Final Blog Analysis
The focus of our blog is on Victorian era ruin and how it portrays to instances in the present day. Ruin is described as the complete destruction of an object and can be both emotional and physical. The topic of ruin is one that interested each member in our group and was both easy and fun to write about. The topic was present in almost every reading and was a main focus in many class discussions as well as the class overview. For this reason we decided to create a blog completely centered around this fascinating subject. In each of our posts we analyzed historical texts in order to find how they related to ruin both in the Victorian period and the ruin of today. There are many distinct similarities and differences between modern and Victorian ruin, which proved intriguing to write about. Many practices that made our blog successful were the use of outside sources, group collaboration, and the performance of an in-depth analysis for each text assigned. Each group member was responsible for a certain paragraph or piece of the writing, which was then added to all the other pieces for a coherent and descriptive blog post. By delegating different parts of the text, each person was able to focus on a small section and deliver a much better piece of writing. It was easier to analyze the longer readings when each member was only responsible for a small portion. Some of the shortcomings of our group were both the lack of organization and also communication. By forming new groups during the middle of the semester, it was much harder to adjust to working with new people. Becoming familiar with the preferences and practices of different people made it more difficult to stay organized, which made communication that much harder. Also, because the blogs weren’t due on a specific date, the need to communicate and make sure the blog was getting done, wasn’t as important. This lack of organization was very different compared to the over organized feeling during the first half of the semester, with our previous blog groups. When the blogs were forced and had specific due dates, each member of the blog was held accountable and each post had to be done on time. The more lenient approach for the second half of the semester, though a lot less strenuous, proved to be a lot harder when it came to getting each blog posts done. With more structure, like in the first half of the semester, it required each person to both read the assigned material and also analyze it. Personally our group feels that the first half of the semester helped us learn more about each historical text and was more geared towards the way we learn. Overall group blogs were an enjoyable and pleasant way to meet new people and to get to know fellow classmates. These assignments were both helpful and interactive, but a more focused approached proved to be a better way to organize these blogs.
By: Katie Ramstad, Alex Holtman, Scott Wolf, and Michelle Davis
Victorianruin303
(1) https://victorianruin303.wordpress.com/2012/10/12/goblinmarket/
(2) https://victorianruin303.wordpress.com/2012/10/20/picturesque-2/
(3) https://victorianruin303.wordpress.com/2012/10/16/lust/
(4) https://victorianruin303.wordpress.com/2012/10/15/harlot/
Ruined!
Typical when one thinks of ruin they think of visual damage that occurs to a physical object or in reference to a particular subject; however, the idea reaches far beyond that of physical destruction. As we have discovered through the many classical works we have examined, ruin can be seen as a difference of opinion. Such works as “The Girl of the Period” indicates how one person may see something as ruined, like the ruined image of the innocent English girl in Linton’s case. If we look at it through the perspective of a male during the eighteenth century, he may have a different perspective since, in many cases, he was the one creating the “ruin.” A prime example of this can be found in Christina Rossetti’s “The Goblin Market,” where she tells the story of two innocent young girls who pass by the Goblin’s market and try to resist their tempting fruits. Until the oldest girl Lizzie falls for their temptations and becomes addicted to their fruits. After she succumbs to such temptations she has lost all her innocence and can now be viewed as ruined by society. The concept of “ruin” from a societal standpoint was weighed more towards women than men since women were the ones to bear the consequences of falling for temptation while men simply received a slap on the hand, if that. One common re-occurrence of symbolism we can witness through the different works of the nineteenth century would be the common use of fruit. Throughout Rossetti’s piece she repeatedly explains how their fruit invokes temptation to young girls and emphasizes the consequences of giving into temptation. This idea has a direct correlation to the biblical reference of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden and how eating the forbidden fruit casts you out of a pure and holy world. For women who committed the sins of the flesh without being bound in matrimony were often cast out of their homes like Adam and Eden were cast out of the Garden of Eden. In the case of the women depicted in Richard Redgrave’s The Outcast, A woman who gave birth to a child out of wedlock was cast out of her Garden from her own family for tasting the forbidden fruit. Not only would she be condemned to life in cold solitude, but her child would be condemned along with her.
