The Victorian Woman
The sisters Nell and Dolly are two ends of the spectrum. Nell is wild and carefree, often giving into her urges before thinking of the consequences. Dolly is an expert society butterfly, knowing exactly what calculated steps she needs to take in order to secure her future. Both sisters are representative of what a Victorian woman ought and ought not to be. Women are expected to show little to no desire, unless when prompted by their spouse. Having agency and engaging in improper conduct would not only result in being cast away from gentile society, but it would also mean they have sinned in the eyes of God.
Subverting Fairytale Romance.
One of the most clear inspirations in Cometh Up as a Flower, is the fairytale genre, most notably “Cinderella”. Nell begins her narrative as a shabby and unsophisticated girl, while her wicked sister is conniving in her sabotage of Nell’s happiness. The protagonist meets a handsome man at a party, and is instantly smitten. Dick is described as a classic hero, and is purposefully void of much substance, in order for the reader to project their own ideals onto his character. Also, Nell’s constant referral to classic fairytales and religious texts, give ample context of what idealized love was at the time, while foreshadowing the dark consequences of desire. However, unlike Cinderella, Nell and Dick do not end up together, as real life would rarely mirror fairytales, while her sister Dolly, who’s role is that of a wicked sister, is the one to succeed, as she played by the rules of Victorian society.
Emotions Vs Pragmatism
As Victorian women are expected to be pure before marriage, they cannot engage in any romantic affairs while single. In fact, romance, although idealized in literature, is more often than not, a secondary thought when courting. Women were expected to marry men that would elevate their station or wealth. In Broughton’s novel, not only are the women of a noble station, but they are impoverished, and their father is in poor health. They have a pressing need to save their estate, livelihood, and maintain the prestige of their family name. The Lestrange sisters have great motivation to marry well. Nell, who gives into the temptation of a man below her station, is in the end punished for her transgression by being ill with consumption, while Dolly, who acted antagonistically, but all in the name of securing a stable future, is rewarded with everything she desired.
Virtue
The theme of virtue is present throughout Nell’s narrative. The protagonist often refers to the texts she is reading, which provide moral guidance. In fact, Nell, who is an avid reader, puts down a religious text to go meet up with her lover Dick. This action clearly emphasize Nell’s innocence and naiveté, as she casts a moral lesson aside in order to fulfill a base desire. A woman’s virtue is implied to be her most valuable asset, to the point of being more important than Dolly’s deceit, since it did not involve her giving into lust, or improper behavior.
