Date of Award
2017
Publisher
North Dakota State University
Document Type
Master's Paper
Degree Awarded
Master of Arts (MA)
Program
English
Department
English
College
Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
Faculty Advisor
Wicktor, Emily
Description
Ellen Wood’s East Lynne, a popular sensation fiction, began because of its original and insatiable British readership; however, the texts immediate and drastic reception into American theater confirms that this narrative is not simply an overly dramatic and unrealistic domestic drama. Although melodramatic, Wood’s text resonates with audiences because it is relatable in genuinely meaningful ways. The main protagonist, Lady Isabel, wrongfully leaves her family and spends the rest of her life in physical and emotional turmoil, however her endurance never ceases. Her character is psychologically compelling and easily accessible because she possesses truly human qualities and is a representation of British tradition and order. Further solidifying East Lynne’s dramatic repetition in the United States is its ability to move to new media spaces. From print to stage, stage to film, and finally, in 1980 the East Lynne Theater Company was founded and is still in production.
Recommended Citation
Olson, Jordan Rae, "East Lynne’s Transatlantic Course: From British Serialization to American Theatre" (2017). English. 10.
https://digitalcommons.ndsu.edu/english/10
Rights
NDSU Policy 190.6.2
Rights Link
https://www.ndsu.edu/fileadmin/policy/190.pdf
Handle Identifier
https://hdl.handle.net/10365/25988