Another type of religious symbolism we could depict from such works would be the role of the head male of the household. In Redgrave’s painting the father clearly takes the authoritative role while one sister gets on her knees to plea for her father to forgive her sister. The male can be seen as a type of God of the household depicted by the sisters’ prayer-like stance and the way the father demonstrates his anger in a form of wrath like she has created the sin directly against his will rather than God himself. When women committed sins of the flesh or adultery they we punished more harshly than men. Women of this time harbor direct meaning to the phrase “ruin” in the sense that they are seen as ruined by the society that surrounds them, and their lives as a whole have been ruined. In George Frederic Watts painting “Found Drowned” the woman depicted committed a tragic suicide. She lived life poverty and, although the reasoning for the suicide is unknown, it became clear that she has lived a life of suffering and turmoil that defines her life as ruined. In Oscar Wilde’s The Harlot House a man and his wife walk past a harlot house that he describes as full of sin through his use of negative diction such as “The dance of shadows” and “grotesques.” Wilde describes the instance that his wife fell for the hypnotic music and how his love was drawn into the house of lust where she will see the error of her ways and come back to him “like a frightened girl.” In this instance the Harlot House is the forbidden fruit and Wilde’s wife has committed a sin by taking a bite of it. The women who work for the harlot house are viewed as ruined through the eyes of society. They represent temptation and sin, with their painted faces and their appearances. They are ruined for marriage through the eyes of the innocent English girl, and they are ruined to live in their family’s household through the eyes of their fathers. This is one of the many representations on how the concept of ruin can be considered a man’s word in a man’s world.
-Michelle Davis
Works Cited
Watts , George. Found Drowned. 1848-1850. Watts MediaWeb. 13 Dec 2012. <http://www.wattsgallery.org.uk/learning/teachers-resources/found-drowned>.
Redgrave, Richard. The Outcast. 1851. Victorian WebWeb. 13 Dec 2012. <http://www.victorianweb.org/painting/redgrave/paintings/4.html>.
Wilde, Oscar. “The Harlot House.” Victorian Web. Victorian Web, 27 2010. Web. 13 Dec 2012. <http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/wilde/harlot.html>.
Rosetti, Christina. “Goblin Market.” The Victorian Web. The Victorian Web, 07 2005. Web. 13 Dec 2012. <http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/crossetti/gobmarket.html>.
Individual Manifesto: Architectural Ruin
Ruin is described as the remains of an object that has been destroyed or that is in disrepair or a state of decay. This fallen state can affect many different aspects of life whether it is physical or even emotional. Relationships, architecture, and even the mind can fall victim to ruin. In my final project I focused specifically on architectural ruin both in the Victorian and modern age, and the way it relates to the topic of ruin in general. Ruin of objects such as buildings and structures is more easily seen and can be recorded and analyzed through physical evidence. By examining this form of ruin it is easier to see the effects and understand the underlying concept. Many of the texts we examined in class display the idea of architectural and ruin, and are helpful in recognizing its true meaning.
In Arthur Symon’s “Studies in Seven Arts,” he describes many different types of ruin including that of Cathedrals. This section of the writing focuses on century’s old architecture and more importantly the ruin that these historical churches succumb to, whether it is in the early phases of their creation or after centuries have passed. Looking closely at the way in which early Cathedrals were built, many were already in a state of ruin before they were even finished. By examining carefully, you can see that not each area is well preserved. Many windows didn’t fit properly, stone was scratched and broken, and the materials failed to be used correctly. This sense of disrepair is considered ruin. A building doesn’t need to be completely disassembled to be thought of as ruined. There are many different phases of ruin, some more worse off than others.
Ruin can describe an object as being in poor condition or it can pronounce something as irreparable, the levels vary. These different levels of ruin can be found in both Victorian and modern architecture. Many people believe that with the technology and materials present today, ruins cease to exist; this, however, is false. The Art Nouveau period, which in many ways was a response to the Industrial Revolution, welcomed new technologies and invited architects and designers to use different materials, such as cast iron. However, even with the highest standards of craftsmen ship of that era, buildings still fell into ruin, much like they still do today. Ruin is not only the decaying of ancient pyramids or the crumbling of Roman temples, ruin is the scorched building you pass on the way to school, or the hurricane stricken town you see on the news. By definition ruin means destruction in multiple forms. By realizing the true meaning behind ruin, you realize that it surrounds our everyday lives in a variety of ways.
Architecture can be ruined in a variety of ways. The building its self may be in fine condition, though what’s inside may cause it to be described as ruined. In both “Mrs. Warren’s Profession” and “La Melinite: Moulin Rouge” the sexuality of women is the main topic of discussion. Women in the 19th century were looked down upon for openly displaying their sexual desires and being sexual in general; these women were pegged as ruined. The ruin of these women, however, also extended to their place of employment and the building in which they resided. The prostitution houses were deemed destroyed by onlookers who did not participate in the services offered inside. The sin that was believed to be taking place inside the walls also extended to the walls themselves. Many types of ruin can potentially be intertwined and one may even cause the other. Ruin depends on the beliefs of the onlooker and what they find to be destroyed or dismantled.
Overall ruin can be described as the devastation or damage of an object, though it comes in many different forms. More specifically architectural ruin, like most other types of ruin, depends on the opinions of its audience and the situation in which it finds itself. One thing that seems to be consistent when it comes to ruin, however, is its presence all over the world and throughout many different centuries. In addition to being seen in multiple scenarios different forms of ruin can be found together, working towards a single goal of destruction. Whether ruin is emotional, architectural or spiritual the underlying meaning is the same; its objective is to ware down its opponent. Architectural ruin is one of the easiest to spot though with an observant eye you can find multiple forms of ruin all around you in various aspects of your life.
