a half-Italian improvisational pianist, too. Hmmmm...

* DoggedNiceGuy: Prince Ivan, who's in love with Zara and determined to marry her. Unfortunately, she's "engaged" to her soulmate, who is in the spirit world and just waiting for her to get there.

* GorgeousPeriodDress

* InformedAttribute: Heliobas' kindness. He usually comes off as a bit of a JerkAss.

* NoHuggingNoKissing: ''None'' of the main characters' soulmates exist on Earth in the story, so they all remain single in a corporeal sense. There's still plenty of hugging and kissing, but only between [[LesYay the narrator and Zara]].

* RedStringOfFate: According to Corelli's doctrine, every soul is destined to be with one other and him or her ''only.'' Any other relationship is doomed to fail. If your soulmate happens to be dead, you'll only reunite with them in the afterlife, so you're pretty much stuck being asexual here on Earth.
** This is adapted from Theosophy's [[https://www.google.com/search?q=twin+flame&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8 Twin Flames]] or [[http://www.mojan.com/content/soul-mates-twin-souls/ Twin Rays]], which got it from Plato's ''Symposium''. It's in many other New Age faiths. Your twin flame or twin ray is the other half of your soul; you'll merge together (like [[Film/StarTrekTheMotionPicture Decker and Ilia)]] when your incarnations are complete; your soulmate is important throughout many lifetimes and will always remain close to you, but is a separate person.

** This is adapted from Theosophy's [[https://www.google.com/search?q=twin+flame&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8 Twin Flames]] or [[http://www.mojan.com/content/soul-mates-twin-souls/ Twin Rays]], which got it from Plato's ''Symposium''. It's in many other New Age faiths. Your twin flame or twin ray is the other half of your soul; you'll merge together (like [[StarTrekTheMotionPicture Decker and Ilia)]] when your incarnations are complete; your soulmate is important throughout many lifetimes and will always remain close to you, but is a separate person.

''A Romance of Two Worlds'' is an urban fantasy that doubles as a religious treatise on Corelli's form of spirituality -- more or less a blend of Christianity and spiritism. Some NewAge believers promote it as a mostly-factual account. Corelli's AuthorAvatar is afflicted with debilitating depression and anxiety. She takes a sabbatical in Cannes to try to lift her spirits. Here, she encounters an Italian artist named Raffaello Cellini, who seems to possess some bizarre power that is gradually improving her health. Cellini refers to her to a mysterious man named Heliobas for further treatment, which begins her journey into finding the truth about the nature of life, God, and the heavens.

* DoingItForTheArt: Zara makes her exquisite statues for self-expression only. The idea of selling or exhibiting them revolts her. In fact, before the end, she makes the narrator promise to destroy her unfinished masterwork. Good thing she's independently wealthy. Perhaps more understandably, Heliobas does all his medical work for free, while Cellini sells his pictures but gives most of the money to charity. The author of the "Letters from a Dead Musician" was so in awe of the Platonic idea of Music that he ended up not daring to compose or play a note.
* DoggedNiceGuy: Prince Ivan

* HeManWomanHater: Heliobas, to some extent.

** This is adapted from Theosophy's Twin Flames or Twin Rays, which got it from Plato's ''Symposium''. It's in many other New Age faiths. Other relationships are important through many lifetimes, but your soulmate is the one you'll join with when your incarnations are complete.

* SelfInsertFic

* TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth: [[spoiler:Zara]]

----

* LesYay: The narrator and Zara, so much that the fact that they aren't soulmates seems to modern readers like a [[StrangledByTheRedString cop-out]]. In Corelli's day, however, this was probably seen as a strong and devoted RomanticFriendship.
-->"Be my friend," she said, with a caressing inflection in her rich voice, "I have no friends of my own sex, and I wish to love you..."

''A Romance of Two Worlds'' is an urban fantasy that doubles as a religious treatise on Corelli's form of spirituality -- more or less a blend of Christianity and spiritism. Corelli's AuthorAvatar is afflicted with debilitating depression and anxiety and takes a sabbatical in Cannes to try to lift her spirits. Here, she encounters an Italian artist named Raffaello Cellini, who seems to possess some bizarre power that is gradually improving her health. Cellini refers to her to a mysterious man named Heliobas for further treatment, which begins her journey into finding the truth about the nature of life, God, and the heavens.

* LesYay: The narrator and Zara, so much that the fact that they aren't soulmates seems like a [[StrangledByTheRedString cop-out]].