Lady Audleys Secret
The Style and Genre of Lady Audley's Secret Lady Audley's Secret, by Mary Elizabeth Braddon, is a novel of many elements. It has been placed in many different style or genre categories since its publication. I feel that it best fits under the melodrama or sensational genre, and under the subgenre of mystery. It contains significant elements of both types of writing, so I feel it is best to recognize both, keeping in mind that melodrama is its main device and mystery is a type of Victorian melodrama. In order to understand how the story fits into these categories, it is necessary to explore the Victorian characteristics of each, and apply them to the text. In addition to establishing the genres, it is important to explain why and how these genres fit into Victorian culture. The term melodrama has come to be applied to any play with romantic plot in which an author manipulates events to act on the emotions of the audience without regard for character development or logic (Microsoft Encarta). In order to classify as a Victorian melodrama, several key techniques must be used, including proximity and familiarity to the audience, deceit rather than vindictive malice, lack of character development and especially the role
Then, Robert brings George to his uncle's estate which creates the opportunity for George to meet his wife, Helen. This was especially popular in Victorian sensational novels. With the aspects of melodrama in mind, it is now possible to explore the book's role as a mystery. Bibliography Works CitedBernstein, Susan David. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. A veneer of virtue coats ambitious conniving at respectability. Victorian writers often used the return as a traditional plot convenience. Married to a man three times her age, Lady Audley would raise anyone's eyebrows, yet she successfully ensnares Sir Michael and very nearly achieves her ambitions. The expectation is clear: the husband returns, reunites with his wife, his joy should be great. It has been remarked that the Victorian style of murder mystery originated in a book called The Woman In White, by Wilkie Collins. Robert Louis Stevenson wrote to her once that he wished his "days to be bound each to each by Miss Braddon's novels", and Tennyson declared that he was "simply steeped in Miss Braddon" (Peterson, 161). Although he was not a "main" character, per say, he was definitely an important one. This is an element that is important to both the mystery and the melodramatic aspects of Lady Audley's Secret.
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