The Novel That Scandalised Society: Glenarvon in the Stansted Park Library
Its publication caused a scandal. Those who found a copy of the book in their possession were enthralled; some were even incensed. However, it was not the plot that captured their attention. For those in upper-class society in 1816, it was the satirical portrayals of their peers brought to life within its pages that caused outrage. This book was Lady Caroline Lamb’s debut novel Glenarvon.
The only daughter of Frederick Ponsonby, later 3rd Earl of Bessborough, and his wife Lady Henrietta Spencer, Caroline was depicted alongside her brothers in a set of miniatures that are now on display at Stansted Park. Embracing her eldest brother John, later 4th Earl of Bessborough, Caroline is painted as an angelic child, with blonde curls and a smile, in a white dress and pink sash.
In 1805, Caroline married William Lamb, son of Lord and Lady Melbourne. Caroline’s family supported the match, despite suggestions that there had been hopes that she would marry her cousin William Cavendish. Caroline and William Lamb would have three children together but only their son Augustus survived infancy. William Lamb was devoted to his wife but by 1810 Caroline had embarked on an affair with Godfrey Vassall. Caroline ended the relationship after ten months after receiving criticism from both her mother-in-law, the formidable Lady Melbourne, and her mother.
However, in 1812, Caroline began the relationship that she would be forever associated with. Her passionate affair with Lord Byron only lasted six months but was extremely public, with neither attempting to conceal it. In August 1812, Caroline’s distraught mother wrote to Granville Leveson Gower:
‘Oh G. Caroline is gone. It is too horrible. She is not with Lord Byron, but where she is God knows.’
During an argument with Lord Melbourne, Caroline threatened to go to Lord Byron before fleeing from Melbourne House. Lady Bessborough searched for her daughter, eventually visiting Byron, who had not seen her but also began to look for her. Byron located Caroline and brought her back to her mother, who managed to convince William Lamb to forgive her.
Following the conclusion of the affair, Caroline began her first book, later describing how writing the ‘novel was then my sole comfort.’ A fictional account of her relationship with Byron, Glenarvon tells the story of Lord Glenarvon (Byron) who corrupts Calantha (Caroline), wife of Lord Avondale (William Lamb). Unlike the real events, the story ended with the ruin and deaths of Glenarvon and Calantha. The book also featured extracts from Caroline and Byron’s correspondence. Calantha receives a letter from Lord Glenarvon, ending his relationship with her, and it is believed that this letter was a reproduction of Byron’s own letter ending his affair with Caroline. It was, however, the satirical depictions of Whig society that led to the novel becoming a bestseller when it was published on 9 May 1816.
Readers took to writing in the front of their copies, listing the names of the characters and then noting down the real-life inspiration. One copy, purchased by the 9th Earl of Bessborough and now on display in Stansted Park’s Library, includes a similar key. Lady Jersey, who was fictionalised as Lady Augusta, was so enraged by the book that she refused to admit Caroline to Almack’s. Whilst her affair with Byron had not seen her condemned by society, the publication of Glenarvon marked the start of Caroline being outcast from the social circles she had grown up in. Caroline would publish two more novels during her life — Graham Hamilton and Ada Reis. Neither of these were as popular as Glenarvon, with Ada Reis only selling 900 copies.
Despite remaining with his wife after her affair with Byron, supporting her during the fall out after Glenarvon’s publication, and assisting with editing Graham Hamilton, William and Caroline formally separated in 1825. Despite this, when Caroline died on 26 January 1828, aged forty-two, William was by her side.
