East Lynne

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'Coward! Sneak! May good men shun him, from henceforth! may his Queen refuse to receive him! You, an earl's daughter! Oh, Isabel! How utterly you have lost yourself!'When the aristocratic Lady Isabel abandons her husband and children for her wicked seducer, more is at stake than moral retribution. Ellen Wood played upon the anxieties of the Victorian middle classes who feared a breakdown of the social order as divorce became more readily available and promiscuity threatened the sanctity of the family. In her novel the simple act of hiring a governess raises the spectres of murder, disguise, and adultery. Her sensation novel was devoured by readers from the Prince of Wales to Joseph Conrad and continued to fascinate theatre-goers and cinema audiences well into the next century. This edition returns for the first time to the racy, slang-ridden narrative of the first edition, rather than the subsequent stylistically 'improved' versions hitherto reproduced by modern editors. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

Elisabeth Jay's published work includes a literary biography of Margaret Oliphant, an edition of Oliphant's autobiography (OUP) and her novel Miss Marjoribanks (Penguin), and a series of books on nineteenth-century literature and religion.

Lady Isabel Carlyle, a beautiful and refined young woman, leaves her hard-working but neglectful lawyer-husband and her infant children to elope with an aristocratic suitor. After he deserts her, and she bears their illegitimate child, Lady Isabel disguises herself and takes the position of governess in the household of her husband and his new wife.
East Lynne is the archetypal sensation novel, filled with disaster, guilt and repentance. It also documents the growing protest against the rigid roles prescribed for Victorian women. Among the many appendices included are a selection of Victorian medical views on men, women, and sexuality.

“This is a splendid edition. Its introduction is an authoritative and up to date guide to the novel and its context. A generous and judicious selection of contemporary reviews of East Lynne and the sensation novel further amplify the context, and provide an excellent resource for students.” — Lyn Pykett, University of Wales-Aberystwyth
“In his introduction, Andrew Maunder suggests that East Lynne may be ‘one of the most famous unread works in the English language.’ This immensely readable and teachable edition should help to preserve its fame while increasing its readership. Maunder locates the novel in its various contexts—social, historical, and literary—focusing especially on the material conditions of the novel’s publication, and the various “woman questions” of the middle nineteenth century. The supplemental materials are thorough and well-chosen, and for the selections from T. A. Palmer’s theatrical adaptation alone, the Broadview edition would be my choice for teaching.” — Elisabeth Rose Gruner, University of Richmond

Acknowledgments
Introduction
A Note on the Text
Ellen Wood: A Brief Chronology
East Lynne
Appendix A: Letters from Ellen Wood on the writing and publication of East Lynne
Appendix B: Geraldine Jewsbury’s Reader’s Report on East Lynne
Appendix C: Wood’s East Lynne contract with Richard Bentley and Son
Appendix D: Serialisation of East Lynne
Appendix E: Contemporary Reviews
Appendix F: The Sensation Novel
Appendix G: Women’s Education and Responsibilities
Appendix H: Contemporary Medical Opinions on Men, Women, and Sexuality
Appendix I: Contemporary Images of Women
Appendix J: Extracts from T.A. Palmer’s adaptation of East Lynne
Works Cited and Recommended Reading