11/25/2016

IdealsofWomanhoodinVictorianBritain

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/

IdealsofWomanhoodinVictorianBritain
ByLynnAbrams

DuringthereignofQueenVictoria,awoman'splacewasconsideredtobein
thehome.Thenthemoodchanged,ascharitablemissionsbegantoextendthe
femaleroleofservice,andVictorianfeminismbegantoemergeasapotent
politicalforce.
Victorianwomen
comparingball
programmes,1882
Theicon
DuringthereignofQueenVictoria,awoman'splacewasinthehome,asdomesticityandmotherhoodwere
consideredbysocietyatlargetobeasufficientemotionalfulfilmentforfemales.Theseconstructskept
womenfarawayfromthepublicsphereinmostways,butduringthe19thcenturycharitablemissionsdid
begintoextendthefemaleroleofservice,andVictorianfeminismemergedasapotentpoliticalforce.
ThetransformationofBritainintoanindustrialnationhadprofoundconsequencesforthewaysinwhich
womenweretobeidealisedinVictoriantimes.Newkindsofworkandnewkindsofurbanlivingprompteda
changeinthewaysinwhichappropriatemaleandfemaleroleswereperceived.Inparticular,thenotionof
separatesphereswomanintheprivatesphereofthehomeandhearth,maninthepublicsphereofbusiness,
politicsandsociabilitycametoinfluencethechoicesandexperiencesofallwomen,athome,atwork,in
thestreets.
'...Victoriabecameaniconoflate19thcenturymiddleclassfemininityanddomesticity.'
TheVictorianera,18371901,ischaracterisedasthedomesticageparexcellence,epitomisedbyQueen
Victoria,whocametorepresentakindoffemininitywhichwascentredonthefamily,motherhoodand
respectability.AccompaniedbyherbelovedhusbandAlbert,andsurroundedbyhermanychildreninthe
sumptuousbuthomelysurroundingsofBalmoralCastle,Victoriabecameaniconoflate19thcentury
middleclassfemininityanddomesticity.
Indeed,Victoriacametobeseenastheverymodelofmaritalstabilityanddomesticvirtue.Hermarriageto
Albertrepresentedtheidealofmaritalharmony.Shewasdescribedas'themotherofthenation',andshe
cametoembodytheideaofhomeasacosy,domesticspace.WhenAlbertdiedin1861sheretreatedtoher
homeandfamilyinpreferencetopublicpoliticalengagements.
Theidealwoman

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/trail/victorian_britain/women_home/ideals_womanhood_print.html

1/7

11/25/2016

IdealsofWomanhoodinVictorianBritain

Victorianhusbandand
wife
ApartfromthequeenwhowastheidealVictorianwoman?ShemayhaveresembledMrsFrancesGoodby,
thewifeoftheReverendJGoodbyofAshbydelaZouchinLeicestershire,ofwhomitwassaidatherdeath
thatshecarriedoutherdutiesasmistressofasmallfamilywith'piety,patience,frugalityandindustry'.
Moreover,
'...herardentandunceasingflowofspirits,extremeactivityanddiligence,herpunctuality,
uprightnessandremarkablefrugality,combinedwithafirmrelianceonGod...carriedher
throughtheseveresttimesofpressure,bothwithcreditandrespectability...'(TheGeneral
BaptistRepositoryandMissionaryObserver,1840).
MrsGoodbyexemplifiedthegoodandvirtuouswomanwhoseliferevolvedaroundthedomesticsphereof
thehomeandfamily.Shewaspious,respectableandbusynolifeofleisureforher.Herdiligenceand
evidentconstantdevotiontoherhusband,aswellastoherGod,identifiesFrancesGoodbyasanexampleto
otherwomen.Sheacceptedherplaceinthesexualhierarchy.Herrolewasthatofhelpmeetanddomestic
manager.
'...domesticitywastrumpetedasafemaledomain.'
BythetimethattheindustrialerawaswelladvancedinBritain,theideologythatassignedtheprivatesphere
tothewomanandthepublicsphereofbusiness,commerceandpoliticstothemanhadbeenwidely
dispersed.Inpopularadviceliteratureanddomesticnovels,aswellasintheadvertisementcolumnsof
magazinesandnewspapers,domesticitywastrumpetedasafemaledomain.
Theincreasingphysicalseparationofthehomeandtheworkplace,formanyamongsttheprofessionaland
commercialclasses,meantthatthesewomenlosttouchwithproduction,andcametofashionanidentity
solelywithinthedomesticsphere.Itwasthroughtheirdutieswithinthehomethatwomenwereoffereda
moralduty,towardstheirfamilies,especiallytheirhusbands,andtowardssocietyasawhole.
However,astheexampleofFrancesGoodbyshows,theidealwomanatthistimewasnottheweak,passive
creatureofromanticfiction.Rathershewasabusy,ableanduprightfigurewhodrewstrengthfromher
moralsuperiorityandwhosevirtuewasmanifestedintheserviceofothers.
Thusthenotionofseparatespheresaslivedintheindustrialperiodwasnotablindadherencetoasetof
imposedvalues.Ratheritwasawayoflivingandworkingbasedonevangelicalbeliefsabouttheimportance
ofthefamily,theconstancyofmarriageandwoman'sinnatemoralgoodness.
Athome

