Well, maybe because the events of her past made her "go" on a "crusade" to find her Darling, with tragic results both to her previous partners and her own reputation.
Knowing someone's background may help (or not) to build an understanding of that someone's circunstances and/or even come to relate with him/her...I guess...?
Well, at least I've never seen her as a "harlot", as you call her, but that's just me
