Wild Romance
Encyclopedia
The novel “Wild Romance” was written by Chloe Schama and published in 2010. It recounts the story around an infamous marriage scandal that took place during the Victorian era in Ireland and the United Kingdom, known as the Yelverton Case
. It was greatly publicized in the press of the day, echoing the mass media coverage that is common today.
.
After a five-year clandestine romance hidden from the public eye, the affair blossomed until they finally got married in secret in Edinburgh
. The following summer they remarried in Dublin again in secret but in the presence of a priest. This was at the request of Theresa who was a Roman Catholic while Charles Yelverton had been brought up a Protestant. The validity of the marriage was later questioned in court.
in an attempt to prove that they had been officially married.
A number of trials took place over the following years in Dublin, Edinburgh and in London
at the House of Lords
, and generated a large public interest through the media coverage that such a scandal solicited. Every detail of the case was reported in the newspapers and the interest generated novels written by writers such as Wilkie Collins
as well as ballads written and dedicated to the plea of Theresa.
in the Yosemite of the late 19th century. Her accounts opened the door for independent women to travel in the twentieth century.
Yelverton case
The Yelverton case was a famous 19th century Irish law case, which eventually resulted in a change to the law on mixed religion marriages in Ireland.Under a Statute of King George II The Yelverton case was a famous 19th century Irish law case, which eventually resulted in a change to the law on...
. It was greatly publicized in the press of the day, echoing the mass media coverage that is common today.
Plot summary
It was a chance meeting on a steamboat in 1852 between a young woman of nineteen named Theresa Longworth and a soldier in his thirties Charles Yelverton, heir to the title of Viscount AvonmoreViscount Avonmore
Viscount Avonmore was a title in the Peerage of Ireland created on 29 December 1800 for the former Attorney-General for Ireland and Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer for Ireland, Barry Yelverton, 1st Baron Yelverton. He had been created Baron Yelverton on 15 June 1795...
.
After a five-year clandestine romance hidden from the public eye, the affair blossomed until they finally got married in secret in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. The following summer they remarried in Dublin again in secret but in the presence of a priest. This was at the request of Theresa who was a Roman Catholic while Charles Yelverton had been brought up a Protestant. The validity of the marriage was later questioned in court.
Characters
The source of her novel Martyrs of Circumstance written by Theresa later on in life, they were unable to live together following the Irish wedding as husband and wife. When Charles later married another woman, Theresa felt compelled to take him to court for bigamyBigamy
In cultures that practice marital monogamy, bigamy is the act of entering into a marriage with one person while still legally married to another. Bigamy is a crime in most western countries, and when it occurs in this context often neither the first nor second spouse is aware of the other...
in an attempt to prove that they had been officially married.
A number of trials took place over the following years in Dublin, Edinburgh and in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
at the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
, and generated a large public interest through the media coverage that such a scandal solicited. Every detail of the case was reported in the newspapers and the interest generated novels written by writers such as Wilkie Collins
Wilkie Collins
William Wilkie Collins was an English novelist, playwright, and author of short stories. He was very popular during the Victorian era and wrote 30 novels, more than 60 short stories, 14 plays, and over 100 non-fiction pieces...
as well as ballads written and dedicated to the plea of Theresa.
Victorian Press Coverage
Having suffered greatly from the public exposure and scandal that resulted from the press coverage, Theresa’s dream of living a happy married life was impossible in the Victorian age. Therefore, she embarked on a journey that would take her around the world during which she wrote numerous novels about her travels and experiences. She notably met a young John MuirJohn Muir
John Muir was a Scottish-born American naturalist, author, and early advocate of preservation of wilderness in the United States. His letters, essays, and books telling of his adventures in nature, especially in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, have been read by millions...
in the Yosemite of the late 19th century. Her accounts opened the door for independent women to travel in the twentieth century.