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/trail/victorian_britain/women_home/ideals_womanhood_print.html

2/7

11/25/2016

IdealsofWomanhoodinVictorianBritain

'Punch'cartoon,1858:
'Averyprettychurch,
butthedooriscertainly
verynarrow!'
Thehomewasregardedasahavenfromthebusyandchaoticpublicworldofpoliticsandbusiness,andfrom
thegrubbyworldofthefactory.Thosewhocouldaffordto,createdcosydomesticinteriorswithplush
fabrics,heavycurtainsandfussyfurnishingswhicheffectivelycocoonedtheinhabitantsfromtheworld
outside.Themiddleclasshouseholdcontainedconcreteexpressionsofdomesticityintheformofservants,
homelydcor,comfortablefurnishings,homeentertainment,andclothing.
'Thefemalebodywasdressedtoemphasiseawoman'sseparationfromtheworldofwork.'
Women'sclothesbegantomirrorwomen'sfunction.Inthe19thcenturywomen'sfashionsbecamemore
sexualthehips,buttocksandbreastswereexaggeratedwithcrinolines,hoopskirtsandcorsetswhichnipped
inthewaistandthrustoutthebreasts.Thefemalebodywasdressedtoemphasiseawoman'sseparationfrom
theworldofwork.Bywearingdressesthatresembledtheirinteriorfurnishings,womenbecamewalking
symbolsoftheirsocialfunctionwife,mother,domesticmanager.
Thefashionforconstrictingcorsetsandlargeskirtsservedtounderlinenotonlyawoman'sprimefunction,
butalsothephysicalconstraintsonheractivities.Itwasdifficulttomovefreelywearingcorsetsthatmadeit
hardtobreathe,andheavyfabricsthatimpededmovement.Nowonderthatthosewomenwhocouldafford
tokeepupwiththelatestfashionswerepronetofainting,headachesandwhatwastermed'hysteria'.
Householdmanagement

Victorianwoman
darninginherhome
Domesticityalsoentailedpressurestoconformtoothernewstandards.Numerouspublicationstoldwomen
howtobegoodwivesandhouseholdmanagers.
MrsBeeton'sBookofHouseholdManagementwasfirstpublishedin1861,andremainedabestsellerforover
50years.Itcontainedadviceonhowtobecometheperfecthousewife,andhowtocreateadomesticinterior
thatprovidedawelcominghavenforthemanofthehouse.In1890TheChristianMiscellanyandFamily
Visitor(areligiousmagazine)wroteinits'HintsforHomeLife'column:
'She[thehousewife]isthearchitectofhome,anditdependsonherskill,herforesight,hersoft
arrangingtoucheswhetheritshallbethe"lodestartoallhearts",orwhetheritshallbeahouse
fromwhichhusbandandchildrenaregladtoescapeeithertothestreet,thetheatre,orthe
tavern.'
'Mostmiddleclasshouseholdshadjustoneservant...'
Butofcoursemaintainingamiddleclasshouseholdinthe19thcenturyinvolvedhardphysicallabour,most
ofitcarriedoutbywomen.Allthemajortasksinvolvedfetchingandboilingwater.Washingandironing
clotheswasstrenuouswork.Floorswerewashedandscrubbedwithsand.Foodwaspreparedathome.
Inaddition,fewfamilieshadflushingtoiletsbeforetheendofthecenturyand,althoughreadymadeclothing
becameavailableinthemiddleofthecentury,underclotheswerestillmadebyhandandbedlinenwas
hemmedandrepairedathome.So,ifitcouldbeafforded,servantswerehiredtocarryoutthesedomestic
tasks.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/trail/victorian_britain/women_home/ideals_womanhood_print.html

3/7

11/25/2016

IdealsofWomanhoodinVictorianBritain

Itisafallacythatmostmiddleclasswomenwereabletoaffordsufficientservantstoallowthemtospend
theirlivesinidleleisure.Mostmiddleclasshouseholdshadjustoneservantsufficienttogivethewoman
ofthehouseacertainstatus,butinsufficienttoallowhertospenddaysdoingembroideryandplayingthe
piano.
Theideology

