The Fallen Woman

• While critical of the rigid roles forced on women in Victorian society, Rossetti was not a feminist in the conventional sense
• Despite being invited by poet Augusta Webster to join the Women’s Suffrage movement, Rossetti refused, believing that men and women had divinely ordained, distinct roles
• Rossetti's rejection of feminism reflects a broader Victorian view that women’s primary role was domestic, with religious obligations overshadowing political activism
• In the 1870's, Christina Rossetti refused to sign a petition for women’s suffrage, aligning her views with many contemporaries who prioritized spiritual and moral duties over political rights for women
• Christina Rossetti refused to sign a petition for women’s suffrage, aligning her views with many contemporaries who prioritized spiritual and moral duties over political rights for women in the 1870's
• Prostitution was viewed as "the great social evil" in Victorian England, yet it was seen as a desperate but practical option for many women in need of financial survival
• The London Police estimated there were 2,000 prostitutes in the city
• The Society for the Suppression of Vice suggested up to 80,000 Prostitutes
• There was a plausible estimate of 70,000 women involved in prostitution in London
• The London Police estimated there were 2,000 prostitutes in the city, while the Society for the Suppression of Vice suggested up to 80,000, and a plausible estimate was 70,000 women involved in prostitution in London alone
• The harsh economic realities of the time left women with only a few career options, often leading to prostitution as a "profitable and easy" choice, despite its darker side, including physical and emotional exploitation
• Legal age of consent was set at 12, adding to the dangers women faced, and obsessions with virginity heightened the demand for young, virgin women, with £25 being a significant sum at the time for a woman who could offer her virginity
• The Victorian ideal of the "Angel in the House" embodied the expectation that women be devoted, passive, and self-sacrificing, epitomizing purity and grace
• The Angel in the House ideal, initially associated with the middle class, became widespread through Queen Victoria’s devotion to Prince Albert, cementing the role of women as passive, powerless, and subordinate to their husbands
• The term Angel in the House comes from Coventry Patmore's poem, which held up this ideal as the standard for all women, including those of the working and lower classes, leading to unrealistic and restrictive societal expectations for women in both public and private spheres
• Christina Rossetti’s Christian faith strongly influenced her poetry, especially through themes of sin, redemption, and spiritual salvation
• Christina Rossetti volunteered at the St. Mary Magdalene Penitentiary in Highgate from 1859 to 1870, an institution aimed at rehabilitating 'fallen women', providing shelter, vocational training, and moral education, with an emphasis on teaching women to repent for their sexual transgressions
• Christina Rossetti volunteered at the St. Mary Magdalene Penitentiary in Highgate, an institution aimed at rehabilitating 'fallen women' between 1859 to 1870 - The penitentiary provided shelter, vocational training, and moral education, with an emphasis on teaching women to repent for their sexual transgressions
• Between 1859 to 1870, Christina Rossetti volunteered at the St. Mary Magdalene Penitentiary in Highgate, an institution aimed at rehabilitating 'fallen women' - The penitentiary provided shelter, vocational training, and moral education, with an emphasis on teaching women to repent for their sexual transgressions
• 'Fallen women' in the Victorian era were women who had sex out of wedlock or worked as prostitutes, seen as the most shameful figures in society
• The Victorian era’s harsh view of 'fallen women' deeply influenced Rossetti’s poetry, as it reflects the societal stigma placed on women who were perceived as immoral due to their sexual transgressions - Rossetti’s exposure to these women at the St. Mary Magdalene Penitentiary shaped her portrayal of women in her works, emphasizing themes of redemption, moral education, and repentance - This experience is particularly evident in poems like 'Goblin Market', where Rossetti explores the tension between temptation and spiritual salvation
• Christina Rossetti’s rejection of feminist movements and her refusal to join the Women’s Suffrage movement is indicative of her belief in the divinely ordained roles of men and women - Despite recognizing the constraints imposed on women by society, Rossetti’s poetry often critiques these societal norms through a lens of religious morality rather than political activism - Her works reflect a tension between gender expectations and her Christian convictions, exploring the struggles of women within the confines of a patriarchal society
• The ideal of the 'Angel in the House', epitomizing women as passive, pure, and self-sacrificial, shaped much of Victorian society and thus influenced Rossetti’s view of womanhood - While Rossetti did not fully embrace this ideal, her poetry often grapples with the pressures on women to embody such virtues, exploring themes of purity, self-sacrifice, and the spiritual role of women in the domestic sphere
• The economic realities of the Victorian era, with limited career options for women, made prostitution a common, though dangerous, choice for many - Rossetti’s awareness of these harsh conditions, particularly through her work with fallen women at the penitentiary, is reflected in her poetry, where she often portrays women caught in situations of temptation, desperation, and moral conflict - In poems like "Goblin Market", Rossetti explores the commodification of women’s bodies and the consequences of sexual exploitation within a society that marginalizes women
• The widespread concern over prostitution and its moral implications in Victorian society can be seen in Rossetti’s exploration of sin and redemption in her poetry - Through her direct engagement with women in penitentiaries, Rossetti developed a deep empathy for their plight, which is evident in her works that deal with themes of fallenness and repentance - Her poetry reflects a complex understanding of women’s moral struggles, as seen in "Goblin Market", where the protagonist’s sexual transgression leads to a journey of spiritual and physical recovery
• Christina Rossetti’s poetry can be considered proto-feminist in its critique of the restrictive gender roles imposed by Victorian society - While not an outspoken supporter of feminist movements, Rossetti used her writing to question the societal expectations that confined women to the roles of the Angel in the House - In works like "Goblin Market," she explores the tension between female purity and autonomy, positioning women as individuals with complex inner lives, thus challenging the one-dimensional view of womanhood and offering a proto-feminist perspective on gender equality
• In her poetry, Rossetti often presents women as active agents capable of making decisions and taking control of their destinies, positioning her as a proto-feminist writer - In "Goblin Market," Lizzie's brave defiance of the goblins and her self-sacrificial rescue of her sister illustrate the empowerment of women to make choices and act outside of societal norms - This emphasis on female strength and moral agency is an early proto-feminist assertion of the potential for women to have agency in a male-dominated world
• While Christina Rossetti rejected the feminist movements of her time, her poetry often critiques the traditional, domesticated roles prescribed to women, which aligns with proto-feminist sentiments - By exploring themes of spiritual independence and redemption for women, Rossetti challenges the Victorian ideals that bound women to marriage and motherhood - She reveals the limitations of these domestic roles, urging women to define themselves outside of patriarchal expectations, positioning herself as a proto-feminist through this critique
• Rossetti's work with fallen women at the St. Mary Magdalene Penitentiary (1859-70) informs her proto-feminist stance, as she portrays women who were ostracized by society for their perceived sexual transgressions - Through poems like "Goblin Market," Rossetti offers a voice of compassion and understanding for these marginalized figures, challenging the societal notion that women who deviate from the moral path are unworthy of redemption - By centring the lives of these women, she advocates for their rehabilitation and dignity, showcasing her proto-feminist belief in the value and agency of all women, regardless of their societal status
• Rossetti's poetry can be interpreted as proto-feminist through her subversion of patriarchal authority, particularly in works like "Goblin Market" - In these works, female characters actively challenge male power and expectations, asserting their autonomy in ways that defy traditional gender norms - Rossetti’s focus on women supporting and empowering each other, rather than competing or submitting to male authority, aligns with proto-feminist ideals of female solidarity and resistance to patriarchal control