Pre-Raphaelite Women
The Victorians were not exactly what you'd call polyamorous. Instead, they believed that passion paved the way straight into hell, but not before causing insanity in this life. Shame, guilt and fear of damnation dominated their approach to sexuality. Under the circumstances, it is hardly surprising that they liked to see the subjects of their work, (and cause of those dirty little thoughts at bedtime) the evil temptress, punished and destroyed. Preferably by their own weapon: love.
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Saints
One way of coping with the threat that is woman, is to deny her sexuality and "idealize" her as frigid angel of the house. What can happen once she decides to leave this sphere of the private, that is her appropriate place, is visible in The Lady of Shalott by Alfred Tennyson. |
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Whores
In the case of prostitution (a big issue at the time) it's a wee bit harder to ascribe the role
of saint to the object of fear. However, there are still options: Condemning and blaming or victimizing
the whore. The latter method is still extremely popular today (I should know ;)) |