Sarah Bernhardt (1844)

The illegitimate child of a courtesan, Bernhardt was encouraged to pursue a theatrical career by one of her mother’s lovers. Her acting teachers did not consider her a particularly promising student, but they turned out to be sorely mistaken; Bernhardt went on to become the premier romantic and tragic actress of her day, touring all over the world during her six-decade career on stage and screen. What morbid possession may have helped “the Divine Sarah” reach her potential as a tragedienne? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary