and in her regular clothes:
Lady Mary Wortley Montagu's Letters describe encounters between English travellers and foreign women. Reflect here on how these encounters illuminate her assumptions about one of the following:
(a) English women;
(b) foreigners;
(c) women in general.
Deadline: Wednesday (11/11), start of class.
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Lady Montagu seems to envy the liberty that the Turkish ladies possess or pretend to possess. Unlike herself, these beautiful women were able to socialize in the baths "without any distinction of rank by their dress, all being in the state of nature" (2708). These Turkish women, in the eyes of Montagu, are not only free to express themselves, but they are also free from the tyranny of their husband's cold and apathetic grasp. Moreover, Montagu portrays the Turkish women not as an "Other", but as an elevating platform that other women should achieve. However, even though these Turkish ladies are depicted as being somewhat free Montagu still presents them and occasionally herself as being the property of the omniscient husband. Furthermore, it is interesting that Montagu designs to go to the baths incognito as though it was done against her husband’s wishes, which if that were true, would display the rebellious and resolute attitude she has against the nuptial hierarchy.
In her experience with Turkish women, Lady Montagu observes that they exercise more freedoms than the upper-class women of western Europe. This she attributes to their ability to conceal their identities through fashion and so they all participate in what Montagu calls a "...perpetual masquerade" where they can act on their desires "...without danger of discovery" (2710). This idea of concealment is explored further in a letter concerning her granddaughter's education when she says, "The second caution to be given her (and which is most absolutely necessary) is to conceal whatever learning she attains..." 2713). She explains that a women who makes her learning known will only attract envy and disdain from her peers. Clearly Montagu has learned from her trip to Turkey that women have more freedom when they are hidden from the scrutinizing eye of society and she uses this knowledge to impart some wisdom concerning education, believing that women are only free to satisfy their desires to learn when they keep their knowledge out of the public sphere. I see this as a fairly conservative view, because she's not saying that women should have equal access to education, but instead women should keep their learning private and should "moderate the passions and learn to be contented with a small expense" (2713). In her letter to Lady Bute it seems like she recognizes that women's equality in education and in other areas is an impossibility for the time and instead women must work around their limitations. Her understanding of education is that it must be moderated, but this contradicts her previous statement that if her granddaughter is "desirous of learning...by all means let her be indulged in it." (2711). Just as the women in Turkey are only able to exercise their freedoms under literal veils, so too are the women of western Europe limited by the veil of the private sphere.
Lady Montagu's description of her peers (English women), seems to be very negative after her experience with more open Turkish women. In her new environment, she seemed very surprised that no one was judgmental towards her, although she was new to the baths. She even compared it at one point to assemblies of English women, and commented that while there was a large crowd in the baths, "none of those disdainful smiles or satiric whispers that never fail in our assemblies when anybody appears that is not dressed exactly in fashion" (P 2708). The very idea of the Turkish baths subtracts clothing from a setting and thus people rely on faces, gestures, and personalities to make statements about each other. The method of observation here is one Lady Montagu praises, yet the pictures posted on the blog say differently. She still tries to blend into the scenery, or as Beau described, go incognito. This is a characteristic of her upper class experiences, and shows a learned oppression that follows her on her travels.
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