Page 78 - All About History - Issue 38-16

G o o d V ib ra t i o n s
Good Vibrations

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Fast-forward some years since that
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t the shelf. An unwed woman became a spinster or Fast-forward some years since that
‘old maid’ – someone to pity or poke fun at. The highly anticipated wedding day and we
‘old maid’ – someone to pity or poke fun at. The
highly anticipated wedding day and we
rules were different for men, of course. They were find that Mrs Lovegood – now a wife
rules were different for men, of course. They were
find that Mrs Lovegood – now a wife
usually at least five years older than their bride, as
usually at least five years older than their bride, as and mother of two – is struggling to
and mother of two – is struggling to
they had to become financially secure to stand a
they had to become financially secure to stand a uphold her side of social convention.
uphold her side of social convention.
The vows they whispered that day had
chance of gaining her father’s permission to marry. The vows they whispered that day had
chance of gaining her father’s permission to marry.
This age gap only reinforced the pecking order.
set the expectations for the rest of their
This age gap only reinforced the pecking order. set the expectations for the rest of their
marriage. While her groom swore to
A good wife, like Fanny, stayed home and marriage. While her groom swore to
A good wife, like Fanny, stayed home and
“love her, comfort her, honour and keep
supervised the servants. She couldn’t lend a “love her, comfort her, honour and keep
supervised the servants. She couldn’t lend a
her, in sickness and in health,” she had
hand, even if she wanted to – the fashionable yet her, in sickness and in health,” she had
hand, even if she wanted to – the fashionable yet
cavernous crinoline skirts saw to that. Trapped to pledge to “obey him and serve him,
cavernous crinoline skirts saw to that. Trapped
to pledge to “obey him and serve him,
under layers of heavy petticoats with nothing to do love, honour and keep him.”
under layers of heavy petticoats with nothing to do
love, honour and keep him.”
all day but receive visitors or sip tea, Fanny grew Luckily, Fanny had plenty of advice
Luckily, Fanny had plenty of advice
all day but receive visitors or sip tea, Fanny grew
at hand to remind her of her duties.
frustrated, depressed and anxious – natural feelings
frustrated, depressed and anxious – natural feelings at hand to remind her of her duties.
that would later become symptoms of a common
that would later become symptoms of a common One such book had this top tip to keep
One such book had this top tip to keep
the hubby happy when he came home
malady among women.
malady among women. the hubby happy when he came home
from work. “Don’t let him search the
Burying her head in a book all day wasn’t from work. “Don’t let him search the
Burying her head in a book all day wasn’t
an option for our Victorian lady, either. It was a
house for you. Listen for his latch-key
an option for our Victorian lady, either. It was a house for you. Listen for his latch-key
and meet him on the threshold.” With
frightfully masculine and unattractive thing to do, and meet him on the threshold.” With
frightfully masculine and unattractive thing to do,
these words of wisdom ringing in her head, Fanny
and if word spread she was interested in politics or
and if word spread she was interested in politics or these words of wisdom ringing in her head, Fanny
Latin, she would be branded a ‘bluestocking’. No greets him with a winsome smile, offers him a pair
greets him with a winsome smile, offers him a pair
Latin, she would be branded a ‘bluestocking’. No
one wanted that. Some doctors even believed that
one wanted that. Some doctors even believed that of slippers that she’s warmed by the fire and listens
of slippers that she’s warmed by the fire and listens
too much studying would zap the ovaries of energy to the details of his working day, nodding but
to the details of his working day, nodding but
too much studying would zap the ovaries of energy
never offering her opinion. Of course, worst of all,
and cause them to shrivel like prunes.
and cause them to shrivel like prunes. never offering her opinion. Of course, worst of all,
one should never, ever, “attempt to dictate to your
R  u bb e d u p t h e w r o n g wa y one should never, ever, “attempt to dictate to your
Rubbed up the wrong way
husband on any subject. He won’t stand for it, and
husband on any subject. He won’t stand for it, and
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there will be trouble.”
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There were those that challenged expectations, , there will be trouble.”
