This is a link to Katelin’s Letter from a Victorian Woman to her parents.
Hello Katelin,
I appreciate the context and imagery you create in the first three paragraphs. You curated a lovely picture of a young pregnant woman who came from a well off upbringing, who is now with a wealthy man.
I also appreciate the issue of starting a family to save a marital relationship, and the imagery of having more visitors though this; “people seem to have sprung up out of the ground like weeds now that they’ve discovered Robert’s legacy grows within me”, it depicts how women gain a sense of purpose and have an opportunity to practice some autonomy, rather ironically.
I do wish that you perhaps related this story to the values we have discussed in class. This picture of a rich girl, from a rich family, with a rich husband is ignorant to some of the poignant issues at the time and the true issue of the condition of England. Moreover, if you are focusing on the value of womens voice / independence or lack thereof, you should provide a more in-depth insight into the true interiority of her mind and emotions.
This letter is a good critique of the upper class’ shallowness and ignorance of the true values of the time like institutionalisation, poverty and the reductive quality of society. This piece could also be appreciated for its use of satire to critique a womens role in the patriarchal society, as in this letter, she seems at bay with her lack of independence as well as her discussion of trivial concerns, like her parents pie, to distract or take away her true feelings and interior angst.
Let me know if I have misunderstood something, would love to engage with you on this.
Keep up the good work!
Kind Regards,
Victoria
Victoria Martin's Literature Blog 