Caroline Herschel
Historical / real person
Caroline is born Carolina Herschel in Hannover and later adopts Caroline as the English form of her name. Her brother calls her “Lina.” She is marked by smallpox, which scars her face and stunts her growth; she later recalls typhus as another serious childhood illness. Her early life is dominated by domestic labour: cooking, sewing, shopping, cleaning, caring for children and copying music. Her education is curtailed by her family, not by a stated lack of ability. Her father introduces her to the stars, while her brother William later develops her musical and mathematical education.