Women in 18th Century England

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Dearest gentle reader,

The series, Bridgerton, is set during the glowing reign of Queen Charlotte, spanning between 1761 and 1818. Let us now look deeper into the state of womanhood during the time, which was often cloaked in silence and submission. 

First and foremost, let us speak of feminism—a term rarely whispered and even more seldom embraced. Those who dared to speak of women's rights were scorned and maybe even cast away from society. Their words were paid no heed.

Women were revered as symbols of purity, their virtue guarded with extreme fervor. The mere thought of a woman meeting a man without the vigilant eye of a chaperone—be it a mother or a trusted female servant—was enough to spark whispers of scandal and ruin. In such unfortunate events, it was the lady's name and future prospects that bore the brunt of society's scorn. The man, however, would get off with no more than a reprimanding.

Those young ladies were brought into this world with a singular purpose: to marry. The destiny of every young woman was to leave the nest of her childhood and marry into another family, thus perpetuating the lineage of the family she married into. The choices she had in this matter were a luxury few could afford. Those who failed to secure a suitable match were often resigned to wed whomever their parents deemed fit, regardless of the suitor's age or appeal.

Women's education wasn't given much importance. Our young ladies were tutored in the arts that would make them desirable brides and competent mistresses of their households—nothing more. They were clueless about the outside world. Their protection passed from their fathers onto their husbands before they had a chance to blossom and explore the mysterious world around them.


(Yes, I tried writing this like Lady Whistledown would. I'm not sure if I achieved that goal or not. But I hope you enjoyed it. I'm sure that there are some aspects that I forgot about. These are all I could think of off the top of my head.)

Comments

  1. Anderlin VictorJune 24, 2024 at 8:54 PM

    From Mary Wollstonecraft's, “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman,” in the 18th century, to powerful world leaders, athletes representing their countries and aspiring teachers; women have come a long way by fighting against a patriarchal world and standing firm on their dreams.

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