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Notorious women
At the height of the new Victorian Puritanism, even a hint of scandal could ruin a woman's reputation forever. Despite this, some women chose to breach the moral code even though they were cold-shouldered by society. Other women, though, found that a rumour, even if it was unfounded, could cost them their good name.
Lady Flora Hastings: an innocent victim
Lady Flora Hastings was an unmarried lady-in-waiting to the Queen. Victoria suspected she was having a liaison with Sir John Conroy. When Lady Flora later became ill and her stomach swelled, Victoria and her court came to the shocking conclusion that she was pregnant.
Lady Flora protested her innocence but the Queen made her submit to a painful and humiliating medical examination. Although it turned out that she was indeed a virgin, and suffering from stomach cancer, Lady Flora's name was never completely cleared.
Caroline Norton: a campaigner for women
Caroline Norton was married to the violent and abusive George Norton. There was no escape since divorce at that time could only be granted through an individual Act of Parliament.
Caroline formed a friendship with the Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne. Although their relationship was innocent, George Norton sued Melbourne for 'criminal conversation' - a legal euphemism for sexual misconduct. It was the scandal of the decade. Melbourne was found not guilty but Caroline's reputation was lost.
Living apart from her husband, Caroline Norton had no legal rights to her property or her children. Refusing to accept this state of affairs, she went on to become an active campaigner on behalf of women. In 1855, while Parliament was debating the Divorce Bill, she wrote an open letter to Queen Victoria calling for equal rights for women in divorce cases.
Marian Evans: an independent woman
Rejecting her Evangelical faith, Marian Evans moved to London in 1851 and began a bohemian lifestyle, mixing with artists and writers. She formed a relationship with the philosopher George Lewes and lived openly with him, although he was married.
When she later became famous as the novelist George Eliot, Victorian society was in a dilemma. How could an author of such 'moral' books as the runaway success Adam Bede be a woman living such an immoral lifestyle?
A short-lived respectability
Both Caroline Norton and Marian Evans found respectability at the end of their lives. George Norton died in 1877 and Caroline married Sir William Stirling Maxwell.
George Lewes also died, and in 1880 Marian Evans married John Cross.
Both Caroline and Marian died within months of their weddings.
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