She

novel by Haggard

Also known as: “She: A History of Adventure”

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In full:: She: A History of Adventure

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She, romantic novel by H. Rider Haggard, published in 1887, about two adventurers who search for a supernatural white queen, Ayesha, or “She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed,” who is the ruler of a lost African city called Kôr. Ayesha has waited for 2,000 years for the reincarnation of her lover, whom she killed out of jealousy. She is beautiful and powerful and finds her reincarnated ideal in Leo Vincey, who is her lover’s descendant. He falls under her spell, and she attempts to make him immortal; she tries to persuade him to pass through a magic fire, but in doing so herself, she ages and crumbles into dust.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Kathleen Kuiper.