Bicycles, Bangs, and Bloomers: The New Woman in the Popular Press [Hardcover]

Patricia Marks (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In the 1880s and '90s the expanding aspirations of women were the subject of satire and caricature. Through humorous pieces drawn from British and American periodicals, Marks ( American Literary and Drama Reviews ) traces the evolution of the "New Woman." Often pictured in newfangled bloomers, striding toward colleges and careers, these "revolting daughters" were described as disintegrators of the social fabric, in apposition to the conventional "womanly woman" typified by the shopgirl, the seamstress, the governess. Among the women who had failed to fulfill Victorian expectations of wife and motherhood, and thus were termed "redundant," a sense of alienation fueled changes in their interests and relationships, shows Marks. These new directions, mirrored in the press with immoderate humor, as evidenced in this collection of prose, verse and cartoons, constitute a significant contribution to the study of feminism and Victorianism.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"A significant contribution to the study of feminism and Victorianism." -- Publishers Weekly

"Provides an exemplum of the ways in which popular culture interacts with social issues." -- Studies in Popular Culture

"A helpful, entertaining compendium." -- Victorian Periodicals Review

"Helped by her astute commentary, historical analysts of gender will borrow much for their own purposes." -- American Literature

Product Details

• Hardcover: 232 pages
• Publisher: The University Press of Kentucky; First Edition edition (June 21, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0813117046
• ISBN-13: 978-0813117041
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,160,367 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative, scholarly and entertaining, July 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Bicycles, Bangs, and Bloomers: The New Woman in the Popular Press (Hardcover)

An invaluable resource for anyone working on the New Woman, this well-researched and highly informative book is both scholarly and entertaining.