(1) Symons, Arthur. “Studies in Seven Arts.” Cathedrals. Google Books. Web. http://books.google.com/books?id=zstAAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=symons&source=bl&ots=UUTptqkoZS&sig=vIG6m7CtRWfq6TsORpCnzJnAaWs&hl=en&sa=X&ei=LYpzUNCyDoSQiQL7-YDoDw&ved=0CDkQ6AEwATgU#v=onepage&q&f=false
(2) Greenalgh, Paul & Griffith, Mari. “Introduction to Art Nouveau.” National Gallery of Art. 2000. Web. http://www.nga.gov/feature/nouveau/exhibit_intro.shtm
(3) Symons, Arthur. “La Melinite: Moulin Rouge.” Google Books. Web. http://books.google.com/books?id=RR9HAAAAYAAJ&lpg=PA24&ots=8T4k0TzdK9&dq=arthur%20symons%20moulin%20rouge&pg=PA24#v=onepage&q&f=false
(4) Shaw, George Bernard. “Mrs. Warren’s Profession.” Project Gutenberg. Web. http://books.google.com/books?id=RR9HAAAAYAAJ&lpg=PA24&ots=8T4k0TzdK9&dq=arthur%20symons%20moulin%20rouge&pg=PA24#v=onepage&q&f=false
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Eliza Lynn Linton’s “The Girl of the Period” is an exemplary piece for demonstrating the attitudes towards the progressive woman. She would doubtfully describe the women she speaks of as progressive but her belief that the aspirational demi-monde would see the consequences and the error of the lifestyles they pursued and return to the archaic ideal of domesticity and innocence became less likely as time proceeded. Linton saw a woman’s desire for luxury and fashion as a sign that women were losing their virtue and they were no longer content to be “what God and nature had made them.” It seems to be Linton’s belief that denying the monotonous role that god had intended is an attitude that is shaping women to pursue a life full of vice and luxury rather than love and virtuous companionship. When a woman would focus more on her appearance it was considered an act to initiate temptations and sinful desires of the flesh. In modern times it is considered a societal norm to wear make-up and pursue a life of luxury; however In the 1800’s there were some who saw such freedoms as a decline in womanhood and an act against God’s intentions. Linton is an exemplary product of such beliefs that women should live a life of pure monotony, domestication, and they should not strive to attract negative attention. She believed that England had once prided themselves on their modest, pure, and righteous English girls, were rapidly spiraling downward by becoming idolizing the common demi-monde for her fashion and luxury , which was a style that was gaining popularity during her time. Such attitudes demonstrated the belief that the girl of the period desired a man for his money over his heart and would only chose the path of marriage for her own pursuit for luxurious commodities. She believed that this classification of a woman was followed by the desire to marry a man’s carriage, title, and back account rather than the man himself. She strongly believed that women were changing into what many believed to be a personal transformation that was derived from the idolization of the fashionable “demi-monde” and by such a clouded pursuit and lack of virtue, she would render herself unsuitable and undesirable for matronly affairs. A woman’s unholy desire to grasp public attention through fashion and the visible display of beauty led to male interest in her physical appearance rather than her domestic traits. Such examples of unnecessary and undesirable actions includes; letting their hair be seen beyond the confides of their bonnets or wearing dresses below the shoulder blades, applying wax and greasy substances to her hair as a form of unnatural style, and trimming down her bonnet and adding lace or other decorative objects to attract attention. These actions were seen as suggestive towards partaking in the sins of the flesh. Many women who actually partook in such “sinful” actions were known for their lack of obedience and often cast out of society and even by their own family due to the condemnation placed on the family name.
