Tom Taylor's Ticket-of-Leave Man: His Detective Model and Financial Commentary

Because of their popular appeal, Victorian melodramas can reveal new aspects of nineteenth-century London culture. My investigation focuses on three tropes within <italic>The Ticket-of-Leave Man</italic>: the character of the detective, of the ticket-of-leave man (a paroled criminal), and Victorian finances within this 1863 melodrama by Tom Taylor. Taylor's ingenuity is revealed by comparing two main characters' dramatic persona and real-life counterparts as seen through opinions in contemporary periodicals. After investigating the relationship between these two figures, I argue that through his detective character Taylor offers a model of behavior for audience reaction to real-life ticket-of-leave men. The third theme, financial deception, is an unresolved subtext throughout the play. Critic Victor Emeljanow states that &ldquo;"what differentiates Taylor...is his critical objectivity which distances his writing from the narrowing effects of engaged satire, reforming zeal, or moral fervor;&rdquo;" because of this ability, Taylor, unlike many Victorian dramatists, &ldquo;"was generally able to judge in advance the limits of his audience's tolerance&rdquo;" (57). I argue that Taylor places financial questions subtly but consistently as secondary to the first two themes so as not to challenge &ldquo;"his audience's tolerance.&rdquo;" Thus, he quietly raised questions, which served as an understated marker of growing problems in Victorian London.

Grantor dc:publisher

Wake Forest University

Year dc:date.issued

2011

Author dc:creator

• Jones, Carolyn L.

• Brierly

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10339/33444

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:wakespace.lib.wfu.edu:10339/33444