Anna Cora Mowatt's “fashion”: theatrical refashioning of the female self in antebellum American drama
Full text
R ·1•is/a
de a udios
No ea111e ic1111os,
n.º
7 (2000). pp.
27
·
41
ANNA
CORA
MOWATT'S
FASHION:
THEATRICAL
REFASHIONING
OF
THE
FEMALE
SELF
IN
ANTEBELLUM AMERICAN
DRAMA
CARME
MANUEL
Uni e si a
de
Valencia
The
spi i
o
pa y
has
en e
ed
i11 o
ali
ou
D
ep
a me11 s ...
Some
Dei y
he
plza11 om
Fashion ...
while
o he s Wo ship
only
a lze
sh ine
(d
Plll us.
M
e y
O is Wa en, Le e o John Adams, 29 Ju
ly
1779
S udies on Ame ican hca e his o y cpea edly ell he hackeneyed s o y
o
he
di icul ies d ama had
o
ace in his coun y. The la e eigh een h and ea ly nine een h
cen u ies wc e bad imes and hc si ua ion was made wo se by a numbe
o
ac o s.
T adi ionally c i ics ha e ocused on he sl ong Pu i an and Quake opposi ion o he
s age
since
i was
consi
de ed
a
nes
o
immo al
i
y and i olily, he
cul u al
<lependence on B i ain, hc sca ci y
o
hea e s and na i e ac o s, and he p io i y
o
building a na ion be o e a na ional li e a u e. Hence, when
he
Con inen al Cong ess
passed lcgisla ion calling o he supp ession
o
«shews, plays and o
h
e
expensi e
di e sions and en e ainmen s»
on
20 Oc obe 1774,
i
was he esul
o
pen -up an i-
h
ea
ical sen imen in he colonies. Ye , e isionis esea ch
on
he pe iod has come
up wi h new
e idence
ha
jus i ies
his
s a e
on n
ew
g ounds
. P
e e
A.
Da is
con incingly a gues
h
a
i
was nci he he Pu i
an
mo al ic o y no he p uden ac
o
p op ic y in he ace
o
a coming
wa
which c i ics such as Howa d Taubman and
A hu Hobson Quinn con ended
1, bu ha he ac was he esul
o
«a long-s anding
1. Sce Tauhman 41 and Quinn
J2.
28 Ca me
Manuel
legal adi ion. he p oduc
o
a Pu i an me
ca
n ile cul u e ha saw hea e as bo h
an
economic h ea
anda
symbol
o
colonial supp ession». The 1774 s a u e as well
as
i
s
legisla i e p edecesso s e lec ben « he colonies' awkwa d ela ionship wi h
he
Bo
a d
o
T adc
and
Ame icans
'
inc easing
desi e
o
b eak
hei
deb - idden
dependen
ce
u
pon
B i i
sh
manu ac u ed
goo
ds»
(18
).
This
implies a
change
in
unde s anding
hea ical de elo
pmen
in he
Ame ican
co
lonies
om
shi ing
imp
o ance
on
elígious e o
o
wa - ime
zeal
o
poli ically
d i en
economic
mo i a ions.
TI1ca
e, iden i ied as a B i ish manu ac u ed p oduc exp ess
ly
sui ed
o
oyali
s
las es,
became poli icized and ca ne
o
ep esen
all
ha he ebelli
ous
colonis s despised -«a polí ica! and social symbol
o
English opp ession» (Da is
25).
D ama con inued o de elop in he new-bom epublic du ing he nine een h
cen u y and he e see ns o be unani nous ag cemen among
he
c i ics o highligh
he
decades
o
he 1840s and 1850s as p obably he mos
h
ea
i
ca
lly signi ican in
he
cen u
y.2
Among he niles ones
o
he d ama
o
he
pe iod s ands Fashion:
o
Lije in
New
Y<wk
(1845), he nineleen h-cen u y i s and mos success ul nacional comedy
o
manne s which im nedia ely encou aged a g oup
o
less well execu ed social sa i es.3
Anna
Co a
Mowa .
acco ding
o
mos
his
o i
ans.
had
he
g ea es
impac
on
an ebellum Ame ican d ama and hea e.
lnd
eed
he
comedy
is
he mos equen ly
an hologized
o
a
ll
pla
ys no
only
o
nine een h-cen u y playw igh s bu
also
o
Ame ican women playw igh s
p
e ious o he wen ie h cen u y. As Do is Ab amson
s a es, he e
is
no
doub ha e en
i
he e we e o he plays
by
women
o
Mowa
's
ime wo h
o
c i ica! a en ion,
«On
ly
Fashi<m
is secu ely in he canon
o
Ame
ican
d ama ic li e a u e» (39).
