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Crinoline and its Victims

Page history last edited by Danine Wright 14 years, 11 months ago

 

 

 

 

 

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               Notes on the Text

 

 

A crinoline is an added part of the Victorian wardrobe that shapes dresses and petticoats into a full-figured skirt. Crinoline is usually made with materials like horse hair, cotton, stiff fabrics and steel which give the appearance of a caged skirt. The crinoline was created to give Victorian women extra support when wearing the heavy gowns and petticoats (Weston-Thomas). It was believed that the crinoline would give the wearer the opportunity to become unrestrained by the heavy wardrobe and allow the Victorian women to actually wear less clothing, while making it look as if they were wearing layers. The first time crinolines were used in fashion came in the fifteenth century, where it was only used by the royal and wealthy society. In the eighteenth century they were assessable and financially affordable for every level in society (Wikipedia). Throughout the era of crinoline fashion, it went from being the latest style to being the least favorable, particularly during the French Revolution. Many European countries chose to go with the Parisian fashion until the eighteenth century when the crinoline fashion went full swing. The crinoline fashion even marketed mini versions of the original crinolines, known as the “the crinolette” which only lifts up the back part of the dress, and allows for the wearer to move around. The creation of the crinoline presents several down falls with the design, for example the width of the crinoline caused the wearer to have a difficulty getting through doorways and crowds (Wikipedia). The other issues included getting in and out of carriages, and sitting down. 

Written by: Victoria Joe

 

 

 

Reform Act-During the nineteenth century Parliament passed a series of laws that are now collectively know as the Reform Acts.  The first was passed in 1832, another in 1867, and the final Act in 1887.  These specific Parliamentary actions are grouped together in the historical consciousness because the goal of each was to further enfranchise the British people.            The French Revolution (1789-1799) had lasting effects all over Europe, and the British ruling class was anxious to avoid large scale physical confrontation.  The House of Lords was occupied by British nobility, and while representatives in the House of Commons were elected, the number of voters-white male property owners-was less than 440,000.  In 1831, the total population was about 17 million people.

            Common people, especially urban business owners, became dissatisfied with this system since Parliamentary representation did not in any way reflect area population, and heavily favored the interests of rural gentry.  Faced with growing pressure from booming urban areas and afraid of what had happened in France, Parliament passed the Reform Act of 1832, redistributing voter representation and raising the number of registered voters by 65%, a total of 717,000 men.  It was an important first step towards democracy, and an encouraging sign for all British people.

            The above article appeared in Punch in 1862, five years prior to the second phase of the Reform Acts, but throughout the 1860’s the English public was very aware of the changing political climate.  The 1867 Reform Act added nearly one million voters from the middle class, but key groups were still denied the vote.  Women were noticeably among them, but members of Parliament and Britain in general were already afraid that growing urban power would be detrimental to English high culture.  Women continued to be excluded from the political process until 1918, long after the Reform Act of 1887 granted all men voting rights, showing the extent of gender bias in Great Britain.    

 

 Ovid-Publius Ovidius Naso is considered one of the greatest and most influecial poets in Roman history.  This passage is taken from his poem Remedia Amoris or Remedies of Love. Auferimur cultu; gemmis auroque teguntur omnia; pars minima est ipsa puella sui,”  recognizable today, would certainly have been known by well educated male readers in the nineteenth century.  The passage means “We are won by dress; all is concealed by gems and gold; a woman is the least part of herself.”

            Written around 1 B.C. the Remedia Amoris is part of a series of poems that while written in the classic style, address love and relationships satirically, often in the form of self-help advice.

Written by Genevieve Valle

  

Petticoat government- Rule by, or undue predominance or influence of women in domestic, political, or public life (OED).

 

Cabwheel-a cab is a horse-drawn carriage, a cabwheel refers to the wheel that is attached to the carriage (OED). In this context, the crinoline often times would become stuck in the cabwheel causing injury and death.

 

Juggernaut- An institution, practice, or notion to which persons blindly devote themselves, or are ruthlessly sacrificed (OED). Here, the author explains to readers that there are some who insist on wearing Crinoline as a way to completely devote themselves, even sacrificing their lives to be “in” with fashion.

