Victorian Actress in the Novel and on the Stage

This book explores how Victorian novels and plays used the actress to define their own place within and among genres and in relation to audiences, shaping the position of the actress in Victorian culture. It traces how this cultural history led actresses to appropriate the pen themselves by becoming suffragette playwrights, writing new social roles for women.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 264 pages
Publication date: 31 August 2020
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press

This book examines how Victorian novels and plays used the actress, a significant figure for the relationship between women and the public sphere, to define their own place within and among genres and in relation to audiences. It provides new understandings of how the novel and theatre developed, exploring how their representations shaped the position of the actress in Victorian culture with regard to her authenticity, her ability to foster sympathetic bonds, and her relationships to social class and the domestic sphere. The book traces how this cultural history led actresses to appropriate the pen themselves by becoming suffragette playwrights, thereby writing new social roles for women.

Key Features:

Traces the actress as a figure in social and literary struggles, and examines the interrelations between these fields as they informed each other

Traces a genealogy of Victorian cultural attitudes toward actresses that culminated in the centrality of the theater and actresses in the early-twentieth-century women's suffrage movement

Redresses Victorian theater's neglect in literary study, treating the theater not only as a figure in the Victorian imagination, but also as an active participant in the literary culture of its time

Provides new analyses of the melodramatic and realistic mechanisms through which Victorian novels and theater established authenticity and sympathy

The book begins by examining the historical context of the actress in Victorian society. Women were largely excluded from the public sphere, and the actress was a key figure in breaking down these barriers. The book then explores the various representations of the actress in Victorian novels and plays, including her role as a social outsider, a sexual object, and a moral guide.

One of the key themes of the book is the actress's authenticity. Miller argues that the actress was often portrayed as a false or fraudulent figure, and that this portrayal was used to undermine her credibility and authority. She argues that this portrayal was a result of the Victorian society's belief in the importance of social class and the domestic sphere, and that actresses were often seen as threats to these institutions.

To address this issue, Miller explores the ways in which actresses appropriated the pen themselves. She argues that actresses used their writing to challenge the dominant social and cultural norms of their time, and to create new social roles for women. She provides examples of actresses who wrote plays that addressed issues such as women's rights, social inequality, and the role of women in the family.

Another key theme of the book is the actress's ability to foster sympathetic bonds with her audience. Miller argues that the actress was able to create a sense of intimacy and connection with her audience through her performance, and that this ability was essential to the success of Victorian theater. She provides examples of actresses who were able to create powerful and memorable performances, and who were able to connect with their audience on a personal level.

However, Miller also argues that the actress's ability to foster sympathetic bonds was limited by the Victorian society's belief in the importance of social class and the domestic sphere. She argues that actresses were often seen as threats to these institutions, and that this led to a lack of support for their work. She provides examples of actresses who were forced to leave the theater or who were unable to find work due to their social status.

In addition to these themes, the book also explores the actress's relationships to social class and the domestic sphere. Miller argues that the actress's position in society was often determined by her social class, and that this position had a significant impact on her work. She provides examples of actresses who were able to use their social status to their advantage, and who were able to create successful careers. She also provides examples of actresses who were unable to use their social status to their advantage, and who were forced to work in low-paying jobs or to rely on charity.

One of the most interesting aspects of the book is Miller's analysis of the melodramatic and realistic mechanisms through which Victorian novels and theater established authenticity and sympathy. She argues that these mechanisms were used to create a sense of emotional connection with the audience, and that they were essential to the success of Victorian theater. She provides examples of plays that used these mechanisms to great effect, and she argues that these mechanisms are still relevant today.

In conclusion, this book is a fascinating exploration of the actress in Victorian novels and plays. It provides new understandings of how the novel and theatre developed, and it explores the various representations of the actress in these works. It also provides new analyses of the melodramatic and realistic mechanisms through which Victorian novels and theater established authenticity and sympathy. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in the history of the actress, or in the relationship between women and the public sphere.

Weight: 406g
Dimension: 156 x 233 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781474439503