Novels only ‘reinforced Victorian stereotypes’ of meek women to give readers what they wanted, says curator
Charles Dickens’s female characters have often been criticised as being too meek, compliant and dutiful, or depicted as figures of fun as the novelist reinforced patriarchal Victorian stereotypes.
From the loyal Emma Micawber to the innocent Little Nell, Dickens drew on many extraordinary real women for his novels, but they never truly made it on to the page, appearing only in diluted form.
Continue reading...
