I am filled with happiness and admiration as I read this newspaper article honoring the lady medical graduates at the University of London. I was reading the morning paper and came across this article. My eyes could not wander off the page as I sat in my chair intrigued reading about the successes of these British women in the medical field. It was with great pleasure I read about Miss Worley and Mrs. Scharlieb. These women give me hope for the future of our society. Men are useless and it is our job as women to work towards an equal society where women are allowed just as many opportunities as men. These ladies are an example of what our push towards equality has been able to accomplish and the rippling effects it has on our patriarchal society. For me, the past years have been difficult due to society’s negativity towards progressive women like me. I am looked down upon and seen as a wild creature. Why is it that when I want the same opportunities as men I am seen as crazy, inappropriate, and uneducated? I am the opposite of these things and should not be judged for wanting equality. Thus, it is my duty as a social reformer to change the outlook on women and close the gender divide. Women like these medical graduates are the people that give me hope for my future as a British woman who is forced to adhere to the standards of a male dominated society.
Editorial Commentary: In “Honours for Ladies at the University of London,” the article illustrates the successes of two women in Victorian Era society. Mary Scharlieb, the wife of a colonial barrister, was Britain’s first qualified female doctor and Mary Louisa Worley, the winner of the Gold Medal in Classics, earned the first M.A. of the year. At the time, the divide between the sexes was prevalent in all parts of society and women pushed for more opportunities. Charlotte clearly thinks of herself as a New Woman, as indicated by her great influence on British society and desire for change. Her desire for equality is one of the many things that catalyzed the start of equal opportunities. In 1878, London University became the first university in Britain to allow women students and by 1895, women were over 10 percent of the graduates (“Newspaper Article about Female Medical Graduates”). Women’s ability to seize these opportunities shows the unwavering determination they had, which brought about a change in gender roles. The barriers in society that separated the sexes in duty, responsibilities, and opportunities were slowly taken down as the movement towards equality continued. New Women played major roles in this transformation as social reformers, suffragists, novelists, students, and professional women. Thus, this article holds a special place in Charlotte’s heart. She helped influence society’s standards despite society’s negative outlook towards them. Her perseverance and refusal to quit are what brought about change and allowed women like Mary Scharlieb and Mary Louisa Worley to receive education and succeed in the medical field. These women and their successes are just one example of the transitioning society and the influence progressive women had on society.
Citation: “Newspaper Article about Female Medical Graduates at the University of London.” The British Library, The British Library, 6 Feb. 2014, www.bl.uk/collection-items/newspaper-article-about-female-medical-gradu…;