The Horrors of Governessing

Among the traditional roles of women is being a wife, a mother, and a homemaker. Here, Charlotte Bronte is writing a letter to her sister, Emily, while working as a governess for the Sidgwick family. Duties that consist of "oceans of needlework, yards of cambric to hem, muslin nightcaps to make, and above all things, dolls to dress (1524). Charlotte dislikes her position, the children, and the woman she works for. I like this reading because it tells the story of a woman who dislikes the mediocre position to which women are assigned. Growing up as a tomboy, I have always been an advocate for women who do not find person satisfaction with gender norms. I think her description of the life of a governess gives an accurate depiction of women at the time:

I see now more clearly than I have ever done

before before that a private governess has no existence, is not considered as a living and rational being except as connected with the wearisome duties she has to fulfill (1525).

In Victorian society, a woman is just another worker in the home. She is a maid, mother, and mistress.