  east lynne is an english sensation novel of 1861 by ellen wood. a victorian bestseller, it is remembered chiefly for its elaborate and implausible plot, centreing on infidelity and double identities. there have been numerous stage and film adaptations. the much-"quoted" line "gone! and never called me mother!" (variant: "dead! dead! and never called me mother!") does not appear in the book; both variants come from later stage adaptations. the book was originally serialised in the new monthly magazine between january 1860 and september 1861, being issued as a three-volume novel on 19 september 1861.oxford world's classics edition. == plot summary == lady isabel carlyle, a beautiful and refined young woman, leaves her hard-working lawyer-husband and her infant children to elope with an aristocratic suitor. after he deserts her, and she bears their illegitimate child, lady isabel disguises herself and takes the position of governess in the household of her former husband and his new wife. ==adaptations== east lynne has been adapted for the stage many times; the play was so popular that stock companies put on a performance whenever they needed guaranteed revenue. the play was staged so often that critic sally mitchell estimates some version was seen by audiences in either england or north america every week for over forty years.mitchell (1984), xiii. the novel was first staged as edith, or the earl's daughter in new york in 1861 and under its own name on 26 january 1863 in brooklyn; by march of that year, "three competing versions were drawing crowds to new york theaters." the most successful version was written by clifton w. tayleur for actress lucille western, who was paid $350 a night for her performance as isabel vane. western starred in east lynne for the next 10 years. at least nine adaptations were made in all, not including plays such as the marriage bells that "used a different title for the sake of some copyright protection."mitchell (1984), xiv. there have been many silent film versions of the book including a 1913 film. another, starring theda bara, was made in 1916, and there was an australian film six years later. in 1925, another version reached the screen which starred alma rubens, edmund lowe, lou tellegen and leslie fenton. in the 1970s a tv dramatisation was broadcast from the city varieties theatre in leeds, with the audience all in victorian costume and queen victoria in the royal box. the famous tv host of the good old days, leonard sachs, was present to introduce the proceedings. the story has been refilmed as recently
1861_novels British_novels_adapted_into_films English_novels Victorian_novels