- Central Question: How were female children coming of age viewed during the 1800s based on such factors as class, intelligence, and beauty?
- Inspiration: We became inspired by Jane Eyre and Ruth Hall’s depictions of young women coming of age. In particular, these three quotes:
- “all the world knew it was quite unnecessary for a pretty woman to be clever” (Fern, 16).
- Miss Abbott says if Jane “were a nice, pretty child, one might compassionate her forlornness; but one really cannot care for such a little toad as that,” in which Bessie responds with, “Not a great deal, to be sure. At any rate, a beauty like Miss Georgiana would be more moving in the same condition.” (Bronte, Ch. IV).
- “And if God had gifted me with some beauty and much wealth, I should have made it as hard for you to leave me, as it is now for me to leave you” (Bronte, XXIII).
- These statements are indicative of societal expectations of the time. If a young woman was beautiful and/or wealthy, then she no longer needed to be intelligent. Her beauty and wealth would help her to secure a husband, which was her main role to fulfill at that age.
- Inspired by these initial connections, we wanted to explore them further.
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