Ritvo: Men, Women and animals in the Victorian era.

Harriet Ritvo writes about the symbolism of zoology before and during the Victorian era. She writes her novel The Animal Estate from a colonial standpoint, similar to contemporary anthropologists. She writes, "As the focus of the empire shifted from commerce to territorial acquisition and administration during the nineteenth century, the imperial frontier moved from ports like Capetown and Singapore to the untamed interior or bush." [1] Ritvo further writes about the symbolism during the era and how owning animals 'validated the day-to-day domination of the empire'.  Additionally, she analyzes animals' role in Victorian England and states, "many intrinsically impressive specimens emerged as inferior trophies because of failures of taxidermic interpretation or transformation." [2] If we examine the Enlightenment period and the Puritans, we see that people they had good reason to start questioning their morals. Killing animals for the mere sake of trophies seems atrocious and flies against what seems to be common morals. The hyper-masculine image of the hunter brought status in an evolving system of class ran predominately by men. It's no surprise, then, that Ritvo writes, "Ultimately, the hunter emerged as both the ideal and the definitive type of the empire builder." [3] 

Looking at this statement, now, gives us a rather clear look at what seems to be a common theme of the Victorian era. It wasn't until the 1920s until we see the rise of the new woman. So, the females of the Victorian era played an important role in shaping the new woman movement. But they weren't quite yet to the stage of being "flappers" who represented how the new women and their acceptance regarding liberties, such as smoking. But it's an interesting comparison between the so-called flappers and the women of the Victorian era. Speaking of "flappers", have you ever wondered what your grandma was like when she was close to your age?

[4]

... to answer myself, me too.

So we see, sort of, this interesting aspect between the flappers and how they're seen as having more 'liberties', comparatively, than  women of the Victorian era. But as my talented history professor would say, what else do I see? Well I see that before the flappers--from what I learned in Victorian Lit class--that Victorian women looked and dressed nothing like my grandmother's generation. Rather, they dressed something like the painting below.

[5]

Apparently, times have changed since the Victorian era (1837-1901).

As I've already stated above, the men were sort of hyper-masculine hunters who lived in symbiosis with herding animals and also hunted big game for trophies to hang on their wall to attract women hesitant talk to them because of the prudishness entailed with the Victorian social values. Additionally, the women are not part of the "hoo rah-look-at-me-I-killed-an-elk masculine movement. Their role was important, just like with any era. But it was the men who, sort of ran the show, particularly during that time. I cant stretch my memory quite that far back in time. But I'd imagine that the people Ritvo resembled the folks in the below pictures, rather than the big burly hunters we often see today (if were generalizing stereotypes).

Though, don't get me wrong. I'm not casting hate on everyone that shoots animal. My favorite author was a hunter. Ernest Hemingway, as great as I think he was, did a lot for himself by hanging onto this image Ritvo writes about, "Narratives of big game hunting varied in many particulars: the length of the tip, the location of the hunting grounds, the number of European participant, the character and situation of the narrator." [6] I found it interesting when analyzing Hemingway's account of the bullfight at the HRC, that Hemingway himself used this technique--whether it be intentionally or subconsciously. The first thing you notice, other than how many times he rewrote a sentence, was how his pen's intent was to convey compassion for the bull in Spain. Hemingway's sentences were clear, and so was the presence of animal kindness. Here, we have an author of a later era using the very techniques Ritvo writes about when discussing the burly characters of the Victorian era.

[7]

Sometimes photos can give us a better perspective than a text book.

When I talked to my grandmother about the stereotypes of her time and the bizarre societal norms, she told me the stereotypes have some merit. But she also said that she worked at a shoe factory and was considered liberal for working.  She also pointed out she went to college in her 30s and that was not as common as today. She's 89 now, and at 31, I'm determined to see her at my graduation. Though she might not see me be Ernest Hemingway, I still want he to see me put the horns on my wall. I guess we all have something to hunt.

[8]

Ernest Hemingway on his first hunt in Africa.

And so by looking at Harriet Ritvo, flappers, my grandmother and Hemingway, I have somehow made a connection, however loose, that will historicize itself on my blog space.

Hook 'em, horns!

1 Ritvo Harriet, The Animal Estate (London: Present and Fellows of Harvard College, 1987) 248

2 Ritvo Harriet, The Animal Estate (London: Present and Fellows of Harvard College, 1987) 253

3 Ritvo Harriet, The Animal Estate (London: Present and Fellows of Harvard College, 1987) 251
4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3svvCj4yhYc&eurl=about:blank

5 http://www.costumes.org/history/victorian/women/fashionplates/lady1890s.jpg

6 Ritvo Harriet, The Animal Estate (London: Present and Fellows of Harvard College, 1987) 251

7 http://www.formerlycranes.com/Welcome/hunting-10b.jpg

8 http://www.pbs.org/hemingwayadventure/images/photos/hunting2.jpg