At the time she wrote Lady Audley's Secret, Braddon was living with publisher John Maxwell. In an interesting parallel to the book, Maxwell's wife was confined to a mental hospital at the time. After his wife's death, Maxwell and Braddon married.
Originally published as a three-volume set, Lady Audley's Secret is a detective novel, but it is a detective novel with all the extravagance and sensationalism of the gothic genre.
Clichéd or Pioneering
In Lady Audley's Secret, Mary Elizabeth Braddon explores themes surrounding gender roles and societal expectations. In Braddon's time, these themes were fresh, even radical. Unfortunately what was fresh and unexplored in the 1860's can easily appear cliché to a modern audience. To the 21st century reader, Braddon's sensationalist plot appears hackneyed. Inherited madness, abandoned wells and mistaken identity are tired old devises, but this wasn't the case one hundred and fifty years ago. Fortunately the careful crafting of mystery and suspense are well executed and make up for the novel's shortcomings.
Braddon's descriptive passages are original and evocative. The opening scene is rich in imagery. "A clock-tower, with a stupid, bewildering clock, which had only one hand: and which jumped straight from one hour to the next, and was therefore always in extremes," demonstrates Braddon's skill with language, and although Braddon's lengthy descriptions aren't generally acceptable to 21st century readers, they should be enjoyed for their beauty and craftsmanship.
Braddon Shows Wit and Insight Through Her Characters' Dialogue
Braddon's dialogue is often witty and understated. In a similar vein to Jane Austen's verbal banter, Braddon has her characters communicate as much with what they say as with what they don't say. There are often delayed conversations, internal asides and awkward undercurrents of one sort or another. We are chilled with how easily Lady Audley is able to turn her husband against his nephew, "I can put black before him, and if I say it is white, he will believe me," reflects Lady Audley of her husband. So well has Braddon developed her characters that these revelations are easy for the reader to embrace.
Braddon sometimes pushes Victorian propriety to its limits, but she avoids going beyond accepted norms. Although Alicia's words are often sharp, they never pass the boundaries of Victorian banter. "Perhaps the next time you come to the Court, you will be good enough to bring your mind with you," she says to the distracted Robert. Throughout these exchanges, the reader is privy to more information than the characters themselves. It is through character interaction and clever dialogue that Braddon gives us insight into her characters and develops them as unique individuals.
Gender Roles in Lady Audley's Secret
Braddon's exploration of accepted gender roles is interesting. She makes a point of showing the folly of accepting people at face value. She plays up Lady Audley's many womanly assets – her talent at the piano, her ethereal beauty and exquisite vivaciousness. Even her penmanship is above reproach and accentuates her feminine virtues. "What a pretty hand she writes!" comments the besotted Robert.
These were the espoused attributes of the Victorian woman. Of course all these superficial virtues are utterly dwarfed by her unbounded selfishness and vicious crimes. Thus proving that "beauty is only skin deep." Perhaps it's a little heavy handed, but Braddon makes her strong point.
Lady Audley's Secret delivers predictable twists, but there are surprises too. In the beginning, Lady Audley appears to be the heroine not the villain. Because Braddon builds upon our sympathy for Lady Audley early in the story the reader is compelled to empathize with her even as her actions become increasingly self-serving and evil.
It's hardly surprising that the Victorians embraced Lady Audley's Secret. Braddon is an accomplished writer adept at creating atmosphere and mystery. Braddon's writing is first rate from beginning to end.
Work Cited:
Braddon, Mary Elizabeth. Lady Audley's Secret. Oxford University Press, 1998. ISBN-10: 0192835203.
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