Victorianwomen
indoors
Ifweapproach19thcenturymiddleclassdomesticlifefromtheperspectiveofthoselivingit,itbecomes
clearthatwomenactivelymouldedaculturethatservedtheirowninterests.Thedomesticspherewasa
culturalexpressionofthefemaleworld.Theirfashions,etiquette,domesticfurnishings,socialengagements,
religiousdevotionandcharitableactivityallservedtodelineateauniversewithinwhichwomencould
demonstratetheirpower.
Itisonlyinprescriptiveliteraturethatthebourgeoiswoman,whoidlyspentherdaysexercisinghercreative
talents,socialisingwithotherwomenandsupervisingtheservants,canbefound.Inrealitymostmiddleclass
womenwereactivebothwithinandoutsidethehome.
'Thiscreatedasupplyofcheaplabourintheformofmarriedwomen...'
SofartheidealVictorianwomenhasbeenportrayedasamemberofthemiddleclasses,buttheideologyof
domesticitywasalsopowerfulamongsttheworkingclasses.Workingclassmenbegantodemandthe
privilegesofdomesticityfortheirwives,whileprotectingtheirownjobsandratesofpay.
Atthesametimeworkingclasswomenwerebeginningtodemandtheseprivilegesforthemselves,inorder
toprotecttheirstatuswithinthehome.Inpractice,though,domesticitymeantsomethingratherdifferentfor
thesewomen.Homework,thatispaidworkundertakeninthehome,wasregardedascompatiblewith
marriageandchildren,soworkingclasswomenfoundthemselvesworkingatbadlypaidjobsintheirown
homes,whilestillmaintainingthefictionthatwomen'sonlydutieslaywithinthedomesticsphere.
Thusdomesticindustrywasabletoexpandduringthe19thcentury,givenaboostbytheideologyof
domesticity.Thiscreatedasupplyofcheaplabourintheformofmarriedwomen,whoearnedtheadditional
incomethatenabledthefamilytosurvive.
Wifeandmother

Victoriannurserymaid
withchildren
Attheheartofthedomesticidealwasthemotherandherchildren.Sinceearlyinthe19thcenturytheroleof
motherhadbeenidealised.Motherhoodwasnolongersimplyareproductivefunction,butwasimbuedwith
symbolicmeaning.Domesticityandmotherhoodwereportrayedassufficientemotionalfulfilmentfor
womenandmanymiddleclasswomenregardedmotherhoodanddomesticlifeasa'sweetvocation',a
substituteforwomen'sproductiverole.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/trail/victorian_britain/women_home/ideals_womanhood_print.html

4/7

11/25/2016

IdealsofWomanhoodinVictorianBritain

'...thechildlesssinglewomanwasafiguretobepitied.'
Womenofthemiddleclassesspentmoretimewiththeirchildrenthantheirpredecessors.Theyweremore
likelytobreastfeed,toplaywithandeducatetheirchildren,andtoincorporatetheminthedaytodaylifeof
thehome.Middleclasswomenwho,bymidcentury,weregivingbirth'confined'withinthehome,now
achievedtruewomanhoodiftheyrespondedemotionallytotheirinfantsandbondedwiththemthrough
breastfeedingandconstantattendance.Motherhoodwasseenasanaffirmationoftheiridentity.
Marriagesignifiedawoman'smaturityandrespectability,butmotherhoodwasconfirmationthatshehad
enteredtheworldofwomanlyvirtueandfemalefulfilment.Forawomannottobecomeamothermeantshe
wasliabletobelabelledinadequate,afailureorinsomewayabnormal.Motherhoodwasexpectedofa
marriedwomanandthechildlesssinglewomanwasafiguretobepitied.Shewasoftenencouragedtofind
workcaringforchildrenasagovernessoranurserymaidpresumablytocompensateherforherloss.
Socialresponsibility

AVictorianmother,
pushingapram
Themessagethatmotherhoodwaswoman'shighestachievement,albeitwithinmarriage,neverweakened
throughthecourseofthecentury.Indeed,itwasinthisperiodthatmotherhoodwasidealisedasthezenithof
awoman'semotionalandspiritualfulfilment.Atthesametime,however,motherhoodwasbecomingasocial
responsibility,adutytothestateandthusafulltimejob,whichcouldnoteasilybecombinedwithpaid
work.Andmotheringbecamesomethingthatwasnolongernaturalbutwhichhadtobelearned.
InthenewindustrialcitiessuchasManchester,BradfordandGlasgow,infantmortalityrateswerehigh.
Responsibilityfortheappallingdeathrateamongstinfantswasroundlyplacedontheshouldersofmothers.
Middleclassphilanthropists,governmentinspectorsandmedicalmenunitedintheircondemnationofthe
infantcaremethodsofpoorwomen.Infantdeaths,itwasbelieved,couldbepreventedifpoormothers
breastfedtheirbabiesandweretaughtbabycare.
'...theidealoftruemotherhooddemandedwomenbeconstantlypresentfortheirchildren...'
Inreality,thehighinfantmortalityrateintheindustrialcitieswasjustasmuchtodowithpoorsanitation,
dirtywater,overcrowdingandthepervasivenessofdisease,buttheseweremoredifficultproblemstosolve.
Yettheidealoftruemotherhooddemandedwomenbeconstantlypresentfortheirchildrenitimplieda
commitmenttodomesticityandwasthereforeseenasincompatiblewiththedemandsofthelabourmarket.
Workingclassmotherswerethereforemorelikelytobelabelledirresponsibleandneglectful,whenintruth
theywerestrugglingtocombinethedemandsofchildcareandputtingamealonthetable.
Woman'smission

