Behind a Mask

Jean Muir is a governess recently employed by the Coventry family to educate their young daughter, Bella. Muir is charming and solicitous, but everything is not as it seems—it’s quickly revealed that she’s a actually an older actress, working under more duplicitous motives.

The story follows Jean as she schemes for the affections of the Coventry men. It has been critically analyzed as a commentary on female agency, class struggle, and acting and theater—all controversial themes in Victorian England. Modern critics often treat the novel with feminist readings, as Muir is a powerful if deceptive figure that skillfully manages to hold the Coventry family tightly in her grasp.

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