author
C. (Cecile) Goekoop-de Jong van Beek en Donk
1866–1944
A pioneering Dutch novelist and feminist, she used fiction to challenge the narrow roles available to women in her time. Her best-known work, Hilda van Suylenburg, became a landmark in the Dutch women’s movement.
1 Audiobook
Hilda van Suylenburg
by C. (Cecile) Goekoop-de Jong van Beek en Donk
About the author
Born in Alkmaar in 1866, Cécile Goekoop-de Jong van Beek en Donk grew up in an aristocratic Dutch family and became known as both a writer and an outspoken feminist. She published novels, essays, and articles that explored women’s independence, education, and social expectations.
Her 1897 novel Hilda van Suylenburg brought her lasting recognition. The book’s portrayal of a woman seeking a fuller intellectual and professional life struck a chord and is widely remembered as an important feminist novel in the Netherlands.
After her first marriage to Adriaan Goekoop ended, she lived for periods in France and later married again. She died in Méréville, France, in 1944, leaving behind work that still stands out for its social courage and clear sympathy for women trying to shape their own lives.