The Collected Letters of Ellen Terry

Download or read book The Collected Letters of Ellen Terry written by Katharine Cockin and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ellen Terry (1847–1928) was one of the first modern stars of the British stage. She toured America and Australia and was adored by the public. A transitional figure, Terry straddled both the Victorian and the modern world. The controversies of her private life were numerous: elopement, cohabitation, single-motherhood, multiple marriages – two with significant age differences – yet she maintained the reputation of a thoroughly feminine woman of the age. Terry’s correspondence was both exuberant and extensive. Despite falling victim to selective destruction, the remaining letters provide a fascinating insight into the dynamics of the Victorian theatre, as well as the difficulties of life for a woman maintaining a successful public persona whilst raising two illegitimate children. The collection brings together material from across the world, and includes letters to many famous figures – Bram Stoker and George Bernard Shaw among them – as well as many lesser or unknown recipients who often get the best of Terry’s playful prose. The collection will be of value to those with an interest in Victorian theatre, women’s suffrage and fin-de-siècle literature.