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Ladies and other creatures

Posted by Marie B on February 25, 1998 at 08:07:07:


In response to plight?, written by Miller on February 24, 1998 at 11:40:34

To L and T indexA point that seems to be missed here is that not all women were "Ladies." As a matter of fact very little of the female population would have been considered so. Miss Austen's novels are centered in a world of them but there were a vast number of women who were not recieving the aforementioned perks.
Considering my own family line and income I would not have been considered a lady.
I would have been my father's (husband's/brother's) chattel, with no rights to property or even my own children. In American society today I have the same rights as a man and am not owned by anyone. I can make my way into whatever social strata that I may aspire to, it is not dependent on the male I may be attached to. I can have a business, vote, get an education and make decisions for myself. That would not have been available to me in JA's time.
As romantic as the period was ( and I do LOVE it!) I am infinately better off now than I would have been then, Lady or not.





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