The Life of Mrs. Jordan: Including Original Private Correspondence, and Numerous Anecdotes of Her Contemporaries

The Life Of Mrs. Jordan: Including Original Private Correspondence, And Numerous Anecdotes Of Her Contemporaries by James Boaden presents a detailed biographical portrait of the celebrated actress Dorothea Jordan, better known as Mrs. Jordan. Drawing on private letters, diaries, and contemporary commentary, the work traces her rise on the London stage, her associations with leading actors and managers (including Kemble, Siddons, Colman, and Sheridan), and the social world surrounding late 18th- and early 19th-century theatre. It also records her intimate relationship with the Duke of Clarence and the eventual separation, as well as the financial and family difficulties that followed. The book intertwines memoir, theatrical criticism, and social history, offering not only a life story but also a window into the politics of the theatre, the economics of acting as a profession, and the demands placed on famous performers by fame, gender, and public expectation. It includes authentic statements and letters that illuminate Mrs. Jordan’s character—generosity, resilience, and vulnerability—in a narrative that blends biography with anecdote, satire, and moral reflection.