In The Lucinda Series, I tried to show not only the effects of mental and physical health on life choices and personal agency, but how these factors require each individual to navigate the unexpected diversion from their chosen paths.
Lucinda experiences the effects of severe RSI, an ailment common amongst seamstresses and scribes in the 18th century and beyond; this develops into a systemic ague which nowadays we would call fibromyalgia or M.E. Unable to continue her work as a seamstress and trapped in a cage of disability, her choices are determined by her residual physical abilities as she is swept into adversity. Without connections or family support she relies on her intelligence, determination, and courage to find a path out. Additionally, Lucinda’s naivety in taking people at their word, which may have been a contributing factor in her seduction and betrayal, could arguably be an autistic trait.
Likewise, the male protagonist, William, displays erratic and sometimes ‘lunatic’ behaviour which could be attributed to what nowadays would be called bipolar. His impulsivity, recklessness, and highs are the opposite extreme of his dark thoughts and depressions. Deprived of respectable employment by his enemies, William harnesses these qualities which are arguably ideally suited for the profession of highwayman or gentleman of the road. Who knows how often mental and physical characteristics influenced the seemingly rational choices of people in the past.
The character Alex Henderson displays anxious and depressive tendencies which cause him to distort his original idealism and aspiration to be a political journalist, in defence of the welfare of the people. This change of perspective and his resultant secretive behaviour could be attributed to what would now be considered latent PTSD as a result of his torture and incarceration on the infamous prison hulks.
There are other characters in the books who experience shifts in physical and mental functioning which effect their personalities and behaviour, but I won’t give you the spoilers here!
Lucinda and William’s attraction to each other is fuelled by their complementary physical and mental characteristics. Lucinda is weighed down by the drudgery of adversity and pain, bored out of her mind, lacking stimulation. Enter William, lively, warm, and sensuous. He, in turn, seeks and craves release from the rigors of bipolar – the lunatic ups and paralysing downs. Vulnerable in his own way, he seeks tenderness, affection and belonging in his lonely quest to survive. Each mirroring the others experience as outsiders, attraction combusts into passion. In her quest to understand William, Lucinda overlooks his destructive behaviour. Both possess the ability to think laterally and harness adversity to free themselves. In William Lucinda finds someone to whom she can give, rather than always being the “disabled” one. She provides a haven for his troubled soul. His passion elevates her from dullness and pain and she is able to identity as a woman, not an invalid.
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