Broadway Play Revives Stereotypes About Mary Todd Lincoln

A Broadway satire titled 'Oh, Mary!' has drawn large audiences by presenting Mary Todd Lincoln as an alcoholic cabaret singer. The article states that Mary Todd Lincoln faced criticism from the moment she entered the White House in 1861.

Lincoln took an active interest in political appointments and the administration's public image. Her purchases for the White House and personal wardrobe drew sharp criticism during wartime. The article points out that the residence required repairs when she arrived and that earlier administrations had spent on similar upkeep.

Lincoln lost two sons and her husband during her lifetime. After her husband's death she petitioned Congress for a pension, an action the article describes as unprecedented then but later extended to other presidential widows. In 1875 her son arranged a brief institutionalization based on concerns about her spending and spiritualism.

Historians have suggested she experienced depression or bipolar disorder.