Isabel Burton
Encyclopedia
Isabel Burton (20 March 1831 - 22 March 1896) was the wife and partner of explorer, adventurer, and writer Sir Richard Francis Burton.
She was the daughter of Hon. Henry Raymond Arundell (1799–1886) of Kenilworth
, Warwickshire
, nephew of James Everard Arundell (1785–1834), 10th Baron Arundell of Wardour
. Her mother, Eliza, was the sister of Robert Tolver Gerard (1808–1887), 13th Baronet of Bryn
, Lancashire
, and 1st Baron Gerard
of Bryn
.
Isabel was one of eleven children born into the House of Wardour
, a respected and well-to-do Roman Catholic family in England. She grew up enmeshed in London society and attended the convent of the Canonesses of the Holy Sepulchre, where she excelled as a writer and in theological studies. While on a school trip to Boulogne, she first met her future husband, Richard Burton, whom she claims to have fallen in love with immediately, though it would be another four years until their courtship began, and ten years until their marriage. Because of her strict Catholic background, her relationship with Burton caused strains within her family and she ultimately married him against the wishes of her parents. This was to be a major source of pain for her as the years progressed.
She was an intelligent, resourceful and devout woman, but is always seen in the shadow of her husband, one of the most famous of all Victorians. She was a strong supporter and advocate for her husband and assisted him on many of his most significant writings. He has credited her with being his most ardent supporter. He encouraged her to write and she wrote a number of books, including among them a history of their travels in Syria
and Palestine
, as well as an autobiography, published posthumously. Some scholars believe that Burton himself wrote under her name, though it is unclear.
She is perhaps best known for burning some of his papers and manuscripts after his death, including his revised translation of The Perfumed Garden
, which was to be called The Scented Garden, and of which the largest part consisted of the usually unpublished final chapter dealing with pederasty
, plus Burton's extensive (and comprehensive) notes on the subject.
In an appendix to her unfinished autobiography http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/b/burton/isabel/romance/chapter38.html, her posthumous collaborator points out that she had a first offer of 6,000 pounds for the manuscript, a considerable fortune in those times, and moreover that she need never have disclosed her actions at all, or blamed them on her husband. He further claims that she acted from a sincere belief that "out of a thousand men who read the work, 15 would read it in the scientific spirit in which it was written, and the other 985 solely for filth's sake", and feared that publication would blight, not her husband's worldly reputation - for his interest in the subject was notorious - but, by tempting others to sin
, his prospects in the world to come.
She is buried with her husband at Mortlake, Surrey in an elaborate tomb in the shape of a Bedouin
tent.
Fiona Shaw
portrayed her in the movie Mountains of the Moon
.
She was the daughter of Hon. Henry Raymond Arundell (1799–1886) of Kenilworth
Kenilworth
Kenilworth is a town in central Warwickshire, England. In 2001 the town had a population of 22,582 . It is situated south of Coventry, north of Warwick and northwest of London....
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, nephew of James Everard Arundell (1785–1834), 10th Baron Arundell of Wardour
Wardour
Wardour may refer to:* Wardour, Wiltshire, a former parish in Wiltshire, England** Wardour Castle, a ruined castle in Wiltshire** New Wardour Castle, a country house in Wiltshire* Wardour Street, a street in Westminster...
. Her mother, Eliza, was the sister of Robert Tolver Gerard (1808–1887), 13th Baronet of Bryn
Bryn
Bryn is a component ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It is part of the larger town of Ashton-in-Makerfield and is geographically indistinguishable from it. It forms a separate local council ward...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, and 1st Baron Gerard
Baron Gerard
There have been three baronies created for descendants of the Gerard family who resided at Bryn, Ashton in Makerfield, Lancashire and Kingsley, Cheshire in the 13th century....
of Bryn
Bryn
Bryn is a component ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It is part of the larger town of Ashton-in-Makerfield and is geographically indistinguishable from it. It forms a separate local council ward...
.
