Off-campus UNL users: To download campus access dissertations, please use the following link to log into our proxy server with your NU ID and password. When you are done browsing please remember to return to this page and log out.
Non-UNL users: Please talk to your librarian about requesting this dissertation through interlibrary loan.
Matilda Heron: An Americanization of Camille
Abstract
Camille was one of the most popular plays in mid-nineteenth century America. Actresses gravitated towards it and audiences relished it. This study investigates the Americanization of Alexandre Dumas fils original La dame aux camélias and the reason why the central role was such an item of interest for Americans. A close study of the acting style compared with popular culture of the period suggests that with the increasing popularity of melodrama, a genre that presented clear-cut images of good and evil, it was also desired that acting present the same clear-cut interpretation of emotion. Thus, Heron's interpretation of Camille, considered to be highly emotional, fulfilled the psychological needs of mid-nineteenth century American audiences. The procedure of this study follows a developmental pattern. The first chapter investigates the translation changes Heron made to Acts I and II of the Dumas fils script and her attempts to mold the play into a melodrama. Chapter Two analyzes Act III and Chapter Three completes the study with Acts IV and V. Chapter Four examines cultural trends, emphasizing Transcendentalism, and applies these trends analytically, to Heron's portrayal. Chapter Five examines five actresses of the period who played Camille; Jean Davenport, Laura Keene, Helena Modjeska, Clara Morris, and Matilda Heron, and addresses the unique contributions each brought to the role. The conclusion summarizes the importance of this role and its lasting effects.
Subject Area
Theater
Recommended Citation
Jensen, Gwen Ursula Preston, "Matilda Heron: An Americanization of Camille" (2003). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI3116581.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI3116581