In her new book, “Unruly Human Hearts,” [She Writes Press, Jan. 28] Barbara Southard explores the Beecher-Tilton scandal, but through a new perspective—that of Elizabeth Tilton.
In this Five by Five interview, Barbara talks about how this historical tale caught her interest and how she came to choose this viewpoint, as well as the lengthy research done for the book. She also shares how this scandal resonates with the current times.
How did you become aware of Elizabeth Tilton and what inspired you to write a book about her?
A question raised by a student in a graduate seminar on US history that I taught at the University of Puerto Rico challenged me to focus on Elizabeth. We were discussing the 1875 trial of Henry Ward Beecher, the most famous preacher of his time, for adultery with Elizabeth Tilton, wife of the journalist Theodore Tilton. I pointed out that public fascination with the Beecher-Tilton scandal was comparable to the reaction to Bill Clinton’s impeachment for the alleged cover-up of sexual intimacies with Monica Lewinsky. A young man said that both President Clinton and Reverend Beecher survived the scandal. Yeah, said a young woman, but what about Monica and Elizabeth? Her question reverberated in my mind. If Monica had a rough time with cyberbullying, what did a woman named as correspondent in a famous adultery trial in the 19th century have to endure?
I began to dig into historical sources and found that Elizabeth’s beliefs, feelings and motivations were more difficult to fathom than those of her two lovers, who both had public platforms and testified at the trial. I felt challenged to unravel the mystery of this deeply religious and seemingly conventional woman who was accused of holding beliefs and engaging in conduct that challenged the core values of Victorian society.
You refer to Elizabeth as the “unheard voice” in this story. What does her voice add?
Many historical studies of the Beecher-Tilton scandal picture Elizabeth as a weak personality, a woman who gave in to both her husband and her lover and couldn’t keep her story straight. As I read more about the Victorian code of conduct for women, I suspected that this interpretation was simplistic. Women of her time were truly the “second sex,” excluded from the circles of power and decision-making. Looking at the scandal from Elizabeth’s perspective meant being sensitive to her efforts to influence the decisions of the key men in her life that could ruin them all. Was she a passive victim, or a heroine who courageously tried to protect the careers of both her husband and her lover as well as defend herself against public condemnation and possible loss of everything meaningful in her life, including her children?
Elizabeth’s perspective made me sensitive not only to the complexity of her own emotions but also those of her two lovers. The role of Henry in the scandal can be dismissed as a minister seducing a parishioner. Theodore can be labeled a hypocrite who championed women’s rights in public, but not in private. Elizabeth had a more nuanced view of the motivations of her two lovers, which comes through in her letters, sources that would never have surfaced if her husband hadn’t given them to newspapers to print against her will. Her appreciation for the good in both men adds new dimensions to the story, making it a tale of love and loyalty as well as betrayal.
Tell me about the research you did and what was learned in the process.
After the interesting discussion with my students of the Beecher-Tilton scandal, I began to explore historical studies of the scandal as well as primary sources. The most helpful primary sources were personal letters and the records of the church investigation and the public trial. The sources revealed that there was deep affection among all three participants in the love triangle. Personal ties were strengthened by their involvement, in varying degrees, with reform movements to promote suffrage for women and freed slaves as well as the reinterpretation of the Calvinist heritage.
Elizabeth was inspired by the gospel of love preached by Henry, whose sermons spoke of God’s love and mercy rather than the Calvinist emphasis on punishing sins. The reverend’s comparison of God’s love with the tender care of a mother inspired Elizabeth and helped her see the feminine role as crucial not only with the family unit but in building a better society. Both Henry and Elizabeth saw the concept of free love as an extension of the gospel of love.
In addition to their beliefs, I also strove to understand practical issues that affected the main characters. Did Elizabeth’s financial dependency make it difficult for her to insist that her husband keep his promises to protect her? Did concerns about male honor and reputation, as well as jeopardizing their careers, influenced the decisions of Henry and Theodore to either maintain or abandon a united front in denying scandalous rumors?
What was the concept of “free love” in the 19th century and how does it compare to modern polyamory?
The basic idea of free love in the Reconstruction era was the freedom to choose whom to love and to express true love in a sexual relationship outside of marriage. Those who espoused free love believed that government should not interfere in matters of the heart, because the question of who loves whom cannot be legislated. Some radical feminist leaders supported free love because they believed that marriage and divorce laws were unfavorable to women and often imprisoned them in injurious relationships. Supporters of free love did not express support for promiscuity; they couched their beliefs in terms of individual freedom to express true love outside of marriage.
Polyamory has similarities with free love doctrines of the 19th century and the concept of open marriage put forward in the second half of the 20th century, but it is a more inclusive philosophy, a more open-ended version of free love. Polyamorous individuals may have multiple romantic relationships with the consent of all involved without necessarily viewing one person as primary partner. Elizabeth viewed her husband Theodore as her primary partner, and Reverend Beecher as another love that enriched her life and deepened her love for her husband.
Is there a message from this historical controversy that resonates today?
The story of Elizabeth is relevant to concerns about individual freedom and social ethics in more recent times. The emergence of creeds of sexual liberation and open marriage in the second half of the 20th century raised questions about whether free love is liberating for women. Many women were still economically dependent on men, which made it difficult for them to insist that men grant their partners the same sexual freedom that they claimed for themselves. The MeToo movement that emerged in the early 21st century points to the problems implicit in a sexual relationship in which one partner enjoys the advantage of power and position. Elizabeth insisted that her tie with Reverend Beecher was based on true love, but her husband saw it as a pastor taking advantage of a deeply loyal member of his flock. On the other hand, Theodore was oblivious of the power dynamic in his marriage to Elizabeth. If our society continues to make progress toward gender equality, we can hope that women involved in polyamorous relationships do not undergo the same heartbreak that Elizabeth experienced.
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