In Arthur Symons’ poem “La Melinite; Moulin Rouge” He demonstrates the beauty of artistic talent used in a dark setting of immorality. His poem is about a popular dancer at the Moulin Rouge who was described by Symons as a person with impeccable talent and beauty being used for all the wrong reasons. When he refers to her dances as the “dance of shadows” he suggests that her form of dancing holds a sort of dark element. Even though Symons refers to the dancer La Melinite as a rose he still suggests there is a type of audacity in displaying a woman’s feminine features for the entertainment of men for a price through his use of dark diction such as his term “dance of shadow.” Such actions and beliefs from Symons is an example of how he was a product of his time and culture. These ideas and rules for what is socially acceptable was formulated through religious beliefs and teachings that demonstrated what was right, wrong and sinful through religious viewpoints, thus causing such places as the Moulin Rouge to be considered a hopeless place indulged with the very pleasures that were considered sinful through societal perspective. In comparison to the movie Memoirs of a Geisha that I have chosen to analyze is another prime example of the artistic roles played by women that did not follow societies ideals. The Moulin Rouge in Paris, France is a synonomous concept to “Okiya” or Geisha houses in Japan. Much like those at the Moulin Rouge, Geishas were considered artists with the talents of dance and song but were also seen in a negative light in the 19th century when many prostitutes would pose as geishas to attract more clients. The original Geisha’s in the 1700’s were men and the art didn’t become more woman oriented until the late 1700’s. Just like the concept of the demi-monde in Linton’s “The Girl of the Period” and the Moulin Rouge in Arthur Symons’ poem, Geishas would never marry. Geishas were paid courtesans by the wealthy that would act as a companion to any paying client and would entertain their clients through the art of dance, music, calligraphy, and grace but they differed from the actual ideal of a demi-monde due to the fact that they were not paid for lustful pleasures until there was a really high bid for a meiko or young geisha who was paid to be a man’s unofficial wife or companion and she was paid to give up her innocence. Popular Geishas received many luxurious gifts for their entertainment services on top of the money paid such as expensive Kimonos or silk dresses. Geishas and the dancers at the Moulin Rouge were both known for their artistic contribution and their avoidance of marriage or committed relationships. Society would look down upon these artists for their sinful temptations and their desire for wealth and luxuries. If we were to look at such events in a contemporary perspective, we would notice a lot less censorship and a significant amount of acceptance and respect for such artistic displays. A modern version of the art of a geisha or the performances at the Moulin Rouge can be witness across the country through popular shows such a Burlesque. The art of Burlesque demonstrates the same concept of sexual temptation through the display of flesh but in a contemporary, bolder sense. What was considered scandalous back in the Victorian era that was discussed by Eliza Lynn Linton has progressed into a less censored version that corresponds with our contemporary though and culture. The negative outlook on painted faces and proper style of dress has evolved to a more liberal outlook. Fashion now plays a major role in society and has become a major aspect of contemporary culture all over the world. The negative perspectives of dance has become a major cultural enjoyment rather than a societal condemnation based on the regulations of God.
The societal perspective on Gender and Sexuality as a whole has progressed and changed throughout the years and demonstrates a more liberal outlook on what is considered sinful and unacceptable by society on a religious level. With religious influence fading more and more in our culture, we see a decline in negative attitudes and perspectives towards ideas that would normally cause gasps in disbelief. Although religious influence has not completely vanished it has become more and more apparent that there is a decrease and censorship and a more contemporary, positive outlook on what was once socially unacceptable. Through advancements in fashion and through new forms of art such a Burlesque it can be said that the ideas presented by Linton in “The Girl of The Period” and the negative outlook towards The Moulin Rouse in Symons’ poem suggesting that there is some type of dark power taking part such events has now been seen as art and expressionism. If we look back on the era of the Geishas it was believed that one did not need to show much skin to create temptation, but regardless it was still their expectation to create a form of temptation to increase profits. Much like the art of Burlesque to day but with more of an inverted perspective; instead of showing little skin they focus and the art of the human body and increase profits by performing while showing most, but not all of their skin. An even more progressive element to the art of Burlesque and other form of contemporary dance is the amount of male performers. Male performers have become more common, even though they are still more women than men but in opposition to the past you would rarely find men performing in the Moulin Rouge, or becoming a Geisha in the 1800’s after the complete decline of male Geishas. With this contemporary comparison in mind we can see a more positive an progressive outlook on the roles of women and their rights to their own appearance and deciding what is acceptable for themselves.
Women have come very far to earning their rights for equal opportunity. In the Victorian era, things were much different than in today’s society. Stereotypes are still around today as they were in the Victorian era. In this paper I will discuss the differences and similarities from the play, Mrs. Warrens Profession and the movie When Harry Met Sally. Gender roles have changed dramatically and social norms have shifted. In the Victorian era men had more power over women and in the late 20th century, women and men are far more equal.
I chose to examine the reading, Mrs. Warren’s profession. In this reading, I took out that Mrs. Warren tried to tell other characters in the story that she was married only to cover up what she does to make money, which was to own several brothels. Mrs. Warren’s business partner, Crofts helped Mrs. Warren with her business. Mrs. Warren’s daughter, Vivie is oblivious to the fact that her mom is a brothel owner until she finds out about the news. I found it interesting how Croft felt attracted to Vivie even though he was much older. It is interesting because that it is not too common it today’s society. This seemed to be more common in the Victorian era. Back in those times, it wasn’t weird for an older man to marry a young virgin girl. In today’s society, it is unheard of unless the women who marries the older man is just in it for the money, which does happen. Some women are referred to as “gold diggers” meaning they are just in it for the money. In the Victorian era, brothels were more acceptable than they are today. Even with that, Mrs. Warren tried to hide what she did because she was ashamed of it but needed the money. In society, working as a prostitute is not the most desirable job and most people wont respect a prostitute as normal person. In today’s society, most people see prostitutes as people who don’t have any self-respect for themselves. The Victorian era is much different. Women back in this time were unable to get male dominant jobs. Males seemed to have ran society back in those times, women hardly had any say in what went on and what they could do in their lives for a living without disturbing the social order that was ideal at the time. Mrs. Warren said that she only had the chain of brothels for putting Vivie through school. The play seemed to be built around the ideals of prostitution. How some of the poorest women feel like they have nothing they can do in life so they some of them feel forced into prostitution because of the lack of options and resources. Today, women are have the opportunity to be self-sufficient and have overcome challenges over the past decades so that things aren’t the same like they were in the Victorian era. Women can do most if not all the jobs men can, women can vote, own their own property. All things they were unable to do before.
