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Full Description
Through a detailed description of the life and activities of the middle-class married woman of London between 1875 and 1900, this study reveals how housewives unwittingly became engines for change as the new century neared. In marked contrast to the stereotypical depictions of Victorian women in literature and on television, Draznin reveals a woman seldom seen: the stay-at-home housewife whose activities were not much different than those of her counterparts today. By exploring her daily activities, how she cleaned her home, disciplined her children, managed her servants, stretched a limited budget, and began to indulge herself, one discovers the human dimension of women who lived more than a century ago. While most studies of this period consider values, aspirations, and attitudes, this book concentrates on actions, what these women did all day, to provide readers with a new perspective on Victorian life.
Late-Victorian London was a surprisingly modern city with a public face of well-lit streets, an excellent underground railway system, and extended municipal services. In the home, gas stoves were replacing coal ranges and household appliances were becoming more common. Having both money to spend and a strong incentive to buy the new laborsaving devices, ready-to-wear clothing, and other manufactured products, the middle-class matron's resistance to change gave way to a rising consumer culture. Despite her nearly exclusive preoccupation with home and family, these urban women became agents for the modernization of Britain.
Contents
Preface
The MCMW's Background: 1850-1875
Growing Up Female in Mid-century England
Greater London in 1875: A Resident's View
The MCMW's Spouse and the Couple's First Home
The Matron's Appearance: Her Looks and Her Clothing
The Reality: Life in Greater London, 1875-1900
The Housewife as Lowly Domestic: Cleaning the House and Doing the Laundry
The Housewife as Specialized Domestic: Preparing the Meals and Clothing the Family
The Housewife as Employer: Managing the Servants
The Housewife as Financial Manager: Balancing the Budget
The Matron in Her Maternal Role: As Bride, Potential Mother, and Pregnant Wife
The Matron as Guardian of the Family's Health
The Matron as Nurturer of the Children: Early Child Care and Education
The Matron as Social Secretary and Activities Coordinator
The Matron as Morals Arbiter: Managing Family Religious and Charitable Obligations
The Matron as Her Own Person: Satisfying Personal Needs Within and Outside the Home
The Middle-class Housewife as Shopper: The Emergence of Late 19th-century "Consumerism"
The End of the Century: Conclusion
London in 1900: A World City Reluctant to Change
The Middle-class Housewife in 1900: Inadvertent Agent for Change
Appendix
Bibliography
Index
