Mary Elizabeth Braddon was born on October 4, 1835 in Soho to Henry and Fanny Braddon. She was their third child. There has been speculation as to the year of her birth. Some sources have 1835 listed, while others have 1837. The consensus seems to be that she attempted to make herself seem younger, however, and that her actual birth year is 1835.
Childhood
Her parents separated when she was five. Her father failed to provide for their family, and later in life Braddon became doubtful of men’s inherent superiority in making a living. She lived with her mother and gained a decent education in England and France. She loved French fiction, and knew the language well enough that she was able to write in it. Later, in her own writings, her characters would often read French novels.
An Actress and an Author
Her mother wished her to have a musical career, but Braddon decided to try acting. She debuted in 1857 as Mary Seyton. She mostly performed in Yorkshire, in provincial plays. She had moderate success, but stopped by 1860. The same year she wrote her first novel Three Times Dead, which was not well-received. However, this did not trouble her for long, as soon she published a novel that would change the course of her career.
Lady Audley’s Secret
In July 1861, the sensation novel Lady Audley’s Secret began serialization in a magazine called Robin Goodfellow until it folded and the story had to find another home. The book was popular both as a serial and in triple-decker form, and is still considered one of the best sensation novels ever published. It is a story filled with betrayal, deception and mystery.
The Victorian public loved it, although some critics questioned the morality of sensation novels in general, and used her life as an example of how immoral the writers of these novels must be. She retained her success with her novel Aurora Floyd. It contained similar themes to Lady Audley’s Secret, with bigamy, murder and other scandals taking place. Aurora Floyd is considered a stronger character than Lady Audley, however.
The Love of Her Life
Braddon’s took up with a man named John Maxwell in 1860. Their relationship was unconventional at first. She was unable to marry him because he was already married; his wife had been languishing in an insane asylum for years. Braddon cared for his five children, and bore him six children of her own, though only five survived to adulthood. One of their children would go on to become a well-known author called William Babington Maxwell.
Mary had complications after giving birth to a daughter, Winifred, and became ill with puerperal fever. She also suffered a nervous breakdown around the same time. When John Maxwell’s wife died in 1874, less than a month later, he and Braddon were finally able to marry. They spent many happy years together until died in 1895 after a long illness.
Braddon also wrote many serials for her lover’s magazines under pseudonyms. She knew these serials to be hack work, but they proved to be very popular, although other, more serious authors were frustrated at her success. Some of her other novels include The Trail of the Serpent (a reworked Three Times Dead), The Doctor’s Wife, Ishmael, The Venetians, and Dead Love Has Chains, among many others.
Death and Legacy
Braddon died on February 4, 1915 at age 79, due to a cerebral hemorrhage. By that time she had published more than eighty novels and many short stories. She was considered one of the most prolific writers of her time. Her last novel, Mary, was published in 1916. Her legacy remains potent even today, and some describe her as the “Queen of Sensation” (See Allingham). Her works capture readers’ imaginations even today.
Sources
Allingham, Philip V. “Mary Elizabeth Braddon (1835-1915), the ‘Queen of Sensation'—Life and Works.” Victorian Web http://www.victorianweb.org/victorian/authors/braddon/bio.html. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
Richmond Libraries’ Local Study Collection. “Mary Elizabeth Braddon 1837-1815.” http://www.richmond.gov.uk/local_history_m_braddon.pdf Retrieved July 1, 2009.
Skilton, David, “Introduction”, Lady Audley’s Secret (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998).
Voller, Jack G. "Mary Elizabeth Braddon." The Literary Gothic. http://www.litgothic.com/Authors/braddon.html Retrieved July 1, 2009.
Willis, Chris. "Mary Elizabeth Braddon". The Literary Encyclopedia. March 18, 2001. http://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=5053. Retrieved July 1, 2009
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