Gender Stereotypes

At the Ladies Club

~ Antonia ~ 4 Comments

After learning about the Gentleman’s Club in the “Victorian Period” game, I decided to look into the “Ladies Club” section of the Victorian Dictionary. There was only one article in the section, and it was by the satirical conservative newspaper Punch. However, through the mockery that they give to the idea, they expose exactly what they fear women obtaining. The Ladies Club did not even actually exist, but the piece speculates on what might occur if it did, and how it’s possible formation incites “fearful questions.” Their first question is if there will be a club committee, and if there is how many women will be allowed to speak at once. This betrays a fear of women organizing and having a voice completely outside the control of men. They then question whether there will be a smoking room, and if “cigars will suffer to be lighted” or, for fear of illness, only “the middlest cigarettes.” Not only does this show disgust at the idea of women adopting a symbol of masculinity for their own pleasure, but it doubts whether they will be able to do that, or if their delicate constitutions would prevent it. They then question what women will discuss. Whether it will be topics they feel appropriate, such as “the nursery” and “bonnets,” or if they will talk of more scandalous matters such as love, marriage, and even divorce. In this question they restrict the interests of women to the domestic life. They do not even consider that women may talk about politics, literature, science, or anything outside of marriage and children. They go on, continuing to trivialize women, and their interests, even suggesting that ballots will be represented by cotton balls instead of actual ballots. Perhaps paper is just too heavy. They predict a woman in the club scorning her husband and leaving him to take care of the children for a night, while she takes time for herself. This practice, which men a known to do, is seen as selfish in a woman because her first concern should be the family and not herself. The last point they make on behavior in the club gives a good insight into the male gaze of the period: “what a sensation would be caused on the street pavement, if the Club belles were to congregate about the Club beau-windows, and stare through their eye-glasses every handsome man who passed.” They are revealing an anxiety about being objectified the same way that they objectify women. The entire article shows a fear, not of equality, but of a world where women have power over men in the same way that men have power over women.

Works Cited

“The Ladies Club” Punch. Victorian London Dictionary. Web. 12 February 2016. http://www.victorianlondon.org/women/ladiesclub.htm

Tori Albrecht Blog Post One

~ n02565783 ~ 1 Comment

Tori Albrecht

English major, Creative Writing Minor

I love J.R.R. Tolkien, but I’ve gotten really into Patrick Rothfuss recently. I have a lot of favorite authors but for a top list Nelle Harper Lee would definitely be on it, as would Hemingway, Eliot, Wells, Keats, Blake and strangely enough Chaucer.

“Wit is commonly looked upon with a suspicious eye, as a two edged sword, from which not even the sacredness of friendship can secure. It is especially, I think, dreaded in women.” (400)

When it comes to Darcy, brooding is definitely a word that comes to mind; however, the few moments he does speak is usually with a quick wit that leads to contempt from those in his presence and a great dislike from those beneath him (everyone in his presence essentially). Though Elizabeth is not despised within her society, there is a contempt for her person because of her intelligence. Her own mother dislikes her the most of her children because of her lack of obedience and difference of opinions about life. Caroline Bingley continually tries to make Elizabeth appear foolish in front of Darcy, only to fail multiple times. Austen goes against what Fordyce is saying through Elizabeth’s character. Even with the struggle of being put down by those of higher social standing around here, Elizabeth remains honest and witty as ever.

Elizabeth is more intriguing because she holds herself naturally better than those around her, with an intelligence not normally associated with one of her beauty, paired with her utter honesty and candid nature, such as her interaction with Darcy when they finally dance at Bingley’s ball before winter: “I talked about the dance, and you ought to make some kind of remark on the size of the room, or the number of couples.” (123). She’s very quick on her feet but even her reactions within scenes show just how different Elizabeth is from the formal women that surround her, going against the social norms being set up by Fordyce.

One of the biggest misgivings I’ve come to witness in my life when it comes to men is the assumption that any display of emotion is an effeminate reaction. I have three older brothers and grew up in a predominantly masculine environment. Even still, my mom and I had a great effect on my brother’s sentiments. The absolute worst was watching them make fun of each other for some of the stupidest, pettiest, “girlie” reasons that completely brought down the self confidence my brother had just had. James Fordyce states the true affect of a “gentle” lifestyle perfectly in his Sermon I: “I do not mean, that the men I speak of will become feminine; but their sentiments and deportment will contract a grace.” (397). There is a sort of grace when a man has a more “feminine” inclination when interacting with a woman. It’s the idea of a man being more in touch with himself and his feelings, it is seen as weak; however, there creates this under-level of confidence that, sadly, is easily washed away by ridicule. Mr. Bingley, more prominently than other characters within the novel, proves this sentiment, his care for Jane during her sickness and constant attention of her faculty when in the same room evidence enough.

Jordan Reeves Blog Post 1

~ reevesj2 ~ Leave a comment

My name is Jordan Reeves, and I am majoring in English. I like to read books on my free time but never get the time to read as much as I would like. I cannot say that I have a favorite author but one of my preferred ones is George R.R. Martin. His work on the A Song of Ice and Fire series is inspirational.
It is hard to say whether The Pride and the Prejudice agrees with the Sermons for Young Women or not. The way that I see it is that it takes the literal meaning of the book while mocking the gender stereotypes and social norms that are being taught. In Fordyce’s book, he comments on the effect that women have on the male etiquette: “Those who are most conversant with women of virtue and understanding will always be found the most amiable characters, other circumstances being supposed alike” (396). His theory is that a man’s character is shaped by the kind of women that he associates himself with. In a way this is true because people in general are shaped by the kind of people that with whom they associate. We are very social creatures and that reflects in the way that society is able to dictate what is or is not considered appropriate. The Pride and The Prejudice both supports and mocks this idea with the way that Elizabeth is able to chip away at Mr. Darcy’s frosty exterior and make him a more amiable presence. Elizabeth is not considered a virtuous woman by the standards set by Fordyce and yet she is the woman who is able to turn Mr. Darcy into a kinder gentleman. At the beginning of the novel when Darcy is first introduced he is considered standoffish and refuses to dance with women who he is not already affiliated with. However, the more that he converses with Elizabeth over the course of their chance meetings, he finds himself becoming too comfortable around her. His satisfaction towards her departure from Netherfield speaks volumes: “…Elizabeth had been at Netherfield long enough. She attracted him more than he liked…” (XII, 40). Elizabeth’s stay at the house meant that she and Darcy were constantly interacting. As he becomes more familiar with her and grows attached, his demeanor also begins to change. He even grows so attached that he asks Elizabeth to dance as a gentleman should where before he broke the social code by denying her when seeing that she was lonely.