Women in Victorian Era

During the Victorian era, women were viewed as the very opposite of what a man ought to be. In the words of John Stuart Mill, who published a criticism of the way society differentiated between males and females “The female sex was brought up to believe that its вЂ?ideal of character’ was the very opposite to that of men’s вЂ?not self-will , and government by self-control, but submission, and yielding to the control of others…to live for others; to make complete abnegation of themselves, and to have no life but in their affections.вЂ™Ð²Ð‚Ñœ (171) Basically, women were expected to be sweet, docile, and man’s perfect helpmate.

Contrary to that belief, throughout the Victorian era the view of women began to change, at least in the mind of some. Women began to infiltrate themselves into the industrial world. One field that became increasingly dominated by women during the Victorian era was the world of writing. Many women were published during this century, although only a small number have been “canonized” or truly recognized as literature. The four most popular are doubtlessly the three BrontÐ"« sisters, and George Eliot. These authors were perhaps popular because of their subject matter, or perhaps because their works were analyzed and criticized from the beginning, whereas no attention was paid to the remainder.

These above mentioned notable authors often wrote about women in their traditional, and also non-traditional Victorian roles. Charlotte BrontÐ"«, for example, reflected the proper, meek demeanor in Jane Eyre, not only with Jane herself. Jane was the very contradiction of Mr. Rochester. Even when he is at his worst, during the final chapters, Jane takes it upon herself to care for him without thought of herself, and to be his traditional Victorian bride.

Emily BrontÐ"« on the other hand, abandoned the norm with her great work Wuthering Heights. The heroine, Cathy, is the very essence of an unconventional Victorian woman.

Cathy is wild, undisciplined, rowdy, and disheveled. She could almost be considered tomboyish in nature. She is definitely not the picture of a “proper” Victorian girl. I believe that the reason Cathy is as she is, however, is because of the influence of her playmate Heathcliff, who is a reckless, moody young man who brings chaos and bad behavior to everyone he encounters.

Compare Cathy to her neighbor Isabella Linton at Thrushcross Grange. Isabella is quiet, neat, dainty, caring, obedient, and well mannered. She bows in deference to the wishes of the men in her life. She is the epitome of what a “proper” Victorian girl should be like.

Although Cathy does eventually begin to dress and behave more like she should, it is only after she comes into contact with the traditional Linton family. Nelly Dean, the family’s faithful housekeepers who has had to put up with much of Cathy’s reckless ways, is amazed at the change in Cathy after her short visit with the Linton’s. “Instead of a wild, hatless little savage jumping into the house… there 'lighted from a handsome black pony a very dignified person, with brown ringlets falling from the cover of a feathered beaver, and a long cloth habit, which she was obliged to hold up with both hands that she might sail in.” Cathy had been transformed from her previous ways; at least it seemed to be the case. Cathy’s sister-in-law Frances warns Cathy “she must mind and not grow wild again here”. However, even though Cathy makes the attempt to appear “proper”, Cathy never truly is. She is contrasted with Isabella throughout the entire novel, and almost always falls short by traditional standards. (51)

Cathy’s association with Heathcliff is what I believe kept her from becoming just like Isabella. Edgar Linton, Cathy’s suitor, sees Cathy as the perfect woman. She visits Thrushcross Grange and certainly puts forth an impression of propriety. But it eventually “led her to adopt a double character...In the place where she heard Heathcliff termed a 'vulgar young ruffian,' and 'worse than a brute,' she took care not to act like him; but at home she had small inclination to practise politeness… and restrain an unruly nature when it would bring her neither credit nor praise”. (66) So Edgar believed what he saw of Cathy, until he came to visit her at Wuthering Heights. Cathy, after having an argument with Heathcliff, meets with Linton. Nelly explains that “she had failed to recover her equanimity since the little dispute with Heathcliff” and as a result, she yells at Nelly, and resorts to pinching, and then striking her. Linton was “greatly shocked at the double fault of falsehood and violence which his idol had committed”. He did, however, manage to overlook this fault in the woman he loved. (71)

Despite Cathy’s natural tendency to be a bit flighty and non-traditional without the influence of Heathcliff, she does settle down and resign herself to a “normal”