ALMOST MAGICAL

THE MOST memorable portrayal of an actress in Victorian literature is probably Sybil Vane from Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Grey.

Sybil is Dorian's ill-fated fiancee, and she is as beautiful as he is. Sybil is a classic Greek beauty, with plaited dark hair, violet eyes and lips that are "like the petals of a rose". Sybil is graceful, passionate and noble and is often compared to a flower.

Dorian's and Sybil's engagement ends tragically (I won't say how so as not to spoil the book if you haven't read it).

What is important is that Wilde presents the tough life of the Victorian actress with sympathy. Actors, actresses and other artists often have a tough life, and this was even more so in the Victorian era.

Though the Victorians loved the theater, they disapproved of acting, and especially women actresses. Girls who took to the stage faced prejudice as well as poverty.

However, there were famous actresses in the Victorian era -- Ellen Terry, Maud Adams, Minnie Ashley and many others. Karl Marx's youngest daughter, Eleanor, was an actress, and so was John Stuart Mill's step-daughter Helen Taylor. Which only proves that Marx and Mill were truly open-minded: many fathers kicked out their daughters if they took to the stage.

Oscar Wilde is sympathetic towards and even awed by Sybil Vane. Her beauty is almost magical. Sybil is absolutely good. To his credit, Dorian does not care if Sybil is a poor actress while he is a rich aristocrat. Their engagement ends badly for other reasons.

I will write more on actresses in literature in future posts. Meanwhile, have a good and beautiful weekend!