 

Petticoat- 1) A woman's or girl's garment. 2) A skirt, as distinguished from a bodice, worn either externally or showing beneath a dress as part of the costume (often trimmed or ornamented); an outer skirt; a decorative underskirt 3) A light loose undergarment (originally of calico, flannel, silk, etc.; now frequently of synthetic material) hanging from the shoulders or waist, and worn by a woman or girl under a dress or skirt for warmth, etc. (Now the usual sense) (OED).

 

 

 

The Spectator- was a daily publication of 171112, founded by Joseph Addison and Richard Steele in England after they met at Charterhouse School. (Wikipedia).

 

Tatler-previously, and still referred to as, The Tatler, is a British magazine published by Condé Nast Publications (Wikipedia).

 

Lord Palmerston-Lord Palmerston, the early Victorian British statesman and exponent of liberal politics ("Lord Palmerston, politician").

 

Written by Danine Wright 

 

 

Commentary on the Text

The subject of death by fashion is the opening paragraph of this article.  Punch wryly describes extremely dangerous accidents caused by the common fashion of ladies wearing extremely full skirts, often supported from underneath by means of a crinoline petticoat.  While Punch is nonetheless droll for the somewhat grisly subject matter, there seems to be, already, an underlying sense of actual disaster here.  Ironically, Punch is a magazine known for amplifying the ridiculous in order to make it seem “newsworthy” in a comic sort of way, but with “Crinoline and Its Victims”, both the absurdity and the reality are already present in the real subject matter. 

            The second paragraph begins to deal with the responsibility of other citizens to stop the unmitigated tirade of fashion upon unwitting citizens.  Fashion itself is described as a “juggernaut”, an unstoppable force, which is interesting, because the ladies themselves, in their bulbous crinoline fashions, are themselves juggernauts of the sidewalk, forcibly sweeping passersby aside wherever they go.  When Punch discusses putting the matter before Parliament, it is no doubt with a slightly sarcastic edge in its voice.  This is also a slam against Parliament itself, who was unoccupied at the time, and it is thereby inferred that the members of the British government have no better things to do, and also have habitually turned their attention to frivolous law-making of the kind suggested begfore. 

            One of the most interesting things about this article is the quote from Ovid, translating to, “We are won by dress; all is concealed by gems and gold; a woman is the least part of herself.”  The beginning clearly indicts the fact that fashion is not merely the product of women, and that all of society is won over by it.  The idea that a woman is “the least part of herself” is an utterly revolting idea, but an accurate assessment of society’s view on what exactly makes a proper young lady. 

            The intermingled seriousness with humor suits the rest of the article’s humor as well, as Punch states that “Broken legs and burning dresses are anything to our mind but provocative of jests.”  How did such a serious article make it into Punch?  The old idea (even older then that of dangerous fashion) arises that what cannot be said in seriousness can be said in fun, so it calls to question whether or not anyone else was admonishing ladies for their hazardous skirts. 

            The allusion to petticoat governments and the writer’s worry of being “thrown down and trampled on, and run the risk of being run over whenever we walk out,” is a double reference to the consequences of such a government type presents.  A petticoat government cannot be one that keeps its citizens best interests at heart, and while its initial intentions may be good, it actually ends up causing more harm than good.  Much like the “petticoat court” of the sidewalk, people are simply swept aside.

            The idea of sending a political liaison in the form of Lord Palmerston to the tyrants of the petticoat government is very entertaining, and supports the idea of those in crinoline as holding some sort of power over those without.  However, the idea that one who is versed in the ways of women must be sent in order to avoid confusion and spare everyone’s feelings is reminiscent of when a researcher lives among the apes and then is able to act as the go-between for the normative and inferior culture.  Lord Parlmer’s presence here implies that these “noble savages”, the women in crinoline, must be dealt with delicately, and according to their odd women’s customs, or else the peace negotiations will be fruitless. 

            The most interesting thing about this article is the fact that in interposes the gristly with the whimsical, the serious with the sarcastic.  No doubt, the idea of catching on fire due to excess skirt length and width is actually something that warrants attention, but, in reality, there is nothing to be done until the muse of fashion changes and everyone follows it to the next fad.  Perhaps Punch realizes this, perhaps this article is an acknowledgement of the total helplessness of man, or woman, against fashion.  Ovid’s words still carry the truth, and Punch realizes that broken legs and seared flesh aside must wait patiently under crinoline petticoats until the time when clothes no longer make the man or woman.

