COVE

Gertrude’s commentary: Who would have thought a woman like myself would end up with the love of her life? By myself, I mean someone who cherishes their independence and views marriage as the act of surrendering your respect. I certainly would be the last to expect it. You would think that it would be so easy for me to write something like this, especially coming from someone who loves to write — but no. I spent months on end, back to back, thinking of what to say on that very special day. I even sought out Fanny for advice, knowing she had already written hers. I will never tell Edward that, although. I do not think to this day he understands how fortunate I am to end up with someone like him. You see, the thing about me is I am dominant and I demand respect from any and everyone, man or woman. But in times like these, many men fail to treat women as equal, for they only see us as someone who stays in the house and tends to the children. That’s why Edward is different. He is not bothered by my “progressive”, as he would say, mindset or me having a life outside the house. He respects me and that’s why I love him. My view on marriage now is so different, after finding out that people like Edward exist. It makes carrying on the label as a “New Woman”, as they call it, much easier I should say. 

Editorial commentary: The Victorian era was a period marked by strict gender roles. Women faced many restrictions on what they could achieve during their lifetime. In other words, they were expected to take on the role of housewives. This meant their day-to-day activities consisted of doing chores and tending to their husband and children. On the other hand, it was only socially acceptable for men to only do work outside the home rather than being confined to domesticity (Gender Roles in the 19th Century).  Victorian society created an emphasis on domesticity and this is what became the only role accepted for women. Women who did not comply with these roles were seen as undesirable, unladylike, and rebellious. This explains why Gertrude is attracted to a man like Lord Watergate, as he does not fall under the umbrella of men who chastise women whose careers exist beyond the home. Many of these women took on the name of being “New Women”. Although the term “New Woman” has multiple interpretations, they generally took on the image of someone who went against societal and gender norms during the Victorian era. Because being a “New Woman” meant being the minority in society, many struggled with finding spouses who found them socially acceptable. This explains why someone like Gertrude, a “New Woman” is seen here expressing their love and gratitude for a man that accepts them for who they are and respects them, as many of them did not see marriage as being part of their future. 

Citation: Gender Roles in the 19th Century. 13 Feb. 2014, Retrieved February 12, 2021, from www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/gender-roles-in-the-19th-cen....