For my contemporary film, I decided to go with the movie When Harry Met Sally. The general plot of the story is about a man named Harry living in New York just looking for someone to love. He stumbles upon into a woman named Sally, and from there on, things began to spark. The couple was in a relationship for a long period of time. Pretty much getting used to each other as husband and wife. For a while it seemed like it was destined to stay that way. But apparently as time drew on, the grew tired of each other, and ultimately decided to part ways simply because they couldn’t stand one another’s traits and personalities. Before the couple decided to call it quits, a few scenes before, it shows Harry with one of his friends at a New York Giants football game. As the game is occurring, and the fans are roaring around them, Harry and his friend sit there having an intimate conversation about the women that are in their lives. Harry goes on talk about Sally; her hair, lips, facial features, and even sexuality, just as the games are going on. To the others around him, it looks like he’s really into the game. But in reality, he’s only going through the motions as something much more important was on his mind. The movie then showed Sally around the same time, talking with one of her friends about Harry. Surprisingly enough, they say the same things about each other. Getting sick of literally every single thing that they might have once loved about that person, showing to us as an audience, that the two couldn’t possibly coincide with one another.
One thing that really stood out, and what they both said about each other was the way and mentality of their thinking. Harry would complain about all of Sally’s traits, and then blame it on her being a woman, and once again in a separate coinciding scene, Sally would also say the same thing. Relating this back to the Victorian Era, it shows the audience viewing a more sexual discriminate side, and sexual stereotype for both genders. In the movie, Harry and Sally are characters from the 21st century. They are so much different from the characters from the Victorian era texts in many ways. In the movie, they treat each other more on an equal playing field because the two are in a relationship. I also saw that they were both able to get the same job, hang out with the same people and were treated the same way all because of the way society treats women differently than society did in the past. Harry never really treated Sally extremely bad holding his power over her like some med did to women in the Victorian Era. Women used to be considered objects and were treated like them, but this movie represents gender equality in a indirect way.
Mrs. Warren’s profession shows how women don’t really have the best choice in job options to make money. Women are considered less than men, not as dominate in the Victorian era. In today’s society women are more on an equal level to men. In the movie that I talked about, When Harry Met Sally the two main characters are equal to each other. Harry is not in charge of Sally and vice versa. The both of them treated each other equally, which is so much different than how men treated women in the Victorian era. Society has significantly changed and women can do so many things that they were not able to do before in today’s society.
Women’s rights have equalized with men. For example Harry and Sally went to the same university in Chicago, which in a way shows equality between them. They have an equal opportunity at success compared to in the Victorian era. The only reason Mrs. Warren was so successful was because of the specific type of business she had. She was a single mother providing for her daughter but was still frowned upon. She was pretty respected in the industry she was in but not in general. Nor was she respected at all by her daughter Vivie. Even though today, women have rights they are still viewed on their gender rolled stereotype. For example in Harry met Sally, Sally had her rights but at the same time stereotypes still came into play for what a women’s role in society should be and how they should act. Sally is under the impression that guys and girls could be friends without having sexual tension, while Harry thinks the opposite. Harry believes that a guy and girl can never be friends; he thinks it’s all or nothing. This is very comparable to Mrs. Warren and Mr. Croft. They are proving Sally’s insight to be true because they are just friends and business partners. It never led to more because Croft was interested in Vivie. Sally just wanted to be friends and I think that’s a new idea coming off the 1970s and 80s period because she felt like she didn’t need to use sex for business. This is the complete opposite of Mrs. Warren, she seems to utilize sex and that incorporates that into her profession. This is the difference. In the Victorian era, women seemed to use their bodies to get what they wanted and in society. Currently in today’s
society that is not the case. Sally and Mrs. Warren are similar because they both strive to either change or obtain a higher social status.
Works Cited
Shaw, George B. Mrs. Warrens Profession. N.p.: David Widger, n.d. Gutenberg.org. Project Gutenberg, Feb.-Mar. 2006. Web. 9 Nov. 2012. <http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1097/1097-h/1097-h.htm>.
