ST. ELMO
First Published – 1866, just after the War Between the States.
Genre – Victorian Age Romance, can also be termed a melodrama.
Setting – A southern estate originally called El Dorado served as the inspiration for St. Elmo’s splendid mansion. Belonging to an aunt of the author, the name was later changed to St. Elmo to honor the novel.
Hero – St. Elmo, a cynical, wealthy, compelling man, somewhat of a Byronic figure. Rhett Butler of Gone with the Wind was said to be created with him in mind.
Heroine – Edna Earl, devout, principled, educated, highly literate young woman.
Favorite Supporting Character – Mrs. Murray, kindly mother of the imperious and disillusioned St. Elmo.
Theme – Redemption of the soul.
Cool Factor – The book sold 10 million copies in 4 months!
Fun Tidbit – Like other 19th century novels, this one is smack full of quotations and literary allusions. Many of them are given in dialogue.
Memorable Line, by the pastor, Mr. Hammond, who is Edna’s teacher – “A bluestocking, my dear, is generally supposed to be a lady, neither young, pleasant, or pretty (and in most instances unmarried) who is unamiable, ungraceful, and untidy; ignorant of all domestic accomplishments and truly feminine acquirements, and ambitious of appearing very learned; a woman whose fingers are more frequently adorned with ink-spots than thimble; who holds housekeeping in detestation, and talks loudly about politics, science, and philosophy; who is ugly, and learned, and cross; whose hair is never smooth, and whose ruffles are never fluted.”
St. Elmo is in the public domain for reading:
http://docsouth.unc.edu/southlit/evans/evans.html
and free purchase: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004TQU7YK/
More: https://johngilbertandme.wordpress.com/john-gilbert-in-st-elmo/st-elmo-the-novel/
http://www.vintagenovels.com/2013/08/st-elmo-by-augusta-jane-evans.html
Cheers & Happy Reading!
Flossie Benton Rogers, Conjuring the Magic with Paranormal Romance
Wow, never heard of this one but the amount of copies it sold in the time frame and span is amazing. And that quote…eesh, how times have changed! 😀
I also think it’s an interesting quote in light of today.
My goodness,10 million copies in 4 months!!!! How fortunate authors were in those times. I mean there was no other entertainment as TV,PC,Iphone, tablet and so on.
Just theater and reading.
Hard to imagine!