Written by Grace Reed 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                Works Cited

 

"Cabwheel." Def. 1. Oxford English Dictionary. 1989. Oxford English Dictionary. UMKC, Kansas City. 17 Apr. 2009 <http://dictionary.oed.com.ezproxy.mnl.umkc.edu/cgi/entry/50030704/50030704se14?single=1&query_type=word&queryword=cab+wheel&first=1&max_to_show=10&hilite=50030704se14>.

"Cambridge." Def. 1. Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed. 1989. UMKC, Kansas City. 17 Apr. 2009 <http://dictionary.oed.com.ezproxy.mnl.umkc.edu/cgi/entry/50031939?single=1&query_type=word&queryword=Cambridge&first=1&max_to_show=10>.

"Crinoline -." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 20 Apr. 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crinoline>.

"Crinolines Fashion History." Fashion History Costume Trends and Eras, Trends Victorians - Haute Couture. 20 Apr. 2009 <http://www.fashion-era.com/crinolines.htm>.

"Juggernaut." Def. 2. Oxford English Dictionary. 1989. UMKC, Kansas City. 17 Apr. 2009 <http://dictionary.oed.com.ezproxy.mnl.umkc.edu/cgi/entry/50124570?query_type=word&queryword=juggernaut&first=1&max_to_show=10&sort_type=alpha&result_place=1&search_id=TVxN-T4mpdU-3825&hilite=50124570>.

"Lord Palmerston, politician." Essortment Articles: Free Online Articles on Health, Science, Education & More.. 17 Apr. 2009 <http://www.essortment.com/all/lordpalmerston_pbu.htm>.

"Parliament." Def. 1-2, b. Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed. 1989. UMKC, Kansas City. 17 Apr. 2009 <http://dictionary.oed.com.ezproxy.mnl.umkc.edu/cgi/entry/50171816?query_type=word&queryword=parliament&first=1&max_to_show=10&sort_type=alpha&result_place=1&search_id=TVxN-eD7jv0-4101&hilite=50171816>.

"Petticoat." Def. 2-a, b, c. Oxford English Dictionary. 1989. UMKC, Kansas City. 17 Apr. 2009 <http://dictionary.oed.com.ezproxy.mnl.umkc.edu/cgi/entry/50176833?query_type=word&queryword=petticoat&first=1&max_to_show=10&sort_type=alpha&result_place=1&search_id=TVxN-AiDTQb-4032&hilite=50176833>.

"Petticoat government." Def. 1. Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed. 1989. UMKC, Kansas City. 17 Apr. 2009 <http://dictionary.oed.com.ezproxy.mnl.umkc.edu/cgi/entry/30003932?single=1&query_type=word&queryword=petticoat+government&first=1&max_to_show=10>.

"The Spectator (1711) -." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 17 Apr. 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Spectator_(1711)>.

"Tatler -." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 17 Apr. 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tatler>.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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                Project Group Members

 

Member Name

University

Course

Danine Wright University of Missouri-Kansas City  Eng. 345WI-Women and Literary Cultures, the Female Gothic 
Victoria Joe  University of Missouri-Kansas City  Eng. 345WI-Women and Literary Cultures, the Female Gothic 
Genevieve Valle  University of Missouri-Kansas City  Eng. 345WI-Women and Literary Cultures, the Female Gothic 
Grace Reed  University of Missouri-Kansas City  Eng. 345WI-Women and Literary Cultures, the Female Gothic 
     

 

 

             

 

 

     Project Completed: Spring 2009

 

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Cambridge-the name of a university town in England (OED).

 

Parliament- 1) A formal conference or council, esp. an assembly of magnates summoned (usually by a monarch) for the discussion of some matter or matters of general importance 2) Freq. with capital initial. The supreme executive legislature of the United Kingdom, consisting of the Sovereign, the House of Lords, composed of peers and bishops, and the House of Commons, composed of the elected members (OED).

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