Madame Thérèse Bentzon

Madame Thérèse Bentzon

Marie-Thérèse Blanc (1840-1907), also known by her pseudonyms Thérèse Bentzon and Théodore Bentzon, was a French novelist, essayist, literary critic, and journalist. Blanc was born in Seine-Port, Seine-et-Marne (a small village outside Paris), and raised by her grandparents, received an education via tutors in German, English, Greek, and Latin. 

When Marie-Thérèse was 16 she was married off to a M. Blanc, a match rumored to occur to assist her family's failing finances. After three long and unhappy years the marriage ended in a divorce. Soon after, her husband disappeared in Haiti under mysterious circumstances possibly related to questionable financial dealings.

With a new-found freedom, Bentzon moved to Paris and began her writing career in earnest. Through a connection through George Sand (the pseudonym of influential French writer Amantine Dupin de Francueil), Bentzon began her career as a literary critic at the Revue des deux Mondes.

Established in 1829 as coverage of the growing links between America and Europe, the Revue des deux Mondes grew to lead discucssions of literature, history and current affairs. The journal quickly became well-regarded and attracted many talented minds of the 19th and 20th centuries—who published peices in the Revue. By the time Bentzon arrived, the journal was nearing its peak in popularity and notoriety. 

Over the next few decades Bentzon worked on translation and editing for American and English authors. In addition, she travelled around Europe and America—writing observational pieces on women in these regions. They were compiled into travel journals, which sold very well. Over the course of her life she wrote 51 books and 116 articles.

Bentzon met Vernon Lee first as a translator and editor but as time passed they became good friends. Bentzon wrote multiple glowingly positive reviews of Lee’s pieces for the Revue and came to work as a translator of Lee’s work into French. As their working relationship continued over the years, Bentzon frequently would come to stay in Il Palmerino—either to see Lee or as a place to stop on Bentzon’ss journeys across Europe. 

Caroline K