Flirtation and Courtship in Nineteenth-Century British Culture: Learning to Become a Woman

This collection of primary source materials on flirtation and courtship in the nineteenth-century explores how women were taught to perform indifference to achieve success, while also manipulating and navigating through proscribed norms to achieve their own desires. The materials include novels, memoirs, literary journals, newspapers, plays, poetry, songs, parlour games, and legal documents, offering a diverse range of options and a new understanding of courtship and flirtation.

Format: Hardback
Length: 294 pages
Publication date: 08 August 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This captivating three-volume set presents a rich collection of primary source materials on the fascinating topic of flirtation and courtship during the nineteenth century. Spanning across these volumes, the reader is taken on a journey through the lives of women as they navigate the intricate social and cultural norms of the time.

In the early stages of a woman's life, personal formation and education played a pivotal role. Society expected women to adhere to strict gender roles and to be prepared for their future roles as wives and mothers. However, there was an unspoken acknowledgment of the duplicity at the heart of this cultivated femininity. Women were taught that if they desired anything in life, they must perform indifference. This meant that the art of flirtation and feigning indifference were essential survival skills that could guarantee success in life.

Despite the constraints imposed upon them, nineteenth-century women were not entirely powerless. They possessed a remarkable ability to manipulate, subvert, and navigate their way through these prescribed norms to achieve their own desires. Through a diverse range of documents, including novels, memoirs, literary journals, newspapers, plays, poetry, songs, parlour games, and legal documents, this collection sheds light on a far more diverse set of options available to women in their quest for happiness.

The volumes in this set will be of immense interest to scholars of history, literature, gender and cultural studies, with a particular focus on the nineteenth century. By exploring the complexities of courtship and flirtation, this collection offers a fresh perspective on the central concerns of a nineteenth-century woman's life, challenging prevailing notions and revealing the rich tapestry of experiences and choices that women made during this transformative period.

Weight: 720g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367231705