Susan Morgan, English professor at Miami University, will acquaint the community with her biography of the governess from The King and I.
Anna Leonowens, the governess from The King and I, led a rebellious life told in detail by Miami University English professor Susan Morgan in her new biography Bombay Anna: The Real Story and Remarkable Adventures of The King and I Governess.
Morgan will present her book at the Oxford Lane Public Library at 7 p.m. April 14, just in time to extend Miami University's "F" Week off campus.
In Morgan's biography of Leonowens, she describes the governess as what society might now call a feminist, in this case, a woman taking control of her own life and not accepting the social fate in which she was born.
Morgan said Leonowens was of the lower class, an "army rat" as she would have been called, and decided to create an entirely new identity upon leaving a ship. She would thereafter be known as a "proper British lady," Morgan said, and erase her past.
Morgan said the accuracy of the modern film adaptation of The King and I was "close to zero."
"(The King) did have a vast number of children, but that was the state policy," Morgan said.
What most people don't realize is the complexity of Leonowens' situation, Morgan said, came from the fact the governess's father was English and worked in India, the homeland of her mother. When Leonowens was born, she had close to no social standing, was of mixed race and had few credentials.
"She was incredibly smart and knew up to eight languages," Morgan said.
Morgan said Leonowens would then decide to use her intelligence to her advantage and teach in Siam where the king would eventually ask her to teach the women and children in his harem.
Morgan said Leonowens' tale had never been looked into previous to her 10-year research period, during which she traveled to Thailand and Bali, among other places of interest.
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She said she asked just about anyone who might have information including taxi drivers and people on the street.
"All these facts just came to me randomly," Morgan said.
Miami sophomore Morgan Kiamy said when it comes to reading, she "sticks more with postmodern fiction" as opposed to historical biographies.
"Stories in general, are hugely important for understanding out own lives," Kiamy said.
Eric Johnson, information services manager at the Oxford branch of the Lane Public Library, said the Oxford community should find Morgan's presentation of her book interesting because of Leonowens' iconic figure.
Morgan's book, which was published in August 2008, has been reviewed in The New York Times as well as in India, Australia and Canada. Morgan said she plans on publishing again. She said her next project will focus on how the British educated themselves outside of Britain during the colonial era.
Siam was never actually colonized, bringing an added interest to the book and yet another reason why Leonowens' life was so different from any story ever told, Morgan said. Leonowens' past has now been uncovered after years of secrecy through her biography.
"I wanted to solve the mystery," Morgan said.
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