Victorian

Fallen Women: hysteria & prostitution in Victorian England

~ millerm10

Ngrams

Maisie Miller

Online assignment #5

My Ngrams focused on words assigned to women by their male counterparts, whom mainly published these words, during the Victorian age.  I choose hysteria and prostitution as my main focus because I was curious to see how the “fallen” women’s roles played against each other. I was surprised to see that they met and switched positions on the graph.

Further research into the words, described a dark time for women with mental illness, ( or misdiagnosed illness), as well as a period of time where options were limited for employment and resources.  In Victorian times, a woman could be considered “unbalanced” due to a variety of causes, including: menstruation-related anger, pregnancy-related sadness, postpartum depression symptoms, disobedience, chronic fatigue syndrome, anxiety, and prostitution, among other things. Victorian society emphasized female purity and supported the ideal of the “true woman” as wife, mother, and keeper of the home.  A hysterical female was one who could be nervous, eccentric, and/or exhibit erratic behaviour, the epidemiology of hysteria eluded medical explanation in the Victorian era.  For hysterical women and their families, the asylum offered a convenient and socially acceptable excuse for inappropriate, and potentially scandalous behavior. Prostitution or, “fallen woman,” were usually of the lower classes, and  had strayed from the idea of true womanhood by giving in to seduction and sin.Prostitution-Victorian-Era-1Prostitution-Victorian-Era-3

 

(Cartoon’s of prostitutes; http://profpoofpof.blogspot.com/2013/11/prostitution-in-victorian-times.html   Women in asylum for committing the biggest sin  https://victorianparis.wordpress.com/2011/10/23/degrees-of-prostitution/ )

 

“Hysteria” starts at the lower portion  of the graph, while “prostitution” begins at a higher point on the y axis. Around 1853, “prostitution” and “hysteria” meet and finally cross each other, reversing their previous positions. “Hysteria” ends up above “prostitution” on the y axis. This could be due to a number of things, one being that the use of the word “prostitution”, was thought of as vulgar in certain levels of society, to describe women who practiced sex acts with men for money. Whereas “hysteria” developed as an widespread mania.

books on prostitutes 98

(Books on prostitution, notice the titles. http://www.indiana.edu/~liblilly/offthepedestal/otp5.html ) 

In 1864 the first of the Contagious Diseases Acts was passed. It required any allegedly diseased prostitute to undergo an inspection (the allegation may be made by an infected enlisted man). If she was found to be infected, she could be held in a Lock Hospital for up to 3 months. This was only a temporary measure, until more stringent acts could be accommodated. The Contagious Diseases Act of 1866 allowed a special police force to order women to undergo fortnightly inspections for up to a year. By 1869, the Contagious Diseases Act required prostitutes to be officially registered and to carry cards, it increased inspection stations and targeted towns from 12 to 18, and increased lock hospital incarceration to 9 months, which can largely contribute to the decline of the word use. The graph reflects this, though doesn’t perfectly add up. This could be due to an in flow of issues regarding “prostitution”,  perhaps a particularly large amount of vernal diseases spread during the rise on the graph.

hysterical woman photos

(Public Domain Photo taken by Jean-Martin Charcot in 1878 during his experiments using hypnosis to treat hysteria patients.) 

Hysteria’s rise is evident from it’s actual evolution, and subsequent diagnosis, during the Victorian era. In the Victorian Era, doctors discouraged physical activity by women, because they believed ridiculous medical conditions would result from it. Among a range of other concerns, doctors argued that physical exertion in women might cause their organs (particularly the reproductive organs) to become dislodged and wander around the body, causing all types of problems. As The National Institutes of Health explains hysteria in the 19th century;

     “Hysteria is a pathology in which dissociation appears autonomously for neurotic reasons, and in such a way as to adversely disturb the individual’s everyday life. Janet studied five hysteria’s symptoms: anaesthesia, amnesia, abulia, motor control diseases and modification of character. The reason of hysteria is in the idée fixe, that is the subconscient or subconscious. For what concerns eroticism, Janet noted that “the hysterical are, in general, not any more erotic than normal person”. Janet’s studies are very important for the early theories of Freud, Breuer and Carl Jung (1875-1961) “.

hysteria photo 2

(Professor Jean-Martin Charcot demonstrates hypnosis on a “hysterical” patient. This image is in the public domain because it’s copyright has expired.)

