Mrs Beeton by Neil Hussey https://padlet.com/nhussey1973/beeton Made with an open mind en-us 2022-05-10 08:19:43 UTC 2022-05-10 09:09:07 UTC hello@padlet.com Mistress - Noun, semantic derrogatiom in modern times, pejorative - by benn https://padlet.com/nhussey1973/beeton/wish/2177239935 Used to have associations with domesticity, now associated with sexuality and undertones]]> 2022-05-10 08:49:23 UTC https://padlet.com/nhussey1973/beeton/wish/2177239935 Published in 1861 - by Benn https://padlet.com/nhussey1973/beeton/wish/2177244551 Society was very restricted, women should be focused on making social connections

Rise of suffragettes, but minor, women still expected to care for the house "She who makes her children and husband happy" constant references to prioritising the happiness of others compared to her own]]> 2022-05-10 08:53:00 UTC https://padlet.com/nhussey1973/beeton/wish/2177244551 https://padlet.com/nhussey1973/beeton/wish/2177250849 Overall, being aimed at a middle class audience it somewhat suggests there is a sense of wealth especially through the use of “her domestics” in which clearly suggests how her and her husband may have luxuries in the household or just any luxurious possessions in general. This would make sense as during those times in order to get up the ladder in terms of class, these dinner parties would be the way to do so, so showing off these ‘domestics’ and showing that they have some sort of wealth would help to make a good impression on others. ]]> 2022-05-10 08:57:27 UTC https://padlet.com/nhussey1973/beeton/wish/2177250849 https://padlet.com/nhussey1973/beeton/wish/2177251210 The adjective "serviceable" represents women as being within a semantic field of domesticity, and being around for the primary purpose of caring for their husbsands and children. This is juxtaposed to how males are presented with nouns such as "commander", signifying the difference in roles.]]> 2022-05-10 08:57:45 UTC https://padlet.com/nhussey1973/beeton/wish/2177251210 ‘Her tongue is the law of kindness’ https://padlet.com/nhussey1973/beeton/wish/2177252150 Metaphor, implies that all women must and are emotive, is more of an expectation, also having links to religion as suggestions that this links to Virgin Mary and religious allusions. Pronoun ‘her’ is almost used as a collective noun as if this should be all women- idealising what the perfect woman is possibly taking away the name as that is not an important part, instead the noun ‘tongue’ could be inferred that this body part is the most important, the one that tastes so without this law the woman would be tasteless, linking to gender roles and ideas within the context that women are only ‘tasteful’ if they fit and abide by these ‘laws’]]> 2022-05-10 08:58:31 UTC https://padlet.com/nhussey1973/beeton/wish/2177252150 https://padlet.com/nhussey1973/beeton/wish/2177255547 The author uses the proper noun ‘mistress’ to address the role of the reader, who, within the context, would be interested in managing her middle-class household. This marked term holds connotations of power and status, highlighting the importance of the title within a Victorian household, since the woman would be almost entirely responsible for organising and maintaining it. The connotations of the marked term are vastly different for a modern audience, however, as this noun is pejorative and the semantic shift means that it now holds connotations of corruption and affairs. This juxtaposes the original power that would come with the noun, which the author uses deliberately to guide the reader towards satisfaction with their role and belief that women should remain housewives as this is a respected job.

The author continues to highlight the significance of gender roles and feminine obedience through the use of nouns such as ‘kindness’ and ‘wisdom’. These terms imply that the woman’s job within the household is fulfilling, and suggests that the reader should be critical towards those who refuse to conform to the ingrained gender expectations of Victorian society. By presenting housewives, including the author herself, as happy and satisfied with their role, it is made out to be attractive and sought after, suggesting marriage and children should be a priority for young, middle-class girls. The noun ‘kindness’ is also significant because it is a trait usually associated with femininity, reinforcing Spender’s ideas of androcentric texts since the woman writing this book is promoting traits that are desired by the patriarchy.
]]> 2022-05-10 09:01:17 UTC https://padlet.com/nhussey1973/beeton/wish/2177255547 https://padlet.com/nhussey1973/beeton/wish/2177255966 Due to the division of gender roles in the Victorian era, the noun ‘duties’ is repeated throughout the text implying there is an expectation of the roles of women. This links to to the title of the book “The Book of Household Management” as whilst men are expected to take on the larger social roles, women are expected to keep control over the house in a subservient manner, the noun “management” presents the positional power of the “Mistress” of the house. Whilst presenting an androcentric viewpoint in society with these roles of gender. Mrs Beeton presents a development in woman’s rights following the suffragettes movement. Due to class issues involving wealth and status, the middle class women has authoritative power over “her domestics”, meaning her lower class servants. The possessive pronoun “her” presents authority and ownership over the household and staff. However there is still an indication that how women are still subservient to men, but are gaining some power back in society. This may be the influence of Queen Victoria representing the powerful woman in Victorian England. ]]> 2022-05-10 09:01:42 UTC https://padlet.com/nhussey1973/beeton/wish/2177255966 https://padlet.com/nhussey1973/beeton/wish/2177255991 The text is from a cookbook that was written and published in the Victorian times. Due to it being of an older context, it is evident that it is aimed at middle class women who have misstresses. Unlike modern texts where the recipes are clearly listed, it will have suggestions on how to run a successful household. 
Within the text, there is reption of the marked term 'mistress'. This implies that we live in an androcentric society and that this cookbook although written by a woman presents androcentric ideas and viewpoints. The noun 'commander' gives a semantic field of war and that women are in charge of the household. Furthermore, it also implies that staff have to be managed in order to obtain the perfect household. These both represent women as being servants for men and are only there for the benefit of men. 

