1. W oman’s W orld In the 19th Century Portrait of Miss Margaret Henderson by John William Waterhouse, 1900

2. “Victorian” ??????

3. [pictures of corsetted women]

4. [pictures of corsetted women from movies Angels and Insects and Pirates of the Caribbean.] Keira Knightley in Pirates of the Caribbean

5. The Corset Camille Clifford

6. Corsets, crinolines, hoopskirts exaggerate hips, breasts, waist Impede movement, breathing Foster unrealistic image of woman’s body Cutaway view of crinoline, Punch, 1856

7. Idealization of Woman as Angel/Goddess/Fairy/Mother Paradox of ideal vs. real “The Angel in the House” (Coventry Patmore) “Blessed Damozel” “Lady of Shalott” (Alfred Lord Tennyson) Emily Patmore, “The Angel in the House” by John Brettx

8. Goddess The Blessed Damozel by Dante Gabriel Rossetti

9. Fairy Midsummer’s Eve by Edward Robert Hughes

10. Angel Angel by Abbot Handerson Thayer, 1889

11. Mother Woman’s highest calling Mother and Child by Lord Leighton

12. Influence of Queen Victoria 1819-1901 Icon of femininie domesticity Devoted wife to Albert and mother of nine Retreated to seclusion at Albert’s death in 1861 Portrait of Queen Victoria Sir Francis Grant, 1843

13. Impact of Industrial Revolution “Separate Spheres” Social theory enforcing gender polarity Home Work Place

14. Separate Spheres Men are rational, independent, competitive, and aggressive Women are emotional, maternal, domestic, and dependent. Men leave home to work: “public sphere” (business & politics) Men have permission for moral laxity Women rule the home and are confined to it: “private sphere” Role of helpmeet, domestic manager, moral exemplum Home is haven from factory, firm, “world” Plush décor reflects cocooning

15. All wealth owned, inherited, or earned went legally to husband until 1882 Divorce extremely rare for woman to secure Inheritance through male line Until 1891, runaway wife could be arrested and imprisoned Husband could divorce for adultery; wife could not. Marriage 1850 Wedding Attire Victorian wedding attire

16. Accidental Pregnancy Birth control literature illegal Activities heavily chaperoned--unwed pregnancy in upper class rare Domestic servants often seduced by employer (typically expelled from house) Infant abandonment/murder common Unwed mother could sue father in court for child support Richard Redgrave’s The Outcast 1851

17. Careers Low-paid jobs only 1851, 43% of British women over 20 had no husband (30% single, 13% widowed) 90% of these worked 19th century milliners

18. “Upper” Work Upper” tradeswomen in towns: milliners & dressmakers “Upper” servants of the wealthy: governesses, skilled cooks, housekeepers, senior parlour- maids, head house-maids and lady's maids

19. “Lower” Work Lower working classes: –began work age 8-12 –Worked until marriage if... –All earnings belonged to husband “Lower” street hawkers: flowers, sweets, seafood, and fortune-telling Lower servants of middle class: kitchen-maid, scullery- maid, laundress, nursemaid, housemaid Single “maid-of-all-work”: 14-16 hours/day

20. Domestic Servants Largest category of woman’s work--50% 1880-1890

21. No job-No family Charity of wealthy benefactors or church Prostitution Begging Workhouses Suicide Watts’ Found Drowned

22. Acknowledgements Young servant: www.history.powys.org.uk Wedding gowns: www.victoriana.com Milliners: www.bbc.co.uk/history/society_culture/welfare/womens_work_02.shtml Hunt’s “The Awakening Conscience”: www.csun.edu/~jaa7021/h498/part3.htm Corsets: www.staylace.com/gallery/index.html Crinoline: www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/victcfsh.html Camille Clifford: www.staylace.com/gallery Queen Victoria: www.victorianweb.org Servants: www.sensibility.com/vintageimages/victorian/ Leighton Mother: www.victorianartinbritain.co.uk/leighton_mother.htm Pirates of the Carribean: www.erasofelegance.com Hughes: www.denison.edu/art/fairy Waterhouse’s Portrait of Miss Margaret Henderson: http://.cgfa.sunsite.dk/ Thayer Angel: www.fineartcompanyltd.co.uk