Mary's Reputation

[L Verge]

A point that I tried to make at that conference in Hildene was that men - especially in earlier centuries - were not raised to be nurturers and caregivers. That was the role set for women.

Therefore, Robert had no instinct or training as to what to do and chose the route that would take his mother out of the public spotlight and out of his hair. His wife was busy nurturing their children and being the perfect society wife in order to increase Robert's prestige. Unfortunately, their actions left people then and now questioning their motives.

Frankly, I'm not condemning them if that is the way it happened. They were following the dictates of society at their time. Many other families without financial means might have stuck Mary in an upstairs bedroom and locked the door.

I got sidetracked from completing Emerson's Giant in the Shadows. How does he handle the situation of Mary's hospitalization? Knowing Jason, and having heard him speak on several occasions, I suspect that he is sympathetic to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Todd Lincoln? I also suspect that, if a poll were conducted among average readers who are familiar with the insanity trial of Mrs. Lincoln, more men than women would side with Robert.

Some would say today that our society is reaping the effects of de-institutionalizing those in need of psychological help. It's a field of medicine that has a long way to go in order to properly serve and heal - and reduce the stigma that society still places on the ill.