I am proud to have seen this picture. If this illustration were published 50 years before, the public would have been shocked and would have not known what to do. The standards that women had to uphold were so strict and restraining. I don’t think I could have survived then. I can’t imagine having to plan my life around the will of my husband and then having to worry about the children I would have to have. I would rather be the woman in this picture. She is so free and does not have a single worry in her head. She could take the pole away from the man with a smile on her face. She is not concerned about what her husband would say if he knew she was doing this. Her only care in this moment is her happiness.
I want to be more like this woman, but there is still a part of me who can’t. I still care about what society thinks of me. I want women to be able to progress to become more like this and have a more fair role. The Women’s Suffrage Movement has just begun and there is more change to come, but I am scared. I am certain that the man in this illustration was horrified and embarrassed by this woman. Is that what others think of me? I do not want a ruined reputation because then what would I do if society does not even have a place for me? Do I continue to become this New Woman?
Editorial Commentary:
This illustration depicts a woman with a pole vault being watched by a concerned man. The caption below the drawing reads “and by way of illustration, she picks up a pole and vaults.” This woman represents the ways of the New Woman. As described by Grand in “The New Woman in the Old”, “Her will is a quantity to be reckoned with. Her faults are the overflow of her exuberant spirits.” This woman believes that she is entitled to her own happiness and does not have to rely on others to receive it. The New Woman’s commentary illustrates this belief, as she wants to place her happiness first and not the worries of society. The woman in the illustration also greatly expresses this, as she is not concerned about the man watching her. She is proving that she deserves to have freedom, along with all other women.
The drawing was printed in the novel A Study in Bloomers by George Hall, which describes the model new woman. This book presents many overlapping depictions of the New Woman that are also found by Grand. The story follows a young woman and all of the adventures that she takes part in. This woman greatly reflects the qualities of the New Woman. Her free will allows her to challenge what the role of women truly is. She defies the standards that restrain most British women and walks away from the possibility of a husband and family. These characteristics are presented frequently throughout Grand’s article and support the changing occurring in the Victorian era. The woman in the illustration perfectly represents the ideals of the New Woman.
Citations:
“A Study in Bloomers, Or, the Model New Woman - A Novel by George Franklin Hall.” Goodreads, Goodreads, 27 Apr. 2011, www.goodreads.com/book/show/14454935-a-study-in-bloomers-or-the-model-n…;
Hall, Geo. F. (George Franklin), b. 1864. Retrieved from the Digital Public Library of America <http://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/007680249>.