The Victorian era spans Queen Victoria’s 63-year reign over Great Britain and Ireland, from 1837 to 1901. During this time, Britain became a global superpower, expanding its empire and experiencing rapid progress in science, industry and the arts, as well as significant political and social reforms that have shaped the modern world.
“During the Victorian period men and women’s roles became more sharply defined than at any time in history. In earlier centuries it had been usual for women to work alongside husbands and brothers in the family business. Living ‘over the shop’ made it easy for women to help out by serving customers or keeping accounts while also attending to their domestic duties.” - Kathryn Hughes, The British Library’s “Gender roles in the 19th century”
John Ruskin, an English writer and philosopher, reveals the rigid gender roles of the 19th century Victorian era were characterized by strict stereotypes that disadvantaged women. This period was defined by the "separate spheres" ideology that relegated men to the public sphere of work and economics, consigning women to domestic roles, reinforcing male dominance. These spheres supported by Darwin’s theory of "Survival of the Fittest," placed men higher on the evolutionary ladder and impacted all societal aspects, including employment, where only a third of women worked compared to two-thirds by 1978. For the upper-middle class, many women had never worked outside the home. Women were expected to live up to the image of ‘the angel in the house’, to be the perfect wife and mother.
The early feminist movement emerged in the 1850s, advocating for equality in education, work, and voting rights despite these limitations. Figures like Queen Victoria opposed these efforts, viewing feminism as a "wicked folly" offering “God created men and women differently—then let them remain each in their own position.” Victorian-era gender stereotypes persisted well into the 20th century and continue to influence modern-day society.
Bowles’ Drawing Book for Ladies is a manual for drawing or embroidering flowers. Drawing and embroidery were part of a conventional female education in the 18th and 19th centuries.