Mary Todd Lincoln and the Roots of Her Hunger for Publicity

Abstract

Mary Todd Lincoln is probably one of the most ambivalent characters in the history of the United States, mainly because of her sometimes extreme behavior and influence on her husband, Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth President of the United States of America. Since the way her “messages” are interpreted may differ, groups of supporters and opponents of the First Lady are divided. Her significance can be approached from two main aspects: the political and personal ones. So many historians have dealt with her and Abraham Lincoln’s historic significance that it would go way beyond the scope of this thesis to give even a sketchy overview of these works. Therefore, I opted for focusing on her personality and its effects on the public.