The story goes, in Fiona MacCarthy's words, that ‘Mrs Morris … took to the sofa in 1869, at the age of twenty-nine, and never really left it,’ although the cause of her invalidism remains a ‘mystery’ (1994: xiii). The myth of Jane Morris's strategic invalidism is often allied with the trait of melancholy silence: together, these traits speak of a refusal of social engagement, a retreat from communication and connection with others. The attribution of silence to Jane Morris found in both contemporary accounts and subsequent depictions, however, needs to be interpreted mindful of the narratorial perspective and the narrative contexts in which it occurs. The silent invalid often operates as a structural device in textual accounts, working to contrast Jane Morris (usually unfavourably) with others who appear in the episodes described. Jane's silence, for instance, is sometimes portrayed as a manipulative pose and contrasted unfavourably with Rossetti's inability to dissemble or suppress his powerful feelings. Similarly, in relation to her husband, Jane Morris's mute, ailing body is contrasted with William's volubility and hyperactive productivity. My purpose here is not to rebut the charge of silent invalidism entirely but to interpret previous accounts in the light of Jane Morris's correspondence, drawing on recent studies of Victorian invalidism and embodiment. Speaking and silence, action and immobility, illness and vitality, will be shown to be recurring issues of concern in Jane's letters, suggesting a subject who was highly aware of the conflicting possibilities and constraints of her position in relation to others around her.