Annie Besant: Her Passions and Her Relationships - Part 1
Fohat Magazine (Winter 2000) - by Ernest Pelletier
There have been many controversial issues high-lighted in Theosophical literature over the years. Certain issues surrounding Annie Besant seem to elude analytical objective review. Much of what has been written about her life deals with her many accomplishments. One period of her life which de- serves closer examination is the period from 1888 to 1896, the years which include her early involvement with the Theosophical Society, her inner develop- ment and motivation, not only as a teacher and leader but also as a shrewd and skillful manipulator, or as one who may have been manipulated.
More books have been written about her than any other Theosophist, with the exception of Mme. Blavatsky, yet there have been aspects of her life which have evaded close scrutiny, such as her rela- tionship with William Q. Judge. That relationship has been mostly ignored, or maybe purposely shrugged aside in the belief that old wounds are better closed — even with pieces of infectious mate- rial left inside — with hope that the whole body will heal. However, there were other relationships which have been crucial to the evolution of the Theosophical Movement. The influences of powerful men in Annie Besant’s life is one aspect which warrants further exploration.