I
we ag ee ha women w i ing
in
Uni ed S a es a e he hci s
o
a adi ion ha has bcen eco e ed challenging wha Sac an Bc co i ch labels
as
«unduly pe asi e habi s
o
mind» (423), wc
ca
n well imagine ha he same applics o
2. Claudia Johnson sums
up
he si ua ion as hc poli icaJ c en s
o
he pe iod seem o ha e
been 'Í al
n
whaL
was happcning in d ama: «in he backg ound was hc Whig ic o y o 1840.
o lowing in he wake .
o
he 1837 inancia! c ash
and
widesp cad unemploymen . G owing u ban
a eas and an immense inc ease
in
immig a ion lcd o he na i is mo emcn and labo agi a ion o
be e wagcs and wo king condi ions. Be ween 1830 and 1840 ail oads opened much
o
he on
i
c
o
se llemen
.
Wha would be hc wo mos ene ge
i
c a cas o English-
la
nguagc hea e ou side New Yo k
Ci y we e hcginning o be se lcd: Cali o nia in 1849 and Sal Lake Ci y in 1847. Mo co e . he 1830s
and 1840s wc c he
ye
a s
o
« hc Bcne olen Empi e» when
c
ligious soeic ies a
emp ed o e ee
mo al a
nd
social change in cduca ion, wo nen's
i
gh s, empe auce. p isons. and asylu ns, aiming o
e o m he poo
in
Ame ica as
we
ll as sa ages ab oad. [ ... ] Likc he mas e pieces
o
he Ame ican
Renaissance, miles ones in Ame ican d ama also clus e
in
he
1840s and l 850s» (1988. 324-325).
3. Many plays wi h
~
imila
in en appca ed in he pe iod a e Fashion, hough «none
o
hem
ep esen ed he imes so igo ousl
y,
accu a cly, aud
ga
il
y,
o achie ed compa able s age success. S
el
by M
s.
Sidney
F.
Ba c nan, i s pe o med a Bu on's New Thea c on Oc obe 27,1856.mos nea ly
app oached Fashion in hemc and
ca
men
.
Sel
was mos calis ic in i s cp esen a
i
on
o
immedia e
local de ails, bu
i
was dccidedly
in
e io o Fashion
in
hc quali y
o
i s
cha ac e iza ions and
dialogue. Thc domes ic social sa i es ha appca cd la
e
in
h
c
ce
n u y wc e.
on
he whole, supe io :
Howa d's The Hen iella. Fi ch's The Climhe s, and
Mi che s
T71e
New Yo k Idea. In a
way
Fashion
was he o c unne . e en
o
such wen ie h-ccn u y socie y and amily comedies as Lije Wi h Fa he
1"»
(Moody 315). Mos
c
i ics ag ee
on
he in e io quali y
o
Sel
when eompa ed o Fashi m. See
Mcse
e 84-85 und Mo ddcn 16.
A11na
Co a
Mm au
's
Fashio11:
Thea icul Re ashioni11¡:
o
lile
F
euuile
Sel
29
women w i ing o he s age. Wi h he excep ion
o
Me ey
O
is
Wa en and Anna Co a
Mowa , s anda d d ama his o ies do no include discussion, a ely any men ion, o
womeu playw igh s be o e he
we
n i
e
h cen u y.
I
is likely ha his absence
is
due
o
he
a
c adduced by Judi h E. Ba low on hc mo ali y and p op ie y o playw i ing
since «women we e
pa
icula ly a ec ed by he Pu
i
an-Quake a i ude owa d he
hea e », since, «as he supposed mo al gua dians
o
soc
ie y, women could sca cely
be
allowed o pa icipa e
-on
any le e!- in so unaccep able an ac
i i
y» (x).
