Mary Elizabeth Braddon

Chris Willis (London Metropolitan University)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.07: English Writing and Culture of the Victorian Period, 1837-1901.
Vol. editors: Gillian Fenwick (University of Toronto), Jessica Gossling (Goldsmiths College, University of London)

Dates

Born 4 Oct 1835
Died 4 Feb 1915
Activity 1862-1915

Places

Born in England
Active in United Kingdom

Activities

Primary

Novelist

Resources

Braddon's Works

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Mary Elizabeth Braddon was one of Victorian England's best-loved writers, as well as being one of the most prolific. Her phenomenal output included over 80 novels, 5 plays and numerous poems and short stories

Born in London in 1835 (a date she later sometimes gave as 1837), she inherited her literary talent from her parents, Henry and Fanny, who wrote articles for Pitman's Sporting Magazine. Henry's writing supplemented his other income – he was an unsuccessful solicitor who hovered perpetually on the brink of bankruptcy. In 1840 Fanny and Henry separated and Braddon stayed with her mother. In the 1850s, Henry's financial failures left the family penniless. To support her mother and sister, Braddon embarked on a career as a professional actress – a scandalous career for a

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1741 words

Citation: Willis, Chris. "Mary Elizabeth Braddon". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 28 March 2001 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=5053, accessed 22 November 2024.]