The Victorian Governess Novel

An investigation of the Victorian governess novel as a specific genre. Based on a comprehensive set of nineteenth-century novels, governess manuals, articles and biographical material, it shows how the Victorian Governess novel made up a vital part of the governess debate, as well as of the more general debate on female education.

The figure of the governess is very familiar from nineteenth-century literature. Much less is known about the governess in reality. This book is the first rounded exploration of what the life of the home schoolroom was actually like. Drawing on original diaries and a variety of previously undiscovered sources, Kathryn Hughes describes why the period 1840-80 was the classic age of governesses. She examines their numbers, recruitment, teaching methods, social position and prospects. The governess provides a key to the central Victorian concept of the lady. Her education consisted of a series of accomplishments designed to attract a husband able to keep her in the style to which she had become accustomed from birth. Becoming a governess was the only acceptable way of earning money open to a lady whose family could not support her in leisure. Being paid to educate another woman's children set in play a series of social and emotional tensions. The governess was a surrogate mother, who was herself childless, a young woman whose marriage prospects were restricted, and a family member who was sometimes mistaken for a servant.

"The Story of a Governess" is one of the works by the master of domestic realism, the historical novel, and tales of the supernatural, Margaret Oliphant. She tells a story of a young girl ready for the self-denial of a governess position and the enclosed life of the old mansion, but, when turning pages, we learn that the fate and Mrs. Oliphant have made another plan for the young governess.

This gripping novel exposes the darker side of politics and society in nineteenth-century England, as seen through the eyes of a young governess. Through its vivid portrayal of the personal and political conflicts that threaten to tear apart the protagonists' lives, this book offers a searing critique of the hypocrisy and corruption that pervaded British society during the Victorian era. With its unforgettable characters and its unflinching depiction of the human cost of political ambition, this book is a classic of its genre. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

'The Governess' is a coming-of-age novel written by Julie Mathilde Lippmann. Nan is a tough and independent girl who urgently requires a governess. Being a 14-year-old girl without a mother and with her father in India, Nan does not have to answer to the housekeeper. Miss Blake, a kind and small-built woman, uses her strong determination and gentle affection to teach and guide Nan.

This richly illustrated book gives insight into the life of the Victorian governess, examining becoming a governess, methods and skills, problems they faced, the experience of living away from home, and fantasies of and about the governess.