If you’ve been following Feminine Finishing School for a while, you might have noticed that I like to find out the history behind things – such as the history of etiquette or the history of French style. Something I find very interesting is finding out about the history of female education. The ideals held up for women and what they were taught to value is revealing of women’s roles in their societies. It was only in 1880 that education became a legal requirement for all girls and boys aged five to ten in England and Wales. All societies have to educate their young in some way however, whether that involves formal schooling or not. For well-to-do Georgian women such as those of Jane Austen’s generation, the goal was to become an ‘accomplished lady’ capable of attracting an eligible suitor. Yet even with that end purpose, considerable change can be seen in what it meant to be accomplished.
Early Girls’ Boarding Schools
‘I think that learning to write, read, sew, dance, sing, and play on some musical Instrument comprizes [sic] the whole of what is intended by modern Boarding-School Education, unless you will take the Art of Cookery into the account;’
A Letter to A Lady, Concerning the Education of Female Youth. (1749)
As early as in 1749 there were debates over the purpose of female education and what it meant to be an accomplished lady. It seemed to have been taken for granted that middle-class young ladies at least should receive some form of education, but there were disagreements over what form that should take.
Mid-Eighteenth-Century Education
A Letter to A Lady describes girls as commonly being taught the skills listed in the quotation above. Reading and writing offered a basic education with the ability to communicate, which was especially important in the days of letter writing. Sewing was a practical skill required before industrialisation or fast fashion, as well as allowing artistic accomplishments with decorative embroidery. Dancing, singing, and playing a musical instrument were important social skills in the eighteenth century as many social gatherings among the middle classes revolved around those activities. Cookery is essential to life itself as we all need to eat, however it was sidelined behind the other skills because people of those socio-economic circles generally had servants of some kind. Neither the anonymous male writer nor the anonymous lady he was writing to objected to the teaching of these accomplishments, but they both thought it was too limited.
Alternative Educational Ideas
If A Letter to A Lady is to be believed, this common education of the time influenced young women to be simply petty and pretty. They were taught superficial accomplishments and allowed to remain foolish. This led to unhelpful idle gossip and an obsession with external appearance alone, lacking either developed character or intellect. The lady and male writer differed in how they thought girls should be educated however. The lady appears to have been an early feminist. She thought that girls should be given an academic education more equal to that of men, which would give them knowledge and develop an intellectual curiosity. The male writer, on the other hand, believed that such an education would be a waste and that young ladies should instead be prepared for the roles they were expected to play – those of wife, mistress of the household, and mother. Some of the comments the male writer makes are comically dated, but I can also see how they were a product of the mid-eighteenth-century society of the time.
Jane Austen’s Accomplished Lady
‘ “It is amazing to me,” said Bingley, “how young ladies have patience to be so very accomplished as they all are.”
“All young ladies accomplished! My dear Charles, what do you mean?”
“Yes, all of them, I think. They all paint tables, cover screens, and net purses. I scarcely know any one who cannot do all this, and I am sure I never heard a young lady spoken of for the first time without being informed that she was very accomplished.”
“Your list of the common extent of accomplishments,” said Darcy, “has too much truth. The word is applied to many a woman who deserves it no otherwise than by netting a purse, or covering a screen. But I am very far from agreeing with you in your estimation of ladies in general. I cannot boast of knowing more than half a dozen, in the whole range of my acquaintance, that are really accomplished.”
“Nor I, I am sure,” said Miss Bingley.
“Then,” observed Elizabeth, “you must comprehend a great deal in your idea of an accomplished woman.”
“Yes, I do comprehend a great deal in it.”
“Oh! certainly,” cried his faithful assistant, “no one can be really esteemed accomplished who does not greatly surpass what is usually met with. A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, all the modern languages, to deserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half deserved.”
“All this she must possess,” added Darcy, “and to all this she must yet add something more substantial, in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading.”
“I am no longer surprised at your knowing only six accomplished women. I rather wonder now at your knowing any.” ‘
Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice (1813)
I find it interesting to compare what was considered an accomplished lady in 1749 and in 1813 during Jane Austen’s time. Just the short passage above shows that many of the same themes had been continued, yet that the idea of an accomplished lady had also been expanded. Jane Austen needs to be taken with a pinch of salt as the passage displays her typical humour. She’s poking fun at the high standards that were idealised for women, saying she doesn’t know anyone who is all those things, but it also gives insight on the typical views of the time.
