Class Year
2019
Document Type
Blog Post
Publication Date
Spring 5-16-2017
Department 1
Civil War Institute
Abstract
When John Wilkes Booth assassinated President Lincoln, he became one of the most infamous figures in American history almost overnight. This rapid fall from grace took quite a toll on his family, especially his brother, Edwin. Edwin Booth was one of the most accomplished and successful actors of the Civil War era. He became famous for his portrayals of Shakespearian roles, especially Hamlet, which became his signature role. The Booths were an illustrious family of actors, though Edwin would become the most critically acclaimed and famous for his acting ability.
Copyright Note
This is the author's version of the work. This publication appears in Gettysburg College's institutional repository by permission of the copyright owner for personal use, not for redistribution.
Recommended Citation
Wilson, Laurel J., "Brother against Brother: John Wilkes and Edwin Booth" (2017). The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History. 230.
https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/compiler/230
Comments
This blog post originally appeared in The Gettysburg Compiler and was created by students at Gettysburg College.