This article about tuberculosis has recently caught my eye. Over these past few months, while my sisters and I have worked tirelessly in operating our business, I have noticed that my cough has worsened, and my skin has become paler. I am quite unsure of what may have caused this. I am well rested, and I go out infrequently. Maybe I have begun to develop some kind of illness? I hope not. I would not want to concern my sisters. I feel that I already worry my sisters, especially Gertrude. I think that she worries about me too much. A few days ago, I remember when Gertrude kept mentioning my delicate appearance. She was concerned that I looked more frail than usual, but I think that her warnings were unwarranted. When I told Sydney this, he instead praised my beauty and told me that I should not worry about my appearance. I have also noticed that I have received several compliments about my beauty from customers in the shop. However, I trust Gertrude’s judgement, and I have become a bit curious on whether some kind of illness is afflicting me. Since I often have time to read the newspaper, I started digging around to find anything relevant to my cough. After reading past this article, I noticed that a certain disease has become more rampant in the news. Many of the articles that I have read have mentioned this illness called tuberculosis, which sounds worrying. This article in particular reports that the meat or milk of an infected cow can convey the disease to humans and that this disease can be easily transmitted. They say that tuberculosis primarily affects the lungs, which may justify my cough. I have realized that my condition has begun to worsen, and I think that this tuberculosis disease explains why. I have kept this article to be used as a reference for any future exploring I may do about this illness. In the meantime, I hope that nothing serious comes out of this.
Editorial Commentary: This article about tuberculosis highlights how Phyllis falls under the Victorian standard of beauty through her symptoms of tuberculosis. Phyllis realizes that her skin has become paler and that she has developed a worsening cough, which can be attributed to her symptoms from tuberculosis. When Phyllis’ condition begins to deteriorate, only Gertrude warns her of her appearance. Sydney and the customers of the shop instead praise her beautiful appearance, as if her appearance improved through tuberculosis. Sydney’s and the customers’ compliments over her “beautiful” appearance are based on the Victorian ideals for beauty in women. During the Victorian era, societal standards determined that a woman’s role did not include physical labor, leading to society viewing women who lacked muscle tone favorably (Mullin). Due to this, the Victorians deemed women who were pale, delicate, and thin as beautiful, which are all characteristics that match with Phyllis’ features. Coincidentally, these characteristics also correspond with the symptoms of tuberculosis. The symptoms include pale, delicate skin, and weight loss, which Phyllis suffers from. As a result, the Victorians viewed the symptoms of tuberculosis as elegant and beautiful for women since these features matched with the Victorian ideals of beauty, despite tuberculosis being an infectious disease. Although Phyllis suffers from tuberculosis, her beauty is still praised by the people around her, specifically Sydney and the customers. Phyllis’ beautiful features are enhanced through tuberculosis since she has become paler, frailer, and thinner due to this disease. Her symptoms demonstrate the same features that are considered by the Victorians to be signs of beauty, therefore reinforcing her attractive appearance. Although she suffers from this illness, the people around her continue to praise and focus on her appearance, revealing that tuberculosis has categorized her under the Victorian standard of beauty.
Citation:
Mullin, Emily. “How Tuberculosis Shaped Victorian Fashion.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 10 May 2016, www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-tuberculosis-shaped-victorian….
"TUBERCULOSIS IN CATTLE." Glasgow Herald, 19 Mar. 1888. British Library Newspapers, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/BC3203724341/BNCN?u=gauniv&sid=BNCN&xid=…. Accessed 9 Nov. 2020.