{review} east lynne

Ellen (Mrs Henry) Wood East Lynne (1860-1).

What a 'sensational' read! Fleeing poverty, the Lady Isabel marries a man whom she doesn't love enough and thus becomes fair game for an evil seducer. Leaving her children and her home, she lives in sin on the Continent until, abandoned, reduced (again) to penury, and disfigured in a shocking train accident, she returns incognito to her husband's home disguised as a lowly governess -- just in time to nurse her dying child.

The very hour of her departure she awoke to what she had done: the guilt, whose aspect had been shunned in the prospective, assumed at once its true, frightful colour, the blackness of darkness; and a lively remorse, a never dying anguish, took possession of her soul forever. Oh, reader, believe me! Lady -- wife -- mother! should you ever be tempted to abandon your home, so will you awake. Whatever trials may be the lot of your married life, though they may magnify themselves to your crushed spirit as beyond the endurance of woman to bear, resolve to bear them; fall down upon your knees and pray to be enabled to bear them: pray for patience; pray for strength to resist the demon that would urge you so to escape; bear unto death, rather than forfeit your fair name and your good conscience; for be assured that the alternative, if you do rush on to it, will be found far worse than death.

Lady Isabel's cautionary tale is woven through by other equally interesting stories - murder, mistaken identity, village life, electioneering and many lesser love stories.

'Did you ever hear that it was necessary, or expedient, or becoming for a young lady to set on and begin to "like" a gentleman as "her husband?"'

As social commentary this is pretty scary stuff. East Lynne is a longish novel but if you're a fan of, say, Wilkie Collins, it is well worth reading.

Rating: 8/10.

If you liked this... definitely Wilkie Collins' Armadale.