Mary Robinson (poet)

Mary Robinson, nee Darby (* 1757 in College Green, Bristol, † December 26, 1800 in Englefield Green ) was an English poet and novelist who was also known for her role as Perdita as an actress in Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale in 1779, where she won the attention of the Prince of Wales, later George IV, and from 1781 on was his mistress.

Life

Mary Darby Robinson was the daughter of a sea captain Darby ( he suffered heavy losses in a business transaction, and was last commander of a ship of the line in the Russian Navy ) by its own account on November 27, 1758 ( according to recent studies previously one year) born. She had a brother, who later became an important merchant in Livorno was. The father left the mother and those brought in by herself and her five children by founded a school for young girls, which was also Mary was taught up to the age of 14. During one of his brief visits father forced, as according to the law then possible closure of the school. Mary Robinson then attended the School of the social reformer Hannah More and a school in London, where she caught the attention of the famous English actor David Garrick, who hired her at the age of 14 years for the theater. On the advice of her mother, she married then but in April 1774 the staff Thomas Robinson, who vorspiegelte her possible inheritance. But he had neither money nor a " gentleman " descent, and as the pair in London lived beyond his means, they had to flee to Wales, where her only daughter Maria Elisabeth was born in November 1774. When her husband ended up in debtors' prison, she lived there for 15 months with him. During this time, her first book of poems, which earned her the patronage of Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, appeared.

After her husband's release from prison, she decided to return to the theater career. She played from 1776 in various roles ( Juliet, Lady Macbeth, Ophelia, Viola and others) at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. During an appearance as Perdita in Garrick's Florizel and Perdita adaptation of Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale in 1781, she won the attention of even minor Prince of Wales, with whom she had an affair until 1783. During this time she was in London society, " fashionable ", for example, a loose flowing transparent muslin dress in ancient Greek style with great cleavage, known as " Perdita ". After the affair with the Prince of Wales tried first by threatening the publication of his letters ( in which they Perdita and Florizel called ) to get the promised £ 20,000, but received only 1783 a small yearly pension of 500 pounds ( and annually 200 pounds for her daughter ).

1783 Robinson moved in with the nightly pursuit of her lover, who had left her suddenly, in an open carriage in the middle of winter, a strong supercooling, which weakened their health long term. After that she was partially paralyzed ( after her biographer Byrne perhaps caused by a streptococcus infection after a miscarriage ). The following five years were spent with her daughter and her mother on the continent, where they celebrated social success, especially in Paris. Upon their return began her intensive literary activity. As a result, she had several affairs, a brief affair with the Whig leader Charles James Fox, whom she supported politically, but in particular has become the in the American Revolutionary War famous (or from an American perspective rather infamous) General Banastre Tarleton, the also made ​​a political career. Their relationship lasted 15 years, but was marred by long periods of illness in turn, financial constraints and the attempts of wealthy Liverpool merchant family from Tarleton to end the relationship. In 1800 she died after a long illness in their country house in Englefield Green, cared for by her daughter.

Since the late 1780s, she was known for her poetry as an English Sappho. She also wrote six novels, two plays, a feminist treatise ( and was also next to glowing advocate of the French Revolution) and the beginning of her autobiography, but remained unfinished. Her daughter also wrote novels.

Her portrait by Thomas Gainsborough of 1781 is in the Wallace Collection. Joshua Reynolds also portrayed.

Works

  • Poems, 2 vols
  • Legitimate Sonnets, with Thoughts on Poetical Subjects, and Anecdotes of the Grecian Poetess, Sappho.
  • A Monody to the Memory of the Queen of France.
  • A Monody to the Memory of Sir Joshua Reynolds.
  • Modern Manners; a satire, in two Cantos,
  • The Sicilian Lover, a Tragedy, in five acts.
  • Sight; The Cavern of Woe; and Solitude; three Poems,
  • A pamphlet Vindication of the Queen of France; published anonymously.
  • A pamphlet entitled Thoughts on the Condition of Women, and the Injustice of Mental Subordination.
  • Vancenza, a Romance, 2 vols.
  • The Widow, a Novel, 2 vols.
  • Angelina, a Novel, 3 vols.
  • Hubert de Servac, a Romance, 3 vols.
  • Walsingham, a Novel, 4 vols.
  • The False Friend, a Novel, 4 vols.
  • The Natural Daughter, a Novel, 2 vols.
  • Lyrical Tales, 1 vol.
  • Translation of Dr.Hagar: A Picture of Palermo (her last job )
George Romney (painter) William Shakespeare Whigs (British political party) Integrated Authority File
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