When Harry Met Sally
-Scott Wolf
The Rescued Woman
To rescue means to free or deliver from confinement, violence, danger, or evil. But what if being rescued from one evil only traps you in another? When reading the poem, “The Ruined Maid,” and exploring modern media I focused on women, and their lives after rescue. I also concentrated on who they were before, and why they needed to be rescued in the first place. On the surface of each piece I analyzed, the rescue seemed to strongly improve the woman’s life. However, while these women were given a better life away from danger, their rescue came at a price. To be rescued doesn’t always fit the societal definition. Being saved doesn’t always mean you will be safe.
“The Ruined Maid” by Thomas Hardy explores the rescue of one woman and the ruined life she is forced to lead, in order to ensure a better life. The woman in the poem, Melia, is given a more prosperous life, at the price of her reputation and free will. On the outside Melia has gained fair garments, elegant jewels, and a life fit for the high social class, though underneath she is ruined. In the 19th century the word ruined referred to prostitution and the act of selling your body for sex. Though this form of work was looked down upon, many women did it to escape a previous life or gain a sense of independence. This poem’s story is no different. While preforming a close reading I found that Melia was rescued from a life of manual labor on the farm, a life she so desperately wanted to leave. Turing to prostitution was her only way out. However, rescued from her previous life, the underlying message of the poem emphasizes her wishes to become the pure and respectable girl she once was. When running into a farmhand from her old life, Melia starts to realize that beautiful possessions will never give her the same satisfaction as a life free from the tainted waters she so desperately ran to drink. In the poem the author uses repetition in each stanza to highlight this message. The recurrence of the word ruined or ruin in each of Melia’s lines adds additional meaning. Referring back to her current state as a ruined woman (time and time again), Melia wants the farm hand to realize that even with the gain of fair garments and prosperity, Melia will always hold the title of a ruined woman, a title she can never shed. Even though she was rescued from a life she didn’t want, the life she now lives comes at a price she will never stop paying. This way of living became the life of many rural and poor women during this period. Given the promises of a better life, these women wanted to be rescued. Many of Melia’s lines in the poem refer to the word “we,” meaning that she is part of a group or collection of women that have been stripped of their reputations and their previous lives. The reference to the word “we” throughout the poem puts an added emphasis on how easily enticed women can be and their willingness to be rescued. They weren’t searching for a way out, just an escape from one poor situation to another. Melia, like many women, was so eager to be rescued that she didn’t stop to examine the consequences. Rescue doesn’t always mean freedom.
The author also uses diction to convey the message that the price you pay for rescue isn’t always worth the life you receive. In the third stanza, Melia’s acquaintance discusses the difference in the way Melia used to speak and the way she talks now. At home on the barton (farm) Melia used to talk like all the other farmhands and used rural alternatives to many words. For example, instead of using the word “you” Melia would say “thee” or “thou”. In contrast the farmhand states that the way Melia presently speaks is fit for high social class. However, at the first sign of admiration from the farmhand regarding this new life, Melia refers back to her old language and uses the word “ain’t”. The slip up is not mistake, but a way to expresses her desires of returning to her old life, and stripping herself of this awful title. Melia does not wish for the farmhand to become ruined and lose the opportunity to have a family and a respectable life. If Melia had known the price she would have to pay for a better life, her willingness for rescue wouldn’t have been so strong. She wouldn’t wish the life she has received on anyone. Being a ruined woman may come with certain benefits, but it also comes with an unbearable reputation.
The style in which the poem is written also helps to identify some of the underlying feelings that Melia is struggling to contain. In the fifth stanza the author uses alliteration to put emphasis on two sets of words. “sigh” and “sock” along with “megrims” or “melancho-ly.” By using alliteration the reader can infer that these words have a deeper meaning and are part of an essential message. When Melia was a farmhand, she used to complain and sulk, believing that a life in tatters was not for her. Now in her present state, the farm hand says that Melia seems to show nothing of sorrow or depression. The key word in this phrase is seems. Even though Melia is putting on a strong front, she still feels a sense of unhappiness and sadness, maybe even more so than she did on the farm. She thought she was getting away from the misery only to feel even more despair in her current life. Lacking a free life to go alongside her prosperity makes her feel even more trapped than she once was. Being rescued from her once melancholy life didn’t diminish the amount of sadness she once thought it would. The elegant life Melia lives today will never be worth all she had to give up. A family and a respectable life is worth much more than a handful of beautiful belongings.
Everything comes at a price and rescue is no different. Modern Media has only strengthened the argument that the willingness of women to be rescued from their past, overpowers their ability to recognize any consequences they may later face. In the TV show Nakita, airing on the CW, the rescue of powerless women is at the forefront of almost every episode. Nakita, the main character, is much like Melia, in that she wants to escape her past life. Nakita comes from an abusive home and needs to find a way out. 