Isabel was one of eleven children born into the House of Wardour
Baron Arundell of Wardour
Baron Arundell of Wardour, in the County of Wiltshire, was a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1605 for Thomas Arundell, known as "Thomas the Valiant". He was the grandson of Sir Thomas Arundell and Margaret Howard, sister of Queen Catherine Howard. Arundell had already been...
, a respected and well-to-do Roman Catholic family in England. She grew up enmeshed in London society and attended the convent of the Canonesses of the Holy Sepulchre, where she excelled as a writer and in theological studies. While on a school trip to Boulogne, she first met her future husband, Richard Burton, whom she claims to have fallen in love with immediately, though it would be another four years until their courtship began, and ten years until their marriage. Because of her strict Catholic background, her relationship with Burton caused strains within her family and she ultimately married him against the wishes of her parents. This was to be a major source of pain for her as the years progressed.
She was an intelligent, resourceful and devout woman, but is always seen in the shadow of her husband, one of the most famous of all Victorians. She was a strong supporter and advocate for her husband and assisted him on many of his most significant writings. He has credited her with being his most ardent supporter. He encouraged her to write and she wrote a number of books, including among them a history of their travels in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
, as well as an autobiography, published posthumously. Some scholars believe that Burton himself wrote under her name, though it is unclear.
She is perhaps best known for burning some of his papers and manuscripts after his death, including his revised translation of The Perfumed Garden
The Perfumed Garden
The Perfumed Garden of Sensual Delight by Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Nafzawi is a fifteenth-century Arabic sex manual and work of erotic literature....
, which was to be called The Scented Garden, and of which the largest part consisted of the usually unpublished final chapter dealing with pederasty
Pederasty
Pederasty or paederasty is an intimate relationship between an adult and an adolescent boy outside his immediate family. The word pederasty derives from Greek "love of boys", a compound derived from "child, boy" and "lover".Historically, pederasty has existed as a variety of customs and...
, plus Burton's extensive (and comprehensive) notes on the subject.
In an appendix to her unfinished autobiography http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/b/burton/isabel/romance/chapter38.html, her posthumous collaborator points out that she had a first offer of 6,000 pounds for the manuscript, a considerable fortune in those times, and moreover that she need never have disclosed her actions at all, or blamed them on her husband. He further claims that she acted from a sincere belief that "out of a thousand men who read the work, 15 would read it in the scientific spirit in which it was written, and the other 985 solely for filth's sake", and feared that publication would blight, not her husband's worldly reputation - for his interest in the subject was notorious - but, by tempting others to sin
Sin
In religion, sin is the violation or deviation of an eternal divine law or standard. The term sin may also refer to the state of having committed such a violation. Christians believe the moral code of conduct is decreed by God In religion, sin (also called peccancy) is the violation or deviation...
, his prospects in the world to come.
She is buried with her husband at Mortlake, Surrey in an elaborate tomb in the shape of a Bedouin
Bedouin
The Bedouin are a part of a predominantly desert-dwelling Arab ethnic group traditionally divided into tribes or clans, known in Arabic as ..-Etymology:...
tent.
Fiona Shaw
Fiona Shaw
Fiona Shaw, CBE is an Irish actress and theatre director. Although to international audiences she is probably most familiar for her minor role as Petunia Dursley in the Harry Potter films, she is an accomplished classical actress...
portrayed her in the movie Mountains of the Moon
Mountains of the Moon (film)
Mountains of the Moon is a 1990 theatrical film depicting the 1857-58 journey of Richard Francis Burton and John Hanning Speke in their expedition to central Africa — the project that culminated in Speke's discovery of the source of the Nile River. The expedition led to a bitter rivalry between the...
.
Further Information
- burtoniana.org/isabel/ has most of Isabel Burton's writings, as well as those by her husband Richard Burton.
- Burton, Isabel, Lady, 1831-1896 at gutenberg.org
- Burton, Isabel. The Romance of Isabel, Lady Burton
- Lovell, Mary S. A Rage to Live, W.W. Norton, 1998.