home. He tried farming, but he lacked the temperament and talent to be a farmer. He referred to his efforts as ?trying to starve respectably by torturing the barren earth.?John Wilkes Booth envied his brothers Junius Jr. and Edwin, who had both followed their father?s example and taken up acting careers. Edwin had quickly become one of the country?s leading actors who played tragic roles, tragedians. Junius Jr. had become one of the top theatrical managers. John felt that theater must be in his blood since it was in his brothers? blood. On August 1855, his brothers were acting in a special performance of Shakespeare?s Richard III at the Charles Street Theater in Baltimore. John was cast in a supporting role. His performance was weak, but the critics were kind to him because of his legendary father. He took their generosity for genuine praise. It was then he decided that he, too, would become an actor. In his first stage role Booth played Richmond, the hero who killed the tyrant Richard III and freed England from Richard?s reign of terror. John was only 17years old at the time. He was performed without any experience and by no means was ready for such a part in a play. At one point, he had forgotten his lines and the audience hissed. John, however, knew he would never be as great as his father but he wanted only to be a Southern actor and be loved by the Souther people. He had always identified with the South, copied Southern mannerisms, an had been offended when told to eat at the same table with the hired white laborers.John?s growing love for the South caused him to join the militia. He idenified with the South and its way of life and deeply resented the interference of northerners who wanted ot change it. However, Booth?s passion for being a soldier faded quickly and soon left the militia. He decided to concentrate on his career as an actor. He became known as the most handsome man in the world with a magnificen...