Ye
Cl
au
di
a
John
son
explains ha his
a
ilu e
o
Ame ican women
o
w i e plays o
h
e ea ly
hea e , i i is o be belie ed, wo
uld
be especially mys i ying o se e a) easons:
«women we e ex emely p oli ic no elis s. plays abo
u
women and domes ic d am
as
we
e popula , playw i ing was he leas censu able hea ical acli i y o a woman,
and he s age ga e many women li es
o
indepe
nd
ence and
u
l
i
llmen , as did
no
o h
e
segmen o nine een h-cen u y li e» (1988, 325). Mo eo e , hese we e yea s o wha
has been de isi ely called «pe icoa managemen ». he heyday
o
emale s a s and
o midab
le
manage s who commissioned ehicles o
he
di
sp
lay
o
hei alen s.
No able among hem we e Cha lo e Cushman, Lau a Keene. Ca he ine Sinclai , Adah
Menken, M s. John D ew, Lo a C ab ee. and Cla a Mo is. Thei hea ical ac i i y
e u es any sugges ion ha
li
e a y con ibu ions by women we e nonexis en . and
eco c.ls
o
p o essionally p oduced plays
in
Ame ica
be o e 1900 belie s
anda d
his
o
ie
s.4
These women a e only he mos p oli ic w i e s, selec ed
o
illus a c he
de ea
o
ha alledgedly d ama ic silence.
Claudia
D.
Johnson w i es abou «sup eme i o
ny»
o
Ame ica's ea ly d ama:
« ha while i s hea e , ecognized o i s li eliness a
nd
a is ic me i , cons i u es one
o
he mos ac
i
e chap e s
o
na ional cul u al
hi
s o y, only he modes claims can be
made o he li cm y excellence
o
i ~
d ama» ( 1988, 324). Acco dingl
y,
I ha e no
in en ion
o
legi imizing new claims o he
in
insic aes he ic in e es
o
Fashion, bu
o
ana
l
yse
i
in
he
ligh o
he
main
cul u al
id
eas
o
he pe iod:
he
cul
o
domes ici y, because as one
o
he mos popula plays
o
he nine een h cen u
y,
i
lends i sel
o
aluable con ex ual and ideologi
ca
l s ud
y,
si
nce i is my a emp o «de-
sac ilize he a che ypes by examining hem
as
cul u al a i acls, in e ms
o
hei
speci ic o ms and unc ions» (Be co i
ch
423). Taking
in
o accoun he his o ical
si ua ion
o
he Ame ican hea e a he ime i is my
co
n en ion ha Fnshion s ands
as
a hea i
ca
l
e ash
i
on
ing
o
Mowa
's
sel
as
we
ll
as
a
masculiniza
ion
o
he
mo he hood e hi
cs
ha domina ed Ame ican cul u e a he ime in
he
a emp o
pande o he middle-class male audience
's
anxie ies. F om his poin
o
iew, Fashion
4.
Jo
hn
son
p o ides lhc
o
ll
owing in o ma i
on
:
Susan
na Rowson,
au
ho
o
Clw lo
e
Temple.
w o
le 7 plays p oduced be wecn 1793 and 1810: Louisa Medina, 21 plays be ween 1829 and
1849; M s.
Si
dney Ba man. 5 plays in hc 1850s: Lau a Kcenc, 6 in hc 1850s and 860s; Fanny
H
c
ing, 8
in
hc 1860s and 1870s; Oli e
Ln
gan. 9 in he 1870s: Ma guc i c Mc ing on; Madeline
Lucc e-Ryley; Cha lo e Blai Pa kc whose Way
Down
Eas
(1898) an o wo decad
es
; F ances
Hudgson Bu neu.
See
also Robe s' a icle
on
women who managcd majo h
ca
es
in
nine een h-
cen u y Ame ica.
30
Ca me
Manu
el
is no
jus
a li ely social comedy bu a pungen po ayal
o
he
emal
e's
anxie y
o
d ama ic au ho ship.
Anna Co a Mowa
's
li e and p o essional ca ee as bo h ac ess and
playw igh
ejcc he adi ional ca cgo iza ion in o he
Sa
b
a a
o
h
e emale hea ical Bo
za
o
nine cen h-cen u y Ame ica. She was bo
n
in Bo deaux,
F ancc,
in 1819 a
nd
di
ed
in
London
in
18
70. A p ecocious child. she helonged o a la ge well- o-do New
Yo k
amily.