A physician George Taylor in 1859 claimed that a quarter of all women suffered from hysteria. Hysteria was more commonly used to describe prostitutes, even. Their “struggles”, real or not,  were dismissed as simply mental illness. The tragedy of women’s status and associated language can be seen in this graph.  The words ascribed to women during the Victorian age hold a heavy weight of a untold story, echoing in these whispered words.

 

Sources:

Web, https://www.lib.uwo.ca/archives/virtualexhibits/londonasylum/docs/surgeryamonginsane.pdf

Web, http://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/prostitution

Web, http://cai.ucdavis.edu/waters-sites/prostitution/FallenWomen.htm

Web. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3480686/

 

Images:

http://profpoofpof.blogspot.com/2013/11/prostitution-in-victorian-times.html

http://www.indiana.edu/~liblilly/offthepedestal/otp5.html

http://unhingedhistorian.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-insane-victorians-hysteria-was-real.html

Assignment #2 Omeka

~ arangoj1

Here are my items:

http://holmesiana.net/items/show/126

http://holmesiana.net/items/show/135

http://holmesiana.net/items/show/105

Collection:

http://holmesiana.net/collections/show/27

Exhibit:

http://holmesiana.net/exhibits/show/drugabuse/drugabuse

Prostitution in 19th Century Victorian London

~ delancem1

Atypical “Attitudes Towards Prostitution”

A practice many would think is far beyond moral taboo for 19th Century London women actually received varying views. One anomalous opinion was written in The London Times in 1858 which expressed that call girls of the day were merely “practising their trade, either as the entire or partial means of their subsistence.” This writer views prostitution as any other occupation, which is fascinating for a time when women weren’t technically even ‘supposed’ to have jobs. The notion that women who practice prostitution are morally wicked is another common view not held by this author. He writes, “they have their virtues, like others; they are good daughters, good sisters, and friends.” In short, the author sees prostitution as a job like any other, one in which a woman can find not only means for subsistence but she can find success.

“Causes of Prostitution” 

Another article published in The London Times is written from a different and woman’s perspective. This one was written by a woman who feels unsettled with the limitations on which women can know or offer suggestion about a troubling occurrence in a society. That a woman should not only stray from the practice but not even acknowledge such a topic, for she should not know of such things, that she should ignore and not ask questions: “We have been told heretofore by men whom we respect that it becomes a woman to be absolutely silent on such revolting topics – to ignore, or rather to affect to ignore, such a ‘state of things’ as you allude.” In this passage, prostitutes are referred to (by the woman) “outcasts of our own sex.” All other women are referred to as “virtuous women”, and the writer refers to herself as the latter. The writer sees this topic as one that affects all members of the gender and seems to be deeply concerned. Her view is probably leaning towards the typical view of the time, because she thinks of them as “wretches whose sole and profitable occupation is to hunt down and ensnare victims…” Men are referred to as ‘victims’ of prostitution. So the woman conforms to the gender norms in society that everything morally incorrect is at the fault of women more than at the fault of men, though both deserve equal blame (Adam and Eve and the Forbidden Fruit being the prime example. She even mentions the Bible and Christianity a couple times in her ramble.)

Summary

We have two opinions, one ironically written by a man with outlandish views and one by a woman who conforms to what was seen as acceptable in her society. The articles in this section all prove the idea discussed in class that the issues and topics of Victorian times are virtually no different than those of modern times.

 

