Essay Questions

How is the beauty process described in “The Lady’s Dressing Room”?

The process through which a woman applied makeup in the 19th century was less than appealing. The brushes were not properly cleaned and some beauty products had less than appealing ingredients. The first element described in the poem is the comb, presented here as being dirty and filled with insects. The combs during those times were used for more than just detangling the hair but also had the purpose to remove lice and other parasites. “A paste” is then described which contains led and is applied to the face. This past was most likely a form of foundation women used to cover their imperfections and to give their face a white and pure look. “Puppy water” is another product and while the name may be endearing, it actually refers to urine which was used as a product to be applied on the face. The lady is also criticized for her clothes, described as being extremely smell and unclean. This was common during those days since some garments were never washed but rather just brushed to eliminate dirt.

How are the women coming from a lower-class background described in “Market Women’s Cries”?

Women in 19th century were not expected to work for a wage in the same way men did. Women were seen as primarily mothers and then housekeepers and it was seen as a man’s duty to support his family from a financial point of view. For upper-class families, the idea of a woman working was seen as a disgrace to the family and because of this, daughters were rarely educated to be able to sustain themselves. This does not apply to lower-income families who needed every member to work in order to guarantee their survival. Women would thus be employed as domestic servants or do other hard jobs just to earn a few extra pounds. Unfortunately, this was not something they could decide if they wanted to do or not since not working would often mean starvation and homelessness.

How is death described in “A Satirical Elegy on the Death of a Late Famous General”?

The death of the general is presented as being something shameful and as an event which should have taken place a long time ago in the past. Despite his dangerous job, the general had a long life, or, according to the narrator, a life which was too long and which should have ended a long time ago. The general also had a comfortable life, never having to worry about not having enough food or a roof over his head. His life is them compared with the life of those who were less fortunate and who had to suffer all their lives. Death is thus seen by the narrator as a way to balance the social injustice which took place but this balance can be restored only if the general suffers before his death. Because the general has a relatively easy passing, then he is reprimanded by the narrator who sees his death as being a coward’s ending.