Category: ENG216 QCQs (Page 2 of 2)

QCQ #3: Bronte Chapters 34-End

Quotation: “There! You’ll find nothing gone but your money, and the jewels, and a few little trifles I thought it advisable to take into my own possession, lest your mercantile spirit should be tempted to turn them into gold. I’ve left you a few sovereigns in your purse, which I expect to last you through the month; at all events, when you want more you will be so good as to give me an account of how that’s spent”…“you thought to disgrace me, did you, by running away and turning artist, and supporting yourself by the labour of your hands, forsooth?” (Bronte, ch.40, 408-409).

Comment: This section was a perfect example of how a wife’s property was essentially her husband’s during this time. Specifically, this section made me think about Bodichon’s summary of the, “Laws Concerning Married Women”. The wording in the quotation above practically matches Bodichon’s summarization on page 4, “What was her personal property before marriage, such as money in hand, money at the bank, jewels, household goods, clothes, etc., becomes absolutely her husband’s, and he may assign or dispose of them at his pleasure whether her and his wife live together or not”. The second part of Huntington’s quote is about Helen earning a profit from her paintings. The language he uses, such as “disgrace”, was prominent, as it represents the attitudes men had regarding a woman’s independent wealth. It reminded me of the discussion our class had about the ideas of “protection” and “providing” from a male point of view. Clearly, Huntington is distraught over losing control over Helen, because he would have to face the social ramifications of his wife having her own source of income.

Questions: Huntington is obviously a bad husband/person (seen through his constant emotional/verbal abuse of Helen), but I wonder if there were any male critics that empathized with him when the novel was published. As said above, as men had the social pressure of providing/protecting their wives, there were probably some male readers that could rationalize Huntington’s feelings during this scene.

Quotation: “Don’t boast, but watch. Keep a guard over your eyes and ears as the inlets of your heart, and over your lips as the outlet, lest they betray you in a moment of unwariness. Receive, coldly and dispassionately, every attention, till you have ascertained and duly considered the worth of the aspirant; and let your affects be consequent up approbation alone. First study; then approve; then love.” (Bronte, 112)

Comment: This quote comes from a section where Helen’s aunt is discussing the prospect of marriage with her. The warnings Helen’s aunt gives may sound ominous and even absurd from a modern perspective, but I believe it’s a good example of the mindset of Victorian women.  Based on the multiple laws outlined by Bodichon, we can see that marriage wasn’t simply a matter of love. Many women needed to weigh their marriage options based on their belongings, financial status, social status, and many other factors. In a society where most, if not all, of the women needed to find husbands, it was critical to find a partner that would let a woman retain some semblance of independence. This quote from Helen’s aunt is evidence of this. She tells Helen to be cold in order to protect herself and to love only when she is absolutely sure that the person is worthy of her. Of course, in later chapters, we see that even if someone were to follow this advice, it isn’t foolproof. 

Question: This conversation between Helen and her aunt probably wasn’t a unique experience. Based on the nature of Bodichon’s summarization and remarks, I wonder how these conversations changed over time. Did women begin to have a more feminist approach to discussing marriage with each other? It also makes me wonder about how men discussed marriage. Based on the quote from Bronte, it seems like these conversations were prevalent for women, but were they as prevalent for men?

A Brief Summary, in Plain Language, of the Most Important Laws Concerning Women: Barbara Leigh Smith (Bodichon)

Quotation: “This [a vinculo matrimonii] divorce is pronounced on account of adultery in the wife, and in some cases of aggravated adultery on the part of the husband. The expenses of only a common divorce bill are between six hundred and seven hundred pounds, which makes the possibility of release from the matrimonial bond a privilege of the rich.” (Bodichon, page 6)

Comment: This quotation comes from the section on page six titled, “Separation and Divorce”. While Bodichon discusses two types of divorce, one being a separation and the other “an entire dissolution of the bond of matrimony”, she discusses the latter in more detail. I was unaware that couples could not get a “full” divorce unless they involved the House of Commons and the House of Lords. However, what I found most surprising was how expensive it was for couples to get a “common divorce bill”. As Bodichon states, the price makes divorce a “privilege of the rich”. This makes me think of how many women were unable to get a divorce because of the cost. I also think that the laws dictating divorce as well as property can serve as an explanation as to why some women remained single. 

Question: I wonder if women in lower classes found other ways to get around divorce bill expenses. I’m also curious as to what the divorce process looked like for couples who didn’t align with the Church of England, as they may not have held the same beliefs regarding the sanctity of marriage.