In addition, there are also quotes within the text that present the idea that men are of a higher positional power than women within occupation and within the household. This has been suggested with the quote 'she who makes her husband and her children happy' which presents the husband as more powerful than the woman and this is because it the personal pronoun 'she' although they could have used the term 'wife'. However it is also evident that women still had some form of power because Queen Victoria was on the throne during the time that this cookbook was published; but, working class women would not of had as much power as the ruling and middle classes. ]]> 2022-05-10 09:01:43 UTC https://padlet.com/nhussey1973/beeton/wish/2177255991 https://padlet.com/nhussey1973/beeton/wish/2177256035 Mrs Beetons book of household management is a cook book from the victorian era. it is predominantly aimed at middle class women who are the mistress’ of their households. Beeton came from a middle class background therefore the formal and authoritative tone runs throughout. As the book is a ‘guide for household management’ it suggests a sense of class and status division, due to the verb ‘management’. Compared to modern day cookbooks, Mrs Beetons is a guide for household management on how to ‘make her husband and children happy’ the verb ‘makes’ implies how it’s a natural behaviour for women to condone in order to please her family. This also implies how it’s the woman’s job to keep the house running in order. This also links to the quote ‘as she performs her duties…’ the noun duties suggests how it’s like a job for the women to complete. It shows a level of formality, but also wealth and status in the victorian era.]]> 2022-05-10 09:01:46 UTC https://padlet.com/nhussey1973/beeton/wish/2177256035 https://padlet.com/nhussey1973/beeton/wish/2177256058 The text is a victorian cookbook and is aimed at the mistresses of households within the middle class. The cookbook implies that middle class housewives should ensure that their houses are clean and that their management are doing their job correctly by being quite demanding yet thorough. The noun "duty" highlights how is it predominantly the womens job to manage the household and the use of the adverbs "intelligently and thoroughly" further imply the idea that women are viewed as more emotive compared to men, which in turn gives way to the very clear and distinct gender roles within the context. In a modern context however, women wouldn't be expected to manage households, but simply have a chance to be able to cook for themselves. The verb "management" itself creates a very clear class divide and thus successfully places personal as well as positional power over their staff. ]]> 2022-05-10 09:01:46 UTC https://padlet.com/nhussey1973/beeton/wish/2177256058 https://padlet.com/nhussey1973/beeton/wish/2177257454 The author emphasises the effect of power and control within her book. Although one may first assume this is a cookbook, it is heavily enforced by themes on how to run a househol as a woman in the 19th Century. The writer talks about how a mistress will "perform her duties"; this emphasises that the writer believes that a woman should be the dominant gender within a household in terms of looking after her family. This falsely implies power as although it is "her duties" and therfore her necessity to be the carer of the house, she is still heavily  dominated by her male counterpart as she is forced into caring for the house by typical gender values within this time period. However, the writer is particularly aiming these "guidelines' towards lower class women as middle and upper class women (like herself) would have servants to run their house in which they would have the power and control over these servants. This idea of power and control represents the ideas of women being told that they control their lives to influence them to do their husbands bidding of supporting and helping them.]]> 2022-05-10 09:03:03 UTC https://padlet.com/nhussey1973/beeton/wish/2177257454 https://padlet.com/nhussey1973/beeton/wish/2177260104 Within the text Beeton has used language  to imply an ownership and leadership role of the middle class woman over her staff. This is evident in “her domestics” as the personal pronoun “her” connotes possession over the staff and presents the middle class lady as a leader who’s example should be followed. The noun “domestics” seemingly dehumanises the staff, presenting this standard 19th century middle class view of staff, who were believed to be beneath them. This role is the woman as a leader of the household is compared to that of a “commander of an army” - implying that this is the role of the man, and that running a household is the female equivalent. The comparison to the noun “commander” also suggests that the task of running a household is an important one, just as winning in war is, and should not be underestimated. This semantic field of war and militaristic lexis is continued when describing a lady’s “household duties”. The noun “duties”

]]> 2022-05-10 09:05:20 UTC https://padlet.com/nhussey1973/beeton/wish/2177260104 https://padlet.com/nhussey1973/beeton/wish/2177261886 The published cookbook from the Victorian era, differs semantically from modern cookbooks, with a heavy focus on gendered roles in society as well as a classist approach to labour intensive work. Mrs. Beeton’s book of household management is targeted as a manual to middle class women on how to delegate her household efficiently, with a key focus on her attitudes to her supporting role of her husbands success, which in the age of modernity would translate to  internalised misogyny due to the prevalence of androcentric ideas of the Victorian era.
Mrs. Beeton opens her guide with a heavy focus on the stative verb, ‘management’ to place clear emphasis on the primary function of the cookbook, a tool for means of delegation. Which supports the classist attitude that ran rampant in this era. The use of the referral of her workers as the mass noun ‘domestics’ not only places dehumanised attributes to her staff, which supports the classist ideas of the middle class but also shows the lexical conversion of ‘domestics’ from a verb to a noun and places the helpers as a possession showing the mistresses authority over the lower classes due to her status factor.
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