ABSTRACT
Lady Caroline Lamb is better known for her tempestuous relationship with Lord Byron than she is for her literary endeavors, with the possible exception of Glenarvon, a roman à clef that has at its core a representation of that notorious affair. However, Lamb portrays her relationship with Byron as a microcosm of a morally bankrupt section of society to which they both belong, that of the Whig aristocracy. John Ford is significant for Lamb as a covertly political writer who exemplifies not only the effectiveness but also the legitimacy of the aristocracy and their intermediary position between the monarchy and the people. Ford’s dramatization of the historical account, The Chronicle History of Perkin Warbeck, was entered in the Stationers’ Register in January 1634, and it explores the theme of inherent nobility. Byron recognized Ford’s innovative exploration of the difficult theme of incest in relation to his own work, The Bride of Abydos.
