Constructing Girlhood through the Periodical Press, 1850-1915

244 Pages·2012·6.335 MB·English

by  Kristine Moruzi

ConstruCting girlhood through
the PeriodiCal Press, 1850–1915
ashgate studies in Childhood,
1700 to the Present
Series Editor: Claudia Nelson, Texas A&M University, USA
this series recognizes and supports innovative work on the child and on literature
for children and adolescents that informs teaching and engages with current
and emerging debates in the field. Proposals are welcome for interdisciplinary
and comparative studies by humanities scholars working in a variety of fields,
including literature; book history, periodicals history, and print culture and the
sociology of texts; theater, film, musicology, and performance studies; history,
including the history of education; gender studies; art history and visual culture;
cultural studies; and religion.
topics might include, among other possibilities, how concepts and
representations of the child have changed in response to adult concerns; postcolonial
and transnational perspectives; “domestic imperialism” and the acculturation
of the young within and across class and ethnic lines; the commercialization of
childhood and children’s bodies; views of young people as consumers and/or
originators of culture; the child and religious discourse; children’s and adolescents’
self-representations; and adults’ recollections of childhood.
also in the series
The Idea of Nature in Disney Animation
From snow White to Wall-e
David Whitley
Genre, Reception, and Adaptation in the “Twilight” Series
Edited by Anne Morey
The Orphan in Eighteenth-Century Law and Literature
Estate, Blood, and Body
Cheryl L. Nixon
History and the Construction of the Child in Early British Children’s Literature
Jackie C. Horne
Heroism in the Harry Potter Series
Edited by Katrin Berndt and Lena Steveker
Constructing girlhood through
the Periodical Press, 1850–1915
KriStiNE Moruzi
University of Alberta, Canada
© Kristine Moruzi 2012
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system
or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or
otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher.
Kristine Moruzi has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be
identified as the author of this work.
Published by
Ashgate Publishing Limited Ashgate Publishing Company
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union road 101 Cherry Street
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Moruzi, Kristine.
Constructing girlhood through the periodical press, 1850–1915. – (Ashgate studies in
childhood, 1700 to the present)
1. Youths’ periodicals – Great Britain – History – 19th century. 2. Youths’ periodicals –
Great Britain – History – 20th century. 3. Girls – Conduct of life – Periodicals. 4. Journalism –
Social aspects – Great Britain – History – 19th century. 5. Journalism – Social aspects – Great
Britain – History – 20th century. 6. Girls – Great Britain – Social conditions – 19th century –
Sources. 7. Girls – Great Britain – Social conditions – 20th century – Sources.
i. title ii. Series
070.4’8327’0941’09034-dc23
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Moruzi, Kristine.
Constructing girlhood through the periodical press, 1850–1915 / by Kristine Moruzi.
pages cm. — (Ashgate studies in childhood, 1700 to the present)
includes bibliographical references and index.
iSBN 978-1-4094-2266-2 (hardcover) — iSBN 978-1-4094-2267-9 (ebook) (print)
1. Children’s periodicals, English—History. 2. Youth’s periodicals—Great Britain—History.
3. Girls—Books and reading—Great Britain—History. 4. Young women—Books and reading—
Great Britain—History. 5. Girls—Great Britain—Social life and customs—19th century.
6. Young women—Great Britain—Social life and customs—19th century. 7. Girls—Great
Britain—Social life and customs—20th century. 8. Young women—Great Britain—Social life
and customs—20th century. i. title.
PN5124.J8M67 2012
052.0835’2—dc23
2012003108
iSBN: 9781409422662 (hbk)
iSBN: 9781409422679 (ebk)
II
Printed and bound in Great Britain by the
MPG Books Group, uK.
To Kate and Sarah,
my girls of the period,
and to Mike,
who made it possible
This page has been left blank intentionally
Contents
List of Figures ix
Acknowledgements xi
1 Introduction: Girls of the Period 1
2 The Religious Girl: Girlhood in the Monthly Packet (1851–99) 21
3 The Latest Sensation: Girlhood and the Girl of the Period
Miscellany (1869) 53
4 The Healthy Girl: Fitness and Beauty in the Girl’s Own Paper
(1880–1907) 83
5 The Educated Girl: Atalanta (1887–98) and the Debate on Education 115
6 The Marrying Girl: Social Purity and Marriage in the Young Woman
(1892–1915) 139
7 The Modern Girl: Heroic Adventures in the Girl’s Realm
(1898–1915) 163
8 Conclusion 205
Works Cited 209
Index 227
This page has been left blank intentionally
List of Figures
2.1 Cover of the Monthly Packet, September 1890 47
2.2 Cover of the Monthly Packet, April 1891 48
2.3 Cover of the Monthly Packet, February 1897 49
2.4 Cover of the Monthly Packet, April 1893 51
3.1 Cover of the Girl of the Period Miscellany, March 1869 59
3.2 Un-Posted Valentines: Girls Who Play, Girl of the Period
Miscellany, March 1869 65
3.3 Un-Posted Valentines: Girls Who Work, Girl of the Period
Miscellany, March 1869 66
3.4 The Fast Smoking Girl of the Period, Girl of the Period
Miscellany, July 1869 69
3.5 Prize Chignons from “The Horticultural”, Girl of the Period
Miscellany, August 1869 76
3.6 The Tourist Girl of the Period: The Climbing Girl, Girl of
the Period Miscellany, September 1869 80
4.1 Matilda from “Transformed”, Girl’s Own Paper, 1887 89
4.2 The Venus of Milo; Or, Girls of Two Different Periods,
Punch’s Almanack for 1870 98
4.3 Mr. Punch’s Designs After Nature, Punch, 1869 100
4.4 Izod’s Corsets, Girl’s Own Paper 102
4.5 The Gymnasium of the North London Collegiate School for
Girls, Girl’s Own Paper, 1882 104
4.6 Healthful Exercise, Girl’s Own Paper, 1892 107
4.7 Healthy Recreation, Girl’s Own Paper, 1894 108
4.8 Ladies’ Golf, Girl’s Own Paper, 1890 109