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/trail/victorian_britain/women_home/ideals_womanhood_print.html

5/7

11/25/2016

IdealsofWomanhoodinVictorianBritain

'Punch'cartoon,1894:
Victorianwomentook
theirownbrandof
moralityintothehomes
ofthepoor
MiddleclasswomenoftheVictorianeradidleavetheirhomesandnotjusttosocialisebuttovisitthe
homesofthepoor.Thesewomenusedtheirpositionofprivilegetoexportexpertiseindomesticaffairsto
thoseregardedasinneedofadvice,sotheymightattainthesamehighstandardsofhouseholdmanagement.
Thepowerthatmiddleclasswomenhadachievedinthehomewasnowusedbytheminordertogainaccess
toanotherworldcharacterisedby,astheysawit,poverty,drink,viceandignorance.
'Theycouldlectureworkingclasswomenoncleanliness...'
Atthesametime,enteringthisworldprovidedtheladyphilanthropistwithalittleexcitement,maybeeven
danger,andameanstoselfdiscovery.Moreover,thesewomen'sunshakeablebeliefintheirowndomestic
moralitynotonlyinformedtheformofcharitytheychosetosponsormotherandbabyhomes,
kindergartens,temperancecampaignsandhealthandhygienereformbutalsothosepersonsdeemedworthy
ofhelpandtheconditionsdemandedforthereceiptofcharity.
Sotheyprovidedaidtomothersandinfantsinthenameofimprovinginfantandmaternalmortalityrates,
whilebarringillegitimatechildrenfromtheircrches.Theycouldlectureworkingclasswomenon
cleanlinessinhomesresemblingslums,whiletheyreliedonservantstokeeptheirownhomesuptothe
requiredstandard.
Towardsapoliticalmission

'Punch'cartoon:
EmancipatedVictorian
women
Femalecharitableactivitywasinformedbyreligiouscommitmentaswellasbyasenseofmoralsuperiority.
InBritainevangelicalisminspiredtheformationofanextensiverangeoffemaleassociations.
Theserangedfromtemperance,missionaryandSundaySchoolsocietiestofemalerunbenevolent
institutions,andsocietiesforthecareofwidows,orphans,thesickandtheinfirm.Thenumbersinvolved
werehuge.InGlasgow,forexample,in1895therewere10,766SundaySchoolteachers,allofwhomwere
femalevolunteers.
Thesewomenbelievedthatthekeytophilanthropywasthepersonaltouch,sotheladyreformerventuredout
tothoseinneed.Acrossthecountryitwasfoundthatoneofthebestwaysofreachingthepoorestfamilies
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/trail/victorian_britain/women_home/ideals_womanhood_print.html

6/7

11/25/2016

IdealsofWomanhoodinVictorianBritain

wasbyemployinga'Biblewoman'fromtheworkingclasseswhowouldmorelikelybewelcomedinsideas
'amotherlywomanoftheirownclass'.Women'smissiontowomenwasanextensionofthefemaleroleof
serviceandselfsacrifice,butbytheendoftheVictorianerafemalephilanthropistsbegantorealisethat,as
women,theyhadlittlepowertochangethings.
'Theaimoffirstwavefeministswas...thevotesothatwomenmighthavesomeinfluenceovertheirfate.'
Manyofthefirstfeministswereactiveinthephilanthropicmovement,anditwasfromthisfemininepublic
spherethatdemandsforimprovementsinthepositionofwomenbegantobemade.By1900women'smoral
missionhadalsobecomeapoliticalmission.
Theaimoffirstwavefeministswastogainbettereducationandemploymentopportunitiesformiddleclass
women,betterworkingconditionsandwagesforworkingclasswomen,andeventuallythevotesothat
womenmighthavesomeinfluenceovertheirfate.

PublishedonBBCHistory:20010809
ThisarticlecanbefoundontheInternetat:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/trail/victorian_britain/women_home/ideals_womanhood_01.shtml
BritishBroadcastingCorporation
Formoreinformationoncopyrightpleasereferto:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/about/copyright.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/terms/
BBCHistory
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/trail/victorian_britain/women_home/ideals_womanhood_print.html

7/7