Instead of turning to prostitution, like Melia, she is rescued by a government black ops program called Division, where she is trained to be an assassin. In the very first episode Nakita’s past life is examined in order to show the audience where she came from and why she chose the path she did. Much like Melia, she felt she had no choice but to get out, no matter what she had to go through to get there. The price for Nakita’s rescue was something she wasn’t prepared to deal with. She was under constant control, and faced more brutal punishments than ever before. On the outside, however, similar to Melia, Nakita was given beautiful clothes, a large amount of money, a nice place to live, and access to anything or anywhere she wanted to go. It is easy to see that the gain of such possessions made Nakita, like many women, blind to everything she was giving up. A strict rule when working for Division is that any outside relationships is forbidden. Unlike Melia who couldn’t have a family due to her reputation, Nakita was ordered to refrain from any contact with outsiders, and those who could pose a threat to Division and Nakita’s cover as a government assassin. These constant orders, on top of her job to forcefully kill, Nakita began to feel her punishment for so readily joining Division and agreeing to be rescued from her old life. She was brutally attacked almost every day, whether it was during her training or out in the field, she lacked relationships, and she risked her life during each mission for a company she didn’t even want to be a part of. 
Another similarity between Nikita and Melia was their deep desire to return to the normalcy of their old life. Neither wanted to back to their past situations, but both wanted a sense of a normal life once again. Even though prostitution or in Nikita’s case assassination had become their day to day lives, it was far from normal. Also, each woman wouldn’t wish their form of rescue on anyone. Nikita tries to save any new recruit Division brings in for training; much like Melia tries to save the farmhand from envying the life of a ruined woman. Whether it be prostitution or assassination, neither are worth the price that that these women had to pay. One of the main differences between Nikita and Melia, however, is that Nikita escapes her rescued life and is fixated on bringing down Division and her rescuers. This difference is part of the major transformation women have gone through when being portrayed in modern media. Many current shows and movies depict the women as being strong and independent rather than reliant on a man for support. Unlike Melia, Nikita has the strength and the resources to leave her captures and make a better life for herself. Many women in the 19th century had very little options and didn’t have the strength or ability to defy their men or their employers. As women’s rights became stronger so did their portrayal in the media. Nikita is a bad ass woman with more strength than any of the men that trained her. Though the message is the same and women still rely on men to be rescued, the endings are different. Women aren’t trapped anymore and Nikita proves that with intelligence and motivation any women can escape. Looking back at her old life Nikita wishes she would have had the strength of leaving her abusive home on her own instead of relying on someone else to get her out. Being rescued from one life only left her trapped in another, one she never wanted. Being weak and desperate led Nikita to a life much worse than she could have ever imagined, and made her an easy target for rescue.
In a sense rescue doesn’t mean to rescue at all but to capture and manipulate. Weak women get sucked into the promise of a better life, only to give up everything they have ever known to be right. At what point does the price become too much? With both Melia and Nikita, their lives were changed by rescue, but not for the better. From these two portrayals of rescued women it is easy to see that even the most enticing life, has its downfalls. I believe that the modern portrayal of women has changed, but the fact that desperate and weak women can so easily succumb to men is one thing I don’t think will ever change. The want to be rescued will always be more powerful than a woman’s want to fight for herself. Even with strong woman in the media today, women will always want to feel worthy of rescue, no matter what the consequences. Until woman start to realize they are valuable on their own, the desperate need to gain support from men will continue. Both Nikita and Melia realized this too late, long after they had paid the ultimate price, their freedom and reputation. No matter how lost or stuck one feels, they must rescue themselves in order to truly be free.
Katie Ramstad
(1) Hardy, Thomas. “The Ruined Maid.” Poems of the Past and Present. 2nd edition. London: Macmillan, 1903. Pg. 192-94. Web. <http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/hardy/poems/ruinedmaid.html> Nov. 2, 2012
(2) Craig Silverstein. “Nikita.” Television. CW TV. 2010.
The assignment that I have chosen to write about is a miniature version of the gender and media study assignment that we are currently working on outside of class. I chose to do a smaller mock version of this assignment to help practice and find ways to improve the bigger version. The first part of the assignment required me to perform a close reading of a previous assignment. For this I chose “The Harlot’s House” by Oscar Wilde. During close reading I analyzed some of the deeper meanings in the poem. This part I found to be simple because we tend to analyze all of our readings in class and this is one piece we had gone over in class. This entire poem related to gender and sexuality so the topic would be perfect for future reference. The second part of the assignment was to compare this reading to a contemporary, or current, media such as a movie or television show. I chose the move “Taken” which is about a man who goes to rescue his daughter from the sex slave trade in Europe. I compared and contrasted the prostitution method and the current day harlot houses to the old Victorian era ones. In this movie all the girls were forced physically into prostitution which can be compared to the social forcing of prostitution in the Victorian era. When a woman commits just one impure act of sex she is no longer accepted by society and many times becomes a harlot. The short term value of this assignment is that it is great practice for the coming weeks of designing and doing the project about gender and media. The long term value I believe I have gained from this is to recognize the problems with contemporary media involving gender and sexuality. With the recognition I believe we can help other recognize the problem and maybe make a change about it.
