Context Flashcards
1
Q
childhood
A
> breakdown at 14
> unkown why, some think could be because of religious oppression - at this time started attending an anglo-catholic church.
> A benign consequence of this was that, because she was considered invalid/delicate, she was given the space to stay at home and write.
2
Q
Rossetti and Boiis
A
- John Brett
- James Collinson, engaged 1848-50
- Charles Caley proposed to in 1866, turned him down because he was agnostic
3
Q
Rossetti anti-feminisit
A
- Did not ever publicly champion women’s rights.
- Against female suffrage-had a very strong sense of church hierarchy and the patriarchy of the church.
- Signed the anti-suffrage petition, against votes for women in 1888.
- She justified this to Anna Jamieson saying she had no doubt ‘the highest functions are not in this world open to both sexes’
- She reasoned that the bible appointed men and women different roles, which should apply in Victorian Britain
4
Q
Rossetti for feminism
A
- Socialised with feminists in the period such as Betty parks, Barbra Bellicon, Anna Howitt in the Langham Place Circle, who aimed to get the vote for women
- Work at St Mary Magdalene, Highgate Penitentiary: joined in 1859 as a volunteer, worked to rehabilitate young prostitutes, experience as a teacher to instruct the inmates.
- Said women would make good MPs as they know what it takes to run a family
5
Q
Women in the home
A
- During the Victorian period, men and women’s roles became more distinct than ever as it became a lot more common for men to work outside of the home.
- This left the women at home to do nothing but oversee the servants carry out domestic duties - from the 1830s, women started to wear the ‘crinoline,’ a large bell-shaped skirt, which made cleaning a very difficult task
- This created what Victorians called ‘separate spheres’ - a construct wherein the two genders would only come together for breakfast and dinner
This was based upon the supposedly ‘natural’ qualities of men and women.
6
Q
Women in education
A
- Middle- class women did require some education: women must be taught to attract a husband
- Stressed the importance of well-educated girls to soften their intelligence through a graceful and feminine demeanor
- Women too enthused in education were branded ‘blue-stockings,’- unfeminine and attractive to men.
- Some doctors even reported that women studying too much could have damaging effects on the ovaries, meaning many families refused to let their intelligent
7
Q
Double standards at the time
A
- double sexual standard, repressive rules for women’s sexuality with sexual freedom for men.
- Contagious Diseases Act 1860, only examined women
- If she were to be found, she would be placed in a ‘Lock hospital’ until she was cured
- ‘The majority of women (happily for them) are not very much troubled with sexual feeling of any kind’ - William Acton
8
Q
Prostitution
A
- All major cities had red light districts
- A large issue for middle class homes,
- spreadings of sexual disease to the male population
Syphilis and other sexual diseases were rife
9
Q
Pre-Raphaelites and Rossetti’s involvement
A
- Her brother Dante = co-founder of pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, a group of artists and poets
- She was around to see this emerge and there when they met
- Gabriel wanted her to be part of this literary club, but she was concerned about ‘display’
- Nevertheless, she was painted by members of the brotherhood – becoming one of the classical faces of the pre-Raphaelites
- Her excuse for this contradiction was that it was for the purpose of religious knowledge. she will display herself but only if she can ‘channel a religious sensibility’
10
Q
What did the pre-rapehlites want
A
- The pre-Raphaelites wanted to return to a detailed observation of nature, Jewel – like colours, authenticity that felt had been lost
- Rossetti’s poetic style emulates the painting style of the pre-Raphaelites
11
Q
Coventry Patmores
A
1854
