Womans In The Victorian Age Essay, Research Paper

Suffer And Be Still, is a powerful aggregation of essays. This aggregation, edited by Martha Vicinus paperss the province of adult females in the nineteenth century Victorian England. This clip period is good known as a dark side in adult females & # 8217 ; s modern history, because, as seen through this book, Women in the Victorian Age were discriminated, degraded and psychologically abused at this clip. Work force, tyrannizing at place, in authorities, instruction and professional life dictated a adult female & # 8217 ; s function. Whether through popular civilization, as in the theatre of the twenty-four hours, adult females suffered a awful destiny at the custodies of male dominated society. It is my steadfast belief that this aggregation of essays points a hideous image of adult females & # 8217 ; s destiny during the Victorian epoch. Regardless of wealth or position, adult females & # 8217 ; s functions were carefully monitored and kept in cheque. In this essay, I will mention to the text in order to back up my position that adult females were done terrible unfairness during this period.

In Victorian Theater, the function of adult females during the Victorian Age can be seen in this signifier of popular civilization. When immature adult females played male functions, the functions were taken really earnestly. This can be seen through their costumes, their functions that they played and the dramas that were represented. However, when it comes to work forces playing the functions of females, it was unlike the manner in which female portrayed males. As quoted from Vicinus pg 20 & # 8220 ; Men did non portray adult females earnestly on the 19th century phase & # 8221 ; . As seen from this citation, one can infer that adult females of this clip were non taken in a serious visible radiation. Theater, as a signifier of popular civilization, high-lite & # 8217 ; s societal differences every bit good as gender functions. Therefore, when adult females & # 8217 ; s functions were portrayed in a derisive manner, it can be seen as a contemplation of the times and the stereotypes held towards adult females.

Another illustration, which gives us an thought of how adult females were discriminated against, can be found in Chapter 3, Victorian Women and Men Situation. In this chapter, one encounters the popular belief of the Victorian Era that adult females were & # 8220 ; remarkably susceptible to dazes during menses & # 8221 ; ( Vicinus pg 39 ) . This thought farther exaggerated by beliefs which describes adult females as incapable of mental or physical work during menses. However, this statement is wholly refuted by the point that work forces failed to see that adult females such as governess, cocottes and working category adult females were able to go on with their twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours activities without hinderance. What is farther surprising is that even respectable physician and scientific research workers such as Drysdale and Knowlton steadfastly believed that adult females were incapable at times of menses. This stereotype looked to farther repeat the point that adult females were inferior to work forces physically and professionally. Society adopted this belief and used it to further degrade adult females of this clip.

In chapter 4, Marriage, Redundancy or wickedness, we view the painter & # 8217 ; s position of adult females in the

Victorian Era. This chapter is really of import, because it illustrates another signifier of popular civilization which served to downgrade adult females and their function in the society. Although painter’s of this clip depicted upper-middle category adult females, we can still derive a farther apprehension of women’s function at this clip. In this image “Women’s mission: Companion of Manhood” ( Vicinus pg 49 ) creative person George Elgar Hicks portrays the stereotyped in-between category Victorian Woman. This picture besides farther illustrates the function expected of adult females during the clip. When looking at Hicks portrayal, I see a sort, inactive and hushed married woman who is at the beck and call of her hubby. Her mission is to function him. Her function is of subservience and subservience merely. As besides stated by the rubric, “Companion of Manhood” one can reason that adult females were to play a faithful function in which they were at that place to function their all powerful hubbies. For these grounds, I found Hick’s portrait really converting in exemplifying women’s functions and outlooks in society at the clip.

One chapter which does non play a big in function in organizing my sentiment is chapter 5, which deals with cocottes and genital disease. I am disgusted by harlotry and happen it the most frailty of professions. I do non believe that my sentiment has changed, nor for the most portion society. Prostitution and genital disease continue to keep a negative stigma, hence non doing it a exclusive feature of the Victorian Era.

In Chapter 8, Stereotypes of Femininity in a Theory of Sexual Evolution, one can see that effort of Victorian societal scientists and life scientists to warrant adult females & # 8217 ; s biological differences from work forces. For illustration, Spencer, who wrote in The survey of Biology, drew non-scientific decisions in which he makes Opinions on adult females & # 8217 ; s character and ability. He felt that adult females were seeking blessing and were deceitful in their idiosyncrasy. However, he did believe that adult females were more intuitive so work forces. Other societal scientists who modified Darwin & # 8217 ; s theories sought to use sex differences as a mean to farther demote adult females. Scots life scientist Patrick Geddes is an illustration. In the book, The Evolution of Sex, Geddes and his student Thomson, usage development as an account as to why adult females developed in the manner in which they did. Although this chapter does non deliberately illustrate illustrations which degrade adult females, it does farther illustrates societies attempt to epitomize adult females & # 8217 ; s & # 8220 ; Stereotypical & # 8221 ; behavior by biological grounds. Although these plants have all been discredited, one can see that they did non work in favour of adult females and their place at that clip.

After reading aggregation of essays, I was horrified by the take downing mode in which adult females of the clip were treated. Through textual grounds and chapter commendations, I have attempted to sum up the contents of this book which served to back up my belief that adult females of the Victorian Era were degraded and discriminated in all facets of society

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