Mary's Reputation

[Mike B.]

(11-23-2012 10:51 PM)Mike B. Wrote:  

(11-21-2012 09:54 AM)Tom Emery Wrote:  In response to an earlier post (I think from Mike B.), I probably should have made myself a little clearer on celebrities receiving a "free pass" for mental illness, in relation to perceptions of Mary Todd.

I was not really referring to historians of the past, but mainly of today's public perceptions. In my view, too many people on the street still have the perception of Mary being "crazy."

I do believe the winds are changing in Mary's favor, and in my lectures, an increasing number of audience members are sympathetic toward her. But, keep in mind that those people often have some knowledge of the Lincolns, and have done some reading to know enough of the entire story of Mary.

There seems to still be too much stigma attached to Mary, and I think that is highly unfortunate. No one, least of all me, is saying she was perfect. But I don't believe she was as "imperfect" as some would like us to believe.

I freely admit my bias against Herndon. There is no question that he offers detail of Lincoln's everyday existence, personal habits, etc. that is hard to find anywhere else. But there's too many credibility issues with Herndon, in my view.

I like this civil discourse that this symposium brings up.

Dear Tom,

Could you spell out more in detail the "credibility" issues with Herndon? I am not sure what you mean per se.

FWIW, (shamefully disgusting self-plugging here)
In "The Mary Lincoln Enigma" there is an essay about Mary and Herndon by one of the greatest Lincoln scholars IMO that ever lived Douglas Wilson. It is a revisionist look at the two's relationship, and very convincing to me at least, that the normal Herndon is biased against Mary narrative needs to be corrected.

Since you are a student of the Lincoln family, I would love to hear what you think.

Also, Tom while I share your disdain of the "crazy" pejorative label, I believe she may (through no fault of her own) have indeed suffered from mental illness. And I think that legitimately can be part of the broad biographical approach to her.