What is the theme in Desert Queen: The Extraordinary Life of Gertrude Bell, Adventurer, Adviser to Kings, Ally of Lawrence of Arabia by Janet Wallach?

Female independence in the Victorian age is an important theme in this story. Gertrude is a misfit in the Victorian world into which she is born. During this time period, girls are reared to become wives and mothers and to do their jobs dutifully, never expecting more from life than to care for their families. Women in the Victorian Age are typically represented by repressed women who have no outlets for their emotions, passions and creativity.