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But on occasion, Fanny – wound as tight as a
however. The famous 19th-century poet Elizabeth
however. The famous 19th-century poet Elizabeth But on occasion, Fanny – wound as tight as a
Barrett Browning suffered from an undiagnosed
Barrett Browning suffered from an undiagnosed whalebone corset – snaps. Her husband looks on
whalebone corset – snaps. Her husband looks on
condition that meant she was unable to walk or
condition that meant she was unable to walk or wide eyed as she airs her feelings of suffocation
wide eyed as she airs her feelings of suffocation
do chores. Instead, she hid in the attic and wrote and sadness. Shocked and distressed at this
do chores. Instead, she hid in the attic and wrote
and sadness. Shocked and distressed at this
reams of poetry that tackled the issues of the day, outburst, he does what any concerned and
reams of poetry that tackled the issues of the day,
outburst, he does what any concerned and
from war to slavery and industrialisation. However,
from war to slavery and industrialisation. However, respectable man would do – he sends her to the
respectable man would do – he sends her to the
when she met her future husband, a handsome doctor with a suspected mental disorder. Women
when she met her future husband, a handsome
doctor with a suspected mental disorder. Women
young poet called Robert Browning, she absconded were perceived as the gentler, more dependent and
young poet called Robert Browning, she absconded
were perceived as the gentler, more dependent and
to Italy and miraculously her health improved.
to Italy and miraculously her health improved. weaker sex, so it’s no surprise they were considered
weaker sex, so it’s no surprise they were considered
Another strong young woman, Charlotte Brontë,
to be prone to illness. However, the most common
Another strong young woman, Charlotte Brontë, to be prone to illness. However, the most common
ailment of the age didn’t actually exist.
expressed her feelings through the heroine of her ailment of the age didn’t actually exist.
expressed her feelings through the heroine of her
c classic novel, Jane Eyre: “(Women) need exercise lassic novel, Jane Eyre: “(Women) need exercise Jane Eyre: “(Women) need exercise Jane Eyre 
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for their faculties and a field for their efforts as
for their faculties and a field for their efforts as The doctor will please you now
much as their brothers do; they suffer from too H y s t e r i a – f r om t h e G r e e k w or d ‘ h y s t e r a ’ , me a n i n g
Hysteria – from the Greek word ‘hystera’, meaning
much as their brothers do; they suffer from too
rigid restraint, too absolute a stagnation, precisely
rigid restraint, too absolute a stagnation, precisely uterus – was a catchall term for any nervous or
uterus – was a catchall term for any nervous or
as men would suffer.” Not all of the Brontë sisters
as men would suffer.” Not all of the Brontë sisters erratic behaviour. One physician in 1859 claimed
erratic behaviour. One physician in 1859 claimed
married, but the majority of women didn’t have a a quarter of all women suffered from this malady
married, but the majority of women didn’t have a
a quarter of all women suffered from this malady
and another catalogued 75 pages of possible
choice. There were few opportunities to work, and
choice. There were few opportunities to work, and and another catalogued 75 pages of possible
they could not legally own a home. Marriage was symptoms, from muscle pain and restlessness to a
symptoms, from muscle pain and restlessness to a
they could not legally own a home. Marriage was
one of the only means of livelihood. loss of appetite and ‘a tendency to cause trouble’.
loss of appetite and ‘a tendency to cause trouble’.
one of the only means of livelihood.
r
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a history of hysteria
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1600 BCE
16 16 0 0 0 B B C C E E 5 5 5TH CENTURY BCE E E 4 4 4TH CENTURY BCE
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WANDERING
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EGYPTIAN
E GY P T I A N THE DISEASE W A N DE R I NG
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WOMB
GETS A NAME
RECIPES
RECIPES GETS A NAME WOMB
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U t e r u s , c o m e d o w n Hippocrates is the first t F Famous philosopher r
Uterus, come down
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Plato also believes
from there! An
from there! An to use the term hysteria, Plato also believes
to use the term hysteria,
Egyptian papyrus
Egyptian papyrus from the Greek meaning the uterus moves
from the Greek meaning
the uterus moves
includes recipes for ‘uterus’. He tries to freely about the body
includes recipes for
freely about the body
‘uterus’. He tries to
medicines that coax encourage the uterus and causes all kinds
and causes all kinds
medicines that coax
encourage the uterus
the pesky organ back
back into position with
of symptoms such as
the pesky organ back back into position with of symptoms such as
fragrant concoctions.
into position.
into position. fragrant concoctions. anxiety and tremors.
anxiety and tremors.
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076-081_AAH38_Hysteria.indd 78 13/04/2016 22:04