1. The document discusses a series of quotations from poems about women and expectations of femininity in the Victorian period. 2. One quote using the word "should" implies the societal pressures and expectations placed on women to marry. Another discusses a woman who "began to listen and look" only after experiencing freedom from such constraints. 3. Allusions to women's bodies being "precious" and "rare" suggest the value and purity placed on female virginity. Losing one's virginity was seen as sad and something that happened against a woman's will.

1. By Becca, Sophie, Rebecca and Bea
TASK
There are a series of quotations on the following
screens which have questions we would like you to
discuss with the class. Answers will be typed up and
then printed off for everyone so don’t worry about
writing anything down unless you want to!

2. Women
1. What does the use of What does this suggest
‘should’ suggest? about societies
expectations for women?
“Who should have been a bride”
p21, stanza 17, line 15
Can you relate this to your own
knowledge from North and South?
1. Implies that she lost the right. It is a necessity in terms of expectations of
men and women in Victorian times.
2. Links when Margaret should have been married but refused- pressures on
women.

3. What’s prevented her from
looking before?
‘And for the first time in her life,
Began to listen and look’ p21, stanza 18, line 9
1. Began- now she has had the fruit she has
more freedom.
2. Society!
1. What does the word
‘Began’ imply?

4. 1. Body- highly valued,
delicate.
2. Precious, virginity, rare,
purity. 1. What does this imply
3. Suggests that she is sad about the female body?
that she lost her virginity.
She didn’t feel it, didn’t
come out naturally
‘She clipped a precious golden lock, She
dropped a tear more rare than pearl’
p16, stanza 5, line 12 and 13
2. What connotations does
‘pearl’ have?
3. What is the significance of the
fact she ‘dropped’ a tear?

5. 1. What is the effect of the
alliteration used by Rossetti?
2. What does the use of
this imperative show?
‘Talked as modest maidens should’
p18, stanza 8, line 11
1. Emphasises importance of
What does this suggest about women modesty, women are made to be
in the Victorian period? Can you see a modest.
comparison with men? 2. Female conventions,
command, they have to do it.
3. Women are more restricted in
how they act.