– Miranda Delancey, Online Assignment #1

“Victorian London: Clothing: Dress and Social Status” by Corinne Prenatt

~ prenattc1 ~ 1 Comment

The “Victorian London: Clothing: Dress and Social Status” article By Max Schlesinger highly concentrates on the fact that any working class citizen in 1853 Gravesend, could have appeared to be a Gentleman or a Lady. The stereotypical clothing items that were popular amongst the women were “colored silks, black velvets, silk or straw bonnets with botanical ornaments are worn by the Lady’s maids as well as the Lady.” (Schlesinger) The only real difference between the two may have been in the cost of the dress, in that the maid’s dress may have been slightly cheaper, according to Schlesinger. The main point of the article is, one could not tell the difference between those of a higher class, visually and based off of their dress. As far as men’s fashion goes, black, silk hats were a staple and the sole headwear that is accepted amongst the male populous of Gravesend (Schlesinger). A black dress coat, a hat, and a white tie or “Cravat,” as they called it, was the traditional attire of whom could very well be a Gentleman, a tailor, barber, waiter, tailor or shoemaker, according to Schlesinger. The line between rich and peasant is invisible to the naked eye. A man can completely look the part of an upper class man, but truly be a peasant who crafts the suit he wears. A couple in church could fool the average local townsperson, a man wearing the suit he makes, a gold chain, a waistcoat, with his hair done, and a clean-shaven face with his wife by his side, wearing linens passable to a Lady’s, together look like an elite, and important pair, especially if they exuded the tiniest sense of entitlement or superiority. There was emphasis placed on dressing well. Even those without much money make it priority to look worthy, and to represent themselves well.

Victorian Dictionary: Teacher Training

~ Danielle Koppie ~ 2 Comments

As was the case nearly everywhere at the time, women in Victorian London were treated as horribly inferior to men. This left them with few employment opportunities and a tendency to remain home, cooking and cleaning for their families. One option available to women was to become an elementary school teacher. Similar to modern times, teachers had to go through extensive training before actually getting in front of a class.

While browsing under the Education category on Lee Jackson’s “Dictionary of Victorian London,” I was able to find some interesting information about teacher training in the Victorian Era. All of the information I found was from the “Etiquette and Household Advice Manuals,” published in the 1880s. According to the unknown author, training could begin at as young as thirteen years old, with an apprenticeship. This was also one of the only jobs for which women were required an education. The author makes a few interesting (and still relevant) points about the field. He says, “A good student is not necessarily a good teacher, and but few people grasp the difference between training and teaching.” He continues to say that Government schools are the only places a girl could go to receive quality training, and that one must have had at least two years of training in order to become a teacher. The main idea of the entire section is clearly that teachers required a great deal of training before entering the classroom. The author even states that it was common for girls in particular to have health breakdowns and to be overworked, which is why he recommends girls do not join the workforce until they have a “stronger physical frame,” around age fifteen or sixteen. Another writer, however, shares a different opinion. This writer, mentioned by the main author, believes that children who were born into the upper or middle class would become great learners even before they could talk, which would allow them to in turn become great educators. Those were the children who would apparently need less time to become quality teachers. According to the writer, they could have started their apprenticeships at age thirteen, and could have been ready to teach within two or three years. While the young age is not surprising for the time period, it is still strange to think about a fifteen year old being ready to teach a class of children just a few years younger.

 

 

Victorian London: Extra Credit Blog Assignment/ Hannah Phillips

~ Annie Swafford

newscotlandyardPhoto is from http://www.storiesnow.com/newscotlandyard, which includes a brief section on The Scotland Yard in the 1890’s.

Through this assignment, I learned about some Victorian slang and expressions. It was interesting to glance at how similar some of the words are to modern vocabulary, and likewise interesting to see the weirder stuff. From the Victorian Dictionary, I went to the “Words and Expressions” area, then to the “criminal slang” section.

The webpage arranged some words with their definitions in a laundry list format (from appendixes or dictionaries), but also included some dialogue with footnotes. I liked seeing the dialogue from the “George Reynolds, The Mysteries of London” section. I felt that reading the people’s interactions expressed tone, characterization, and helped me picture the verbal exchange. I have copied and pasted an example from the site:

    ‘So far so good,’ said Dick Flairer. ‘I’ve got a darkey 1 but we want the kifers 2 and tools.’
‘And a sack,’ added Bill.
‘We must get all these things of old Moses Hart, the fence 3 and give him a share of the swag,’ exclaimed the Cracksman.
‘Well, now that’s settled,’ said Dick. ‘I’ve got a bob in my pocket, and we’ll have a rinse of the bingo.’

1. Dark lantern 2. Implements used by burglars 3. Receiver of stolen goods. 

So, thanks to this transcript, we are placed directly in the action. We can observe Dick Flairer, Bill, and the Cracksman’s conversation exactly as it was recorded. With the added footnotes that explain what something like a “darkey” is, it is further apparent that the characters are burglars who are getting ready to go out and steal some stuff. It was funny to me that the word “swag” was around back in the Victorian time, and it became especially more humorous to picture the thieves using it.