Early-Nineteenth-Century Education
Like the girls’ boarding schools in A Letter to A Lady, Mr Bingley and much of Regency society had rather superficial ideas of what constituted an accomplished lady. All they were required to do was paint picture tables, cover decorative fire screens, and make net purses. These were essentially all creative skills or ‘fancy work’, as opposed to the less decorative ‘plain work’ that was practical sewing and mending. Miss Bingley adds drawing to this list, as well as the dancing, singing, and music that were required for social gatherings.
Additional Accomplishments
It’s the additional accomplishments, however, that stand out. Being a truly accomplished lady in 1813 was evidently much more of a challenge that it had been in 1749! Ladies were expected to have a ‘thorough knowledge’ of ‘all’ the fashionable modern languages. This most likely meant French, German, and Italian. It excluded the academic classical languages of Greek and Latin that were studied by the gentlemen, yet to be competent in three foreign languages requires a lot of study and perseverance. Even today, to be able to speak that many languages is a very impressive accomplishment!
Even with all these skills and achievements, a lady was not yet truly accomplished. She needed to cultivate something more intangible with an elegant manner and presence – something that could be called the je ne sais quoi element. A truly accomplished lady had developed poise, grace, and a sense of presence. She understood etiquette and was well practised in her social skills.
A Question of Character
In the passage from Pride and Prejudice three characters understand different levels of accomplishment. Mr Bingley is easy-going and easily pleased, so is content with an elementary level of accomplishment. Miss Bingley is more critical and raises the standard to a more intermediate level. She remains rather superficial however, focused on external appearances. Mr Darcy cares about the inner mind as well, and so describes a more advanced level of accomplishment. He adds that a truly accomplished lady also has ‘something more substantial’ and is interested in ‘the improvement of her mind’. She must be well-read and capable of interesting conversation, because this demonstrates something about her character. An accomplished lady knows there is always more to learn. She has a love of learning and a desire to improve herself.
Something they all miss though, whilst focused on skills and mannerisms and intellect, is the state of the lady’s heart. A true lady is kind-hearted and caring, respectful of others, compassionate, aware of her own flaws, gracious and polite, has an inner peace, and is strong in her integrity. A kind heart and strong values are more important than all the accomplishments of the world.
Feminine Accomplishment Themes
Whilst I’ve been pondering over the skills that were traditionally required of an accomplished lady, I’ve noticed some common themes that they can be categorised into. As Elizabeth Bennet pointed out at the end of the Pride and Prejudice passage above, few women have achieved all these accomplishments and they do not define a woman’s worth. I find in interesting however to see the underlying themes.
The traditional skills of an accomplished lady are:
- Practical skills: sewing, cooking, baking, household management; and nowadays also finances, paperwork, driving, adult responsibilities in general.
- Creative skills: drawing, painting, embroidery, dressmaking, knitting, flower arranging; a hobby and interest of your own.
- Music & singing: historically the piano was popular, nowadays it may be any instrument, and of course the voice is near universal.
- Dancing: during the Georgian period this meant English country dancing, during the Victorian period it shifted to ballroom dancing, nowadays this could be any elegant style of dance such as ballet or a traditional folk dance.
- Languages: historically French has been the most popular second language in Britain, although the Victorians favoured German; needless to say nowadays it could be any language of your choice and it’s perhaps best to choose one that you will be most likely to have occasion to use.
- Poise & grooming: deportment, grace, radiance, style, beauty, clarity of communication, historically this included elocution.
- Etiquette & entertaining: the etiquette of your own country and culture, as well as international cultural differences in etiquette, hostess skills.
- Social skills: social confidence, conversation, body language awareness, understanding of social interactions and psychology, friendships, relationships, people skills.
- Education & culture: good general knowledge, current events, the arts and sciences, well-read, capable of interesting and intelligent conversations, love of learning, desire to improve self.
- Kindness of heart: the inner core that gives good intentions to all other accomplishments, compassion, respect, integrity, character, unselfish wish to help others, altruism, desire to continually grow into a better person, the most important element, all other accomplishments are simply a means to an end.
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