For her students she had called forth the universe of fictional characters dwelling inside her, channeling their words and passions into live performances. She became Emma Bovary, liberated from a dull life and marriage. She became Thomas Hardy’s tragic beauty, Eustacia Vye, whose exotic, dark-haired looks she fancied herself sharing. Here in the classroom she lived more truly than anywhere else, conjuring up every scene down to the smell of smoke from the wild Egdon Heath.