AbstractsWomens Studies

The Leading Ladies of The French Lieutenant's Woman

by Karen Helgadóttir Ásta




Institution: University of Iceland
Department:
Year: 2016
Keywords: Enska; French lieutenant's woman (skáldsaga); Kvenlýsingar; Bókmenntagreining
Posted: 02/05/2017
Record ID: 2069150
Full text PDF: http://hdl.handle.net/1946/24365


Abstract

The leading ladies of The French Lieutenant‘s Woman: Miss Ernestina Freeman and Miss Sarah Woodruff are set to live at a time when upper class women were all supposed to fit the same naïve, submissive, virtuous and sensual mould of the perfect Victorian woman. This thesis endeavours to demonstrate that Ernestina and Sarah‘s personalities and characters were formed a great deal by their upbringing, experiences and social status, rather than having been predetermined by their “feminine nature.“ In fact, many of the supposed “feminine qualities” come quite unnaturally to them. However, their different upbringing and prospects shape them from an early age and make the ladies develop some different, socially acceptable, characteristics. Ernestina has always been destined to become the wife of a rich, titled man, and therefore she has been taught, her whole life, to behave properly in society, to check her wit and stubbornness, and to take good care of her appearance. Sarah, on the other hand, was always destined to become a governess, which is why she developes a lonely, independent character, and pays very little attention to her appearance. Other aspects of their nature, such as their sensuality and intelligence, have also been suppressed by their environment. Victorian women were supposed to appear sensual, but be completely innocent at the same time. Both of the ladies experience sexual desire, however, proving that it is completely natural. The novels male protagonist, Charles, the person through whom much about the ladies is discovered is very hypocritical in regards to women‘s sexuality, and also believes it impossible that a woman could be his intellectual equal. Ernestina and Sarah have, nonetheless, both been blessed with strong minds: Ernestina is quite clever and witty, although she seldom has an opportunity to use her gifts, while Sarah has a deep emotional intelligence.