Vivie: My heart swells with joy at the sight before me. At long last, the tender souls of our young daughters are blessed with privileges of gentlemen. They, too, may now venture forth to the halls of learning, where the light of knowledge shall illuminate their path. It is my profound desire to discuss this moment, for it encapsulates the dawn of what I dare call the "New Woman" revolution. The image that graces my gaze strikes a chord deep within my being, as I myself trod the path of education, defying the well-trodden route of society's esteemed "Old Woman." Furthermore, I confess a fondness for cigars, the amber nectar of whiskey, and the solace of novels in my leisure hours, setting me distinctly apart from the stereotypical "Old Woman." My academic journey led me to the venerable University of Cambridge, where I distinguished myself in the intricate realm of mathematical tripos. Armed with such knowledge, I now harbor ambitions to serve as an actuary alongside my confidante, Honoria Fraser. While reading the newspaper, a cherished pastime of mine, I chanced upon an image depicting the assembly of young girls from St. Clement's School. The mere sight brought a radiant smile to my face. Few women shared my aspirations; most stayed home, tending to household matters. Yet in this depiction on the newspaper, these girls in uniform attend school, defying societal norms. Such a spectacle does not surprise me, for, as mentioned earlier, my friend Honoria aspires to be an actuary as well. It bespeaks a growing sisterhood of women with loftier ambitions than culinary and domestic duties, a number sure to burgeon as they seize educational opportunities.
Commentary: Upon reading Vivie Warren’s commonplace book, the situation for women in the 1800s becomes evident. Vivie begins by expressing how euphoric she is after viewing an image of young girls from St. Clement's School in the newspaper. This reaction is rational as Vivie writes how very few women during this era believed in becoming educated and pursuing a life beyond preparing meals, cleaning dishes, and other household matters. This would mean that men were the people with the power, money, and knowledge in society. Vivie would be considered a “New Woman” by the standards of that era, as not only has she pursued an education at the esteemed University of Cambridge, but she is also pursuing a man’s career of becoming an actuary. As stated in the Encyclopedia, “…[women] were barred from institutions of higher education. Women were expected to remain subservient to their fathers and husbands. Their occupational choices were also extremely limited” (Encyclopedia, n.d.). This information gives a glimpse of the situation for women during Vivie’s time and proves she did break free from major societal gender norms that oppressed women. Moreover, Vivie shares with the reader how she enjoys smoking cigars and drinking whisky, which are man-like behaviors. If Vivie were to share this information with a member of this period, they would be appalled hearing this, as it would be unheard of for a woman to act so masculine. Also, Vivie ends her monologue by affirming that the number of “New Women” will increase from here on out. Her vision prevails as in the current world, the “New Woman” ideology is colossal, particularly in Western countries. In 2022, 48% of women obtained a tertiary education compared to the measly 37% of men who attained the same level of education (European Commission, 2022).
Works Cited
"Women In The 19th Century: Introduction.” Encyclopedia, 18 Sep. 2023, https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences/encyclopedias-almanacs-tra…
“More women than men held tertiary degrees in 2022.” Eurostat, 30 May 2023, ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/w/ddn-20230530-3
“St Clement's School: girls group.” London Picture Archives, 1881, https://www.londonpicturearchive.org.uk/viewitem?i=181469&WINID=1698866…. Accessed 12 October 2023.