In the context of the Hauptseminar “19th century sensation novels” we looked – among other texts – at two different sensation novels, one of them being Mary Elizabeth Braddon’s “Lady Audley’s Secret”, a sensation novel published in 1862. The sensation novel is a phenomenon originating in the 1860s and was mostly written for a great public. The aim was to evoke an intense as well as rather shocking response and strong feelings by dealing with subjects like mystery inside the domestic sphere. The sensation novel also went against common standards and taboos concerning class boundaries and the gender roles with actually no moral or didactic purpose.
This term paper does not only deal with the novel “Lady Audley’s Secret” as a sensation novel but examines it - together with Braddon’s other novel “Aurora Floyd” - in the context of Victorian Femininity. Firstly, I will give a short overview of the historical background of the so-called “Victorian Era” and a more detailed view of “Victorian Femininity”. Since the focus of this term paper is on femininity and the role of women, I will not go further into economics and expansion during the “Victorian Era”, but portray political events which were important for women at that time. This is followed by a description of the role of 19th century women in the domestic and public sphere, as well as an insight into education and work. Subsequently, the development of this gender role throughout this time is brought up in relation to an essay by Eliza Lynn Linton called “The Girl of the Period”.
Secondly, a short overview over Mary Elizabeth Braddon’s life and work is presented and reflected for it is rather uncommon for the Victorian Era in which she lived. Afterwards the plots of the two novels “Lady Audley’s Secret” and “Aurora Floyd” are presented and analysed in regard to traditional features of the detective novel and the idea of mystery in the novel. The summary of the two novels also serves as a background for further examination of the main protagonists, which, on the one hand, takes place later on in chapter 4.2 and 5.2 and, on the other hand, in chapter 6 where the characters will be compared and reflected in the context of Victorian Femininity. The term paper is concluded by a summary and a bibliography.
Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Victorian Era and Victorian Femininity
2.1. Historical Background
2.2 Victorian Femininity:
2.2.1 The Domestic Sphere
2.2.2 The Public Sphere
2.2.3 Work and Education
2.3 “The Girl of the Period”
3. Mary Elizabeth Braddon’s Life and Work
4. “Lady Audley’s Secret”
4.1 The Construction of the Plot
4.2. Helen Maldon
5. “Aurora Floyd”
5.1 The Construction of the Plot
5.2 Aurora Floyd
6. Aurora Floyd and Lady Audley in the Context of Victorian Femininity
7. Summary
8. Bibliography
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines Mary Elizabeth Braddon's sensation novels "Lady Audley's Secret" and "Aurora Floyd" within the framework of Victorian femininity, analyzing how both heroines challenge the social constraints, gender roles, and moral expectations imposed on women during the 19th century.
- The historical context of the Victorian Era and the definition of Victorian femininity.
- The literary phenomenon of the sensation novel and its subversion of traditional tropes.
- The characterization of the "Girl of the Period" versus the "Angel in the House".
- Comparative analysis of how Lady Audley and Aurora Floyd navigate and violate gender norms.
- The role of madness and criminality as representations of the "improper feminine" in Victorian literature.
Excerpt from the Book
4.2. Helen Maldon
The heroine of Mary Elizabeth Braddon’s first sensation novel is Lady Audley, formerly Helen Maldon, who tries to conceal her secret of committing bigamy and feigns her own death. Throughout the story, she takes on different identities, which I will analyse in the following section.
Lady Audley, wife of Sir Audley, rose in class by getting married to the rich land-owner. She is described as very beautiful woman with a childish appearance who “was immediately established as the belle of the county […] admired and caressed wherever she went.”45.
Before marrying Sir Michael Audley, Lady Audley, formerly Lucy Graham, worked as a governess for a rich family, as many childless and unmarried women, who had to earn their living, did in Victorian times. There, she was very devoted to her work and “everybody, high and low, united in declaring that Lucy Graham was the sweetest girl that ever lived”46.
Within her marriage, Lady Audley is a loving and devoted wife to her husband and as well adored herself by him. But also Robert Audley adores her, as he states: “She is the prettiest little creature you ever saw in your life, George,” he (Robert) cried, […] “Such blue eyes, such ringlets, such a ravishing smile, such a fairy-like bonnet […] I am falling in love with my aunt.”47.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the research focus on sensation novels by Braddon and the exploration of Victorian femininity through the novels "Lady Audley's Secret" and "Aurora Floyd".
