Maria Corelli (real name - Mary Mackay) is an English writer of the 19th century who worked in the genres of science fiction and gothic. We will talk about the biography and work of this amazing woman in this article.
Biography
In the biography of this unusual writer there are a lot of mysteries and omissions. And the thing is that Maria Corelli wrote it herself. Therefore, it is not always possible to distinguish truth from fiction. We can say that Corelli made another novel from her biography.
The writer was born on May 1, 1855 in the capital of Great Britain. Mary became the illegitimate daughter of a famous songwriter and poet named Charles Mackay. Apparently, her mother was a governess in the bard's house. Charles was married at that time, but when his wife died (Mary was only 10 years old), he married the mother of the future writer.
Mary for many years did not know who her real father was. The truth was revealed only after the death of Charles. Therefore, in the family, surrounded by real parents, she played the role of either adopted, or niece, or stepdaughter.
When Mary turned 31, she took a pseudonym and changed her biography. Now she has become Maria Corelli, 21-year-old daughter of the mysterious Italian prince.
Nickname Selection
The reason Mary was forced to change her name is made clear from a letter she wrote to one of her many fans. It said that the writer wants to stay blonde beautiful Italian forever, because Charles Mackay never treated her like his own daughter. Her childhood was filled with sorrows that she does not dare to describe. Only at the age of 21, Mary learned the truth about her birth and the troubles that it brought her parents. Then she chose the name Maria Corelli, because she has no reason to be called Mackay.
However, there is another explanation for the origin of the pseudonym. There is evidence that Maria not only wrote well, but also played the piano beautifully. And the girl came up with an aristocratic pseudonym for herself for performances. However, the career of the writer was much faster, but Mary decided not to change her chosen name.
The heroine of her novel
From this moment, Mary envelops her life with mystery and mysteries. And only sometimes gives the public a few of his photographs, previously thoroughly retouched. Even turning into a plump middle-aged lady, she continued to call herself only a beautiful Italian blonde.
She created a novel image from herself, did not want to be thought of as a simple person. This image was carefully thought out, and the audience could not see the real woman that was hiding behind him.
Maria Corelli: biography, personal life
Mary has never been married. In the light, her caustic remarks about this were known. So, she said that one husband was replaced by three animals: a dog, growling in the morning; a parrot swearing all day; cat returning late in the evening.
Nevertheless, the writer believed in great and true love, but despised unions blessed by the church. In addition, she was an ardent opponent of Catholicism. As a friend of life, she chose for herself Berthe Weaver, with whom they once studied at a Paris college. Mary and Bert began to live together when the last was 24 years old, and Mary was only a few years older than her. Their family life was perfect, they lived together until Mary's death. Berta survived her beloved for 18 years. Both were buried near Stratford-upon-Avon.
Success
Despite her image of a blond angel, Maria Corelli, whose books were very successful at the time, was a determined, businesslike, and very practical woman.
When she wrote her book, A Novel of Two Worlds, she got a review by Kane Hall, who smashed the novel of a novice writer to smithereens. Upon learning of this, Maria insisted on meeting with the critic and was able to persuade him to change her opinion to positive. After that, Hall began to speak out with support for Corelli and was even able to convince publishers who were suspicious of the woman writer that the novel would have good commercial success. However, instead of keeping the story a secret, Mary began to publicly expose the reviewer, thereby laying the foundation for many years of hostility.
Maria made friends with many famous writers, actresses and actors of the 19th and 20th centuries. Winston Churchill once spoke at the Club of the White Monks, with whom the writer entered into a discussion and opposed. After that, the politician sent Mary a letter of appreciation, in which he praised her oratory gift.
She managed to make a great impression on the Prince of Wales, who later became King George V. The writer told a long time later how the prince asked her to have dinner with him. Everyone who has ever met Corelli, noted her femininity, sincerity and grace.
The writer Henry Miller paid tribute to Mary's ability to create live scenes in her works and keep readers in suspense. He rated her books as charming and very exciting.
Last years
In 1903, Maria Corelli actively protested the demolition of a historic cottage in Stratford-upon-Avon. The so-called discrediting struggle began, the result of which was that everyone recognized the real name of Mary, which she had so carefully hidden for many years. However, the writer managed to prevail over local dignitaries and the American philanthropist-millionaire Andrew Carnegie, who intended to build a library on the site of the demolished house. But on this scandal did not abate. Now, the writer herself has been accused of the fact that her real goal was to demolish the building and erect the “Maria Corelli Library” in its place. After this, the writer again embarked on litigation, from which she again emerged victorious. However, the cost of lawyers completely ruined her.
However, these events did not affect the popularity of Corelli's book. And she managed to restore the Tudorovsky dilapidated cottage. Today, the writer’s house is part of the University of Birmingham. The Shakespeare Institute is located in the Corelli Stratford House.
The writer died on April 21, 1924.
Creation
The work of Maria Corelli is very interesting and peculiar. It is full of little-studied and mysterious aspects of life, for example, alternating souls, hypnosis, astral projections, etc. The writer's works found a response in the hearts of many ordinary readers. Nevertheless, many often scolded her novels for the weakness of the dialogues, the plane of the heroes, and the lengthy plot. The venerable critics of London reacted sharply to the writer's work, because of which Mary waged a constant war with them.
Now let's talk in more detail about Corelli's most famous novels.
The Tribulation of Satan
This novel was far from the first work of Corelli, but became the most successful. Not having time to go out, he broke all possible sales records and is still considered a classic of European mysticism. The book was written under the influence of the philosophical teachings of Helena Blavatsky. In the novel, the eternal theme of concluding a deal with the devil is played out. But the writer managed to contribute to the classic motive by showing that Satan understands the true essence of the gospel more than anyone else, and he must also pass this knowledge on to people.
Satan's Tribulation tells the story of a talented but impoverished writer named Jeffrey Tempest. At the moment of utter despair, the philanthropist prince comes to him, who gives him a large sum of money, supposedly being the legacy of the writer.
It is worth noting that the first Russian-language publication was published under the name of Bram Stoker. It is not known for certain whether this was done intentionally or was a simple mistake, but the fact remains.
“Barabbas. The Tale of the Times of Christ "
This is the second book that Maria Corelli wrote. "Barabbas" is an artistic retelling of the life of the robber Barabbas, mentioned in the Gospel, after Pilate granted him freedom instead of Christ. The writer first portrays the tragedy that changed the life of mankind, and then the incredible joy for all believers in Palestine and the great apostles. The narrative is structured in such a way that it seems as if everything is happening at present and those two thousand years that separate the reader from events have not passed.
“Vendetta, or the Story of a Rejected One”
In this work tells the story of the rich, but unhappy Count Maria Corelli. "Vendetta" describes the story of the return from the dead - the deceased protagonist returns home, wanting revenge. But what can come of it? The events of the work unfold against a background of mysterious and mystical Italy.