-Alex Holtman
In terms of Rodin expresses the need for realism. Artificial beauty does not m depict the true meaning of the art. Natural depictions such as human nature is real for Rodin. In order to achieve the realness of human nature he focuses on the balance of his work. He says that there is a rhythm of nature that must be followed in order to create sculptures that encompass life and reality.
His sculpture was depicted as very sexual, there was a man and a women that appeared to show a lot of intimacy. It was shocking initially, but two naked figures was a very popular form of art in the Victorian era. It is very similar to Michelangelo’s work depicting the realness of the human body. They also had a very elegant feel to them because of the smooth marble and the fluidity of the seemingly flawless sculpture. Realness is also an element in the sculpture. Rodin does an amazing job at expressing the reality of sex and the beauty in its togetherness.
Rodin’s sculptures teaches the audience that craft is subjective. His piece, yet beautiful, was scandalous and not seen as appropriate by many people in the Victorian era. Creating something should make yourself happy, not the outside world. It is okay to produce a piece of art that may be banned or disapproved. Art will never be liked by everyone, but creating something that you believe in will always give way to a piece that you love.
“The Kiss”
With the Gender and media study assignment approaching I decided to create an assignment similar to that by analyzing the movies we have all watched and loved as a child; Disney movies. As children we may not have reached that deeply into the Disney films but looking back on them now the male and female roles becomes apparent. For this project I went through and watched a couple of Disney movies that, looking back on, I could remember witnessing distinct gender roles. The first movie I watched was Mulan. In case you’re not familiar with the story, it was about a girl in China who was expected to bring honor to her family by following the traditional Chinese traditions of becoming a bride. However, her vibrant spirit and independence hindered her from following traditional ideals. One day her fathered was served to go to war even though he was still injured from the last war and he didn’t have a son to take his place so she dressed as a man
and went to fight the war for her father and become a renowned hero and earns honor for her family. Throughout the movie there were quotes and scenes that demonstrated the role women were expected to play. When Mulan pleas to the emperor’s adviser to keep her father out of war, he interrupts her and says “Silence! You should teach your daughter to hold her tongue in a man’s presence!” Quotes and scenes such as these are just one of the many examples of how women were considered inferior to men. Mulan is one of the movies that was had more emphasis on independence and a woman’s ability to think for herself, due to the fact that she was forced to decide between her desire for independence and her expectation to bring her family honor. (Until the sequel came out where she gets married and settles down).
This relates to the texts we have been analyzing during the Victorian era demonstrating a man’s superior role in family life and society as a whole. Other examples of Disney suggesting gender roles in society would be a majority of the Disney princess movies that has been marketed to girls for years. Each of the Disney princesses emphasizes the importance of marriage and a domesticated lifestyle. By watching each of these movies you rarely see the female roles deciding to break off and start a career or follow an independent lifestyle that doesn’t involve a man. Instead they follow societies gender stereotypes by endorsing the idea of marriage and family life. Just as we have seen in works such as the “Girl of the Period” women were inferior to men and were expected to be a proper housewife and mother and follow societal expectations that is typically derived form a religious component. Another example would be The Little Mermaid, where she dreams of having feet so that she can go on land and find the man of her dreams which demonstrates the romanticized idea that pursuing a man and a domesticated life is the popular ideal to follow.
-Michelle Davis
The first two photos show Victorian/ Gothic architecture which is so much different than today’s contemporary architecture. Gothic architecture was modeled after mid evil castles and was developed in the 1700’s. In the 1800’s the style had became very popular for churches and many English houses that wanted to reflect the look of a castle. During her reign, Queen Victoria favored the Gothic style very much. Architecture, much like anything else, has throughout centuries fallen victim to ruin. Ruin is defined as destruction and ware on an object or place over time. In the pictures of the Gothic cathedral, I wanted to capture this concept. In the zoomed in photo, it is easy to see the roughness in the photo and how over time, it has been weathered from natural elements. The color of the stone has faded and is years past its prime.
When examining these pictures further and noticing the roughness that overcomes the cathedral’s walls, I wanted to take a second look at the picturesque and compare Gilpin’s ideas to my interpretation of architectural ruin. In his essay he describes the picturesque as being rough or rigid, which can also describe something that has been destroyed. Gilpin also discusses the idea of finding beauty in the imperfections of life. Ancient ruins, though crumbling and worn, still hold beauty and are seen by millions of people all around the world. The picturesque, much like ruin, is defined by onlooker. Every ones idea of these two concepts lies in their own beliefs.
-Victorianruin303
Anonymous. “Architecture and Sculpture.”http://www.erasofelegance.com/arts/victarchitecture.html
victorianruin303 