My final post (I promise) for #DDMreadingweek – two days late as well. I got rather carried away with my reading, starting Mary Anne which at 385 pages I knew full well I wouldn’t finish in time. In Mary Anne, Du Maurier has introduced us to an incredible character – and one who came straight from life.
Mary Anne Clarke (nee Thompson) was Daphne Du Maurier’s great great grandmother a woman whose ambition, and love of money and power directed her whole life. This biographical novel is based on the life of the woman who scandalised early nineteenth century London, taking us from Bowling Inn Alley where she was born and raised to the very seat of power.
In this novel Daphne Du Maurier explores the differences in power between men and women – it’s a world of contradictions (what’s changed?) where men can get away with almost anything, and women are vulnerable and judged. In her introduction to this edition Lisa Hilton describes Mary Anne as Du Maurier’s most feminist novel.
Living in Bowling Inn Alley with her mother, siblings and step-father Mary Anne grew up without the benefit of a formal education – she taught herself to read and write.
“Words fascinated her, the shape of the curling letters, how some, by repeating themselves more often, had importance. They had difference of sex too. The a’s the e’s and u’s were women; the hard g’s, the b’s and q’s were all men, and seemed to depend on the others.”
By the age of thirteen she could correct copy for her sick stepfather; a printer in the world of the pamphleteers – pouring out scandal and criticism of the government to anyone with the pennies to purchase the sheets. A benefactor – whose intentions are anything but honourable – steps forward and offers to send Mary Anne away to school. Here she will learn more than mere lessons – she begins to throw off her cockney origins, perfecting her natural poise and charm that she will make such good use of in the years ahead. She also learns quickly about the real differences between men and women.
“Injustice – there was always injustice between men and women. Men made the laws to suit themselves. Men did as they pleased, and women suffered for it. There was only one way to beat them, and that was to match your wits against theirs and come out the winner.”
She marries somewhat hastily at just sixteen to a young man who had lodged for a while in her mother’s house – a young man with a wealthy father – who claimed to have good prospects. Joseph Clarke is feckless and a drinker – cut off by his father – he and his young wife end up living on the sympathies of his brother. A nice house, in a nice area – but Mary Anne wants better – she always wants better – for herself and for the children who soon come along.
Having separated herself from Joseph, Mary Anne enters into the world of the society courtesan. She has a very nice house rent free – where her mother and children live alongside her – and late in the evening, her gentlemen come to call. By the early 1800s Mary Anne’s particular charms have come to the attention of HRH The Duke of York, and he sets her up as his mistress – and the household have to move again – to an even better house. The Duke likes to spend time in a proper home – where he can hear the children running around on the floors above him – and he’s used to a certain standard of living.
Unfortunately, the Duke is not very worldly in matters of money – or so he claims – and so the allowance he gives to Mary Anne for the upkeep of his second home is nothing like enough. In the early days Mary Anne is granted credit everywhere – everyone knows who she is, and under whose protection she exists – but in time the bills come due – and Mary Anne is desperate for money. Everywhere are men who offer advice – making suggestions, tempting Mary Anne with promises of large sums of money.
The Duke of York is the Commander in Chief of the British army – and there are lots of military men keen to get promotions or exchanges – and other men keen to take advantage of Mary Anne’s influence with the Duke. Mary Anne enters into the thriving and very lucrative trade of army commissions.
All good things they say come to an end – and in time the inevitable happens, and Mary Anne is out of favour. Without the protection of the Duke, Mary Anne is vulnerable – but never easily shaken – resourceful and determined – wanting always to protect her younger brother Charley and her three children. The scandal of the trade in commissions ricochets through London, and Mary Anne is obliged to testify in the House of Commons – a woman in a world of men she is often heard to say afterwards. Her testimony leads to the resignation of the Duke as Commander in Chief.
“Dozing, she thought in retrospect how her life had been building up towards this moment, year in, year out, almost from alley days. That early training, as a cockney child, sharpened her wit and made her seize her chances: the schooling at Ham put on a pseudo-polish: marriage with Joseph got the worst over young—so much so, that nothing a man could do, now or in the future, would break her heart. As to the rest… all lovers made some mark. She knew how to absorb the benefit and pass it on, be grateful for the teaching. What she had learned from men, not only lovers, was to the purpose in a man-made world. Therefore, become their equal. Play their game, and add to the game the sense of intuition.”
Mary Anne continues to chase the life she once had with the Duke – she takes up her pen once more, as she once did back in Bowling Inn Alley. Her writing is destined to take her to court rooms, a prison cell and finally exile in France. Throughout it all, Mary Anne is a woman who it is hard to bet against. She’s a shoulders back, head up kind of woman – no matter what life throws at her – she greets it with her own inimitable poise.
Mary Anne is another compelling story from Daphne Du Maurier – a warts and all portrait of a larger than life character. Du Maurier faithfully recreates the atmosphere of Regency London, as ever her sense of place and period is spot on.
Not a Du Maurier I’m terribly familiar with, but it does sound intriguing in light of the family connection. Where would you place it in your pecking order of personal favourites? I’d be interested to know.
Thank you for hosting such a great event, Ali. I’ve enjoyed learning more about this author’s work, particularly the lesser-known pieces. What a wonderful talent she had for capturing the ‘feel’ of a place – not only the topography or landscape but the atmosphere too. It seems to be one of most striking things about her work irrespective of the setting.
Well of course I haven’t read them all, but top 5 would be:
Rebecca
The House on the Strand
My cousin Rachel
=Jamaica Inn
Mary Anne
Interesting to see The House on the Strand so high on your list. I may have to indulge at some point!
Ooh yes, hope you do.
Great review, this sounds fascinating, and I had never heard of it before! The reading week has revealed lots of gems.
Yes it has, so glad you enjoyed it. Looking forward to next year already. 😊
Lovely post Ali, and it’s been so interesting to read about the lesser known du Mauriers – I don’t think I’d even heard of this one.
Thank you, yes this is possibly a lesser known work.
Another Du Maurier I hadn’t heard of before and another I want to read!
Glad to hear you fancy reading it, there is always next #DDMreadingweek and it’s good to have options.
That sounds fascinating and that’s a good variety of her works you read and shared over the week (and a bit!).
Yes I feel as if I did read quite a breadth of her work.
This is the one I intended to read before I discovered I didn’t own it! It sounds like I’d have been much better off with this character 🙂
I think you would have been much better with this one, I must admit thst Julius doesn’t really appeal.
This sounds incredible – what a story! I knew nothing about this novel but I’ll definitely be reading it now. Perhaps for the next DDM week 🙂
Oh I do hope you do read it, it is an incredible story. Mary Anne is quite the character.
It will be a while before I get to this one but I’m already looking forward to it. Mary Anne sounds a brilliant read!
Glad you like the sound of this one. Perhaps you could read it next year.
Finished Mary Anne today. DM certainly knows how to finish a book. Won’t spoil it for others but impressed by way Mary Anne reviews her previous lives and current time. As for that understated reference to Busson du Maurier…. Masterly- or is that a gender specific word! 🙂
So glad you enjoyed it too, yes I thought that reference was nicely done.
This has been on my TBR for some time. Souns like it is definitely worth reading
It’s very definitely worth reading. I thoroughly enjoyed it, Mary Anne is such a fascinating character.
[…] I just couldn’t get enough, so I then moved on to Mary Anne by Daphne Du Maurier a biographical novel about Mary Anne Clarke; DDM’s great-great grandmother […]