Girls Growing Up in Late Victorian and Edwardian England

This book gave me a lot of insight into what Victorian girlhood was to look like. It also gave a lot of information I already had from the Gorham book about idealized womanhood and relationships within the home. Not sure how relevant the information about girlhood will be to my final paper, but I think it is a good basis to go off.

• adolescence chief purpose = preparation for and acceptance of adult feminine role à wife and mother

• change in thoughts and feelings

• give up play

• image change (femininity taken more seriously in how she presents herself)

• expected to keep tight reigns on aspirations and behavior – be more dependent on males because that’s how they were created to be

• taking on more home responsibility

• should seeking potential husband

• education became more crucial – but only so that they could be the best wife and mother

• commitment to religious values

Dyhouse, Carol. Girls Growing Up in Late Victorian and Edwardian England. London:

Routledge and Kegan Paul Ltd., 1981. Print.

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