2. The Victorian Era and Victorian Femininity: Provides a historical overview of the era and outlines the social expectations placed on women within domestic and public spheres.
2.1. Historical Background: Discusses the reign of Queen Victoria, industrial expansion, and the political fight for women's suffrage.
2.2 Victorian Femininity: Analyzes the dichotomy of the "Angel in the House" and the reality of women's lives across different social classes.
2.2.1 The Domestic Sphere: Examines the role of the wife and mother, and the lack of financial and legal independence for women.
2.2.2 The Public Sphere: Describes the limited acceptable public roles for women, primarily focused on charitable "mission" work.
2.2.3 Work and Education: Addresses the limited professional opportunities for women, such as governess work, and the gendered access to education.
2.3 “The Girl of the Period”: Explores E. Lynn Linton’s critique of modern 1860s women who rejected traditional domesticity.
3. Mary Elizabeth Braddon’s Life and Work: Gives a biographical summary of the author and her unconventional path to literary success.
4. “Lady Audley’s Secret”: Introduces the narrative of Braddon’s 1862 success and its combination of mystery and domestic crime.
4.1 The Construction of the Plot: Analyzes the bigamy narrative and the detective elements surrounding the character's mysterious past.
4.2. Helen Maldon: Investigates the protagonist's identity shifts and her complex subversion of the "Angel in the House" ideal.
5. “Aurora Floyd”: Presents Braddon’s second sensation novel and its exploration of rule-breaking by the female protagonist.
5.1 The Construction of the Plot: Details the narrative structure, focusing on the protagonist's hidden past and the mystery of the murder at Mellish Park.
5.2 Aurora Floyd: Discusses the character's physical description and her rejection of traditional feminine behavior in favor of "masculine" interests.
6. Aurora Floyd and Lady Audley in the Context of Victorian Femininity: Contrasts the two protagonists in their development and their ultimate relationship to the society that judges them.
7. Summary: Recaps the main findings regarding how these novels portray the subversion and eventual taming of "improper" feminine behaviors.
8. Bibliography: Lists the primary and secondary sources utilized for this research.
Keywords
Victorian Femininity, Mary Elizabeth Braddon, Lady Audley's Secret, Aurora Floyd, Sensation Novel, Bigamy, Domestic Sphere, Gender Roles, Girl of the Period, Angel in the House, Victorian Era, Female Identity, Detective Fiction, Social Boundaries, Madness
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research paper?
The paper explores the literary representation of femininity in Mary Elizabeth Braddon's sensation novels "Lady Audley's Secret" and "Aurora Floyd" within the social context of the Victorian Era.
Which specific themes characterize the Victorian femininity analyzed here?
Central themes include the distinction between the domestic and public spheres, the ideal of the "Angel in the House," and the transgressive nature of the "Girl of the Period."
What is the central research question?
The paper investigates how the protagonists Lady Audley and Aurora Floyd navigate, violate, and ultimately relate to the strict social and gendered boundaries of Victorian society.
What scientific or academic methods are applied?
The author uses a literary-historical approach, combining biographical context, analysis of contemporary essays (like E. Lynn Linton's "The Girl of the Period"), and close reading of the novels' plots and character development.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main sections cover the historical background of the 19th century, Braddon's life and work, detailed plot analyses of both novels, and a comparative study of the two heroines.
What are the primary keywords describing this work?
Key terms include Victorian Femininity, Sensation Novel, Bigamy, Domestic Sphere, Gender Roles, and the "Angel in the House" trope.
How is "madness" utilized in the narrative of "Lady Audley's Secret"?
Braddon employs the diagnosis of madness as a narrative tool to handle the "improper feminine," effectively removing the dangerous protagonist from Victorian society to preserve the status quo.
Does Aurora Floyd successfully rebel against Victorian standards?
While Aurora displays "fast" and unconventional behavior throughout the novel, the narrative concludes by "taming" her, leading her to adopt a more modest, compliant role, which the paper identifies as a form of social containment.
How does the author characterize the contrast between Lucy and the two heroines?
Lucy serves as a literary foil, representing the ideal Victorian woman—blond, modest, and content—which highlights the "improper" nature of the dark-haired, restless protagonists.
- Quote paper
- Eveline Podgorski (Author), 2006, Mary Elizabeth Braddon's "Lady Audley's Secret" and "Aurora Floyd" in the Context of Victorian Femininity, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/119432
