Violent Friendship Of Esther Johnson

One of literary history's most enduring mysteries, Esther Johnson was Jonathan Swift's friend, secretary, confidante, and muse. She was the Stella of his poems-and possibly his wife. From scant facts and the few writings credited to Esther Johnson, Trudy J. Morgan-Cole creates a brilliantly realized, Brontë-esque portrait of a remarkable woman and her lifelong relationship with one of the giants of Western literature.

Unlike most women of the early eighteenth century, Esther led a life governed by choice. She had been born into the servant class, but unexpected fortune led her into an uneasy, sometimes treacherous independence. She could choose how to live and with whom to socialize-and whether and whom to marry. One of the few constants in her life was Jonathan Swift, whom she'd met when she was only eight years old. Morgan-Cole mines deeply that relationship to explore the nature and boundaries of love-platonic, romantic, and sexual.

Beautifully written and meticulously researched, The Violent Friendship of Esther Johnson offers a fascinating and emotionally rich portrait of an unforgettable woman.