Book Description

"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, and has become an icon of Victorian womanhood. 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 addressees - 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 siecle literature."--Publisher's description.