He
i s pe onnance
o
ok place a he age o six
when
she played a pa
in
a
pa la
hea ical o
ce
l
eb a e
he
a he 's
bi hda
y.
Be o e en she had ead ali
o
Shakespca c's plays. He
ma
ia
gc
a i cen o James Mowa , a
NewYo
k lawye
an
d
a man wice he agc, ga e
he
ample op
ponuni
y o con i
nuc
cul
i a ing he
ai is
ic
skills. In 184
1,
a c he husband los his weal h, she u ned o w i ing
in
eame~a
.
gi ing
public
poe y eadings
and
w i ing a licles o he
popul
a
ma
gazin
es
.
Bul
when she appea ed a a puhlic eading in he S uy esan Ins i u e on No e nbe 18,
1841 , she
wa
s ba<lly
c.:
i ic
ised
sinc
e
ma
ny
con
d
emned
h
ese
ac.: i
i ies
whcn
umle11akcn by ladies.
Ye
. so ne
o
h
e
iends ca ne o he <le ense. M s.
F ances
Osgood w o e a long poem p aising he cou agc and
<l
a ing.s
Th
e i s s anza e
ad:
«N
e'c
hccd hem. Co a.
<l
e
a . h
e ca ping ew
who
say hou
lea es woman
's
holie
sphe e/Fo lig
h
s and ain display,, (q d.
in
Moody 311).
As
Ma y
Kelley pu s i
in
he
s udy on wum
en
w i e s
in he
ninc een h-
cen u y,
Mowa
-like
ma
ny o he o he
li
e a y
cn
mpanions-was cas a ound
o
mcans o suppo a le
he
husband Joss o o unc and she
was
h own
in
o
h
e li e a1y
a ena
by
se c e
econom
ic
necessi
y,
hus
ha i
ng a
jus i
lic.:a ion o b
ecome
a
playw
i
gh and
la e
an
ac ess. The
yea
18
45 was he
u n
in
gpoin
in
he
li
e.
Encou agcd by Epes Sa genl -
h
e edi o who had published
he
i s published play
in
T
he
New
Wo ld in J 840. Gul::.am.
o
The Pe sian
Sla e-
she
w o e
Fashion. « he i s
Ame ican
co
medy o ha
e
a long li e on he s age» -acco ding o Hewi
(1
34)
-.
and
ma
de a succcss
u
l debu as an ac ess. mo i a cd by h
e
p
e io
us
succ.:ess
as
pub
lic
c
ade .
in
spi e
o
lack
o
aining and he sla k opposi ion
o
he
amily a
n<l
iends.
In
ai.:
, M
oo
dy sugges s ha du ing he li c ime Mowa «was
mo
e widely known
o
he
ac ing han o he w ilin
g»
(313)." She w
as
no only
an
adul
a e<l
ai.:l ess and
a nous playw
ig
h , b
u
also a p oli ic no elis .
Sh
e published a icles in magazin
es
such as Ti e C olumbian. The Dem
nc
a ic
R<'l·iew.
Godey's
Lady
's B
ook
. and
G ahwn
"s
Maga;:.ine
unde
h
e na me
o
Helen
Be1i<e
ley. so ne
o
which we e
co
pi
ed
in o London
pe iodicals. ami e en ansla ed in o
Ge m
an. such as h
e
p ize-winning no el. Ti e
5. F ances Osgood ( 1811-1850) was bo n
in
Ma!.sachu
!.c
s.
Shc
was a
poe
w
hn
sc T
he
Caske1
o Fa
e ( 1840) and Poe y
o
F/
ow ' s ( 1840) and The
F/
011-e s
o
Po
e
n (1841) a e ypical
o
sen imen al cminine e se o hc Vido ian e a. A lc shc m
cwcd
l
>
Ncw Yo k.shc was a icnd o
Pu
e.
who p aiscd h
e
wo k
in
«TI1e
Li c nlc».
6. T
he
New
Yo k He a/d w o c u c he debu : «Wh
cn
hc cu ain cll. he applausc was
n
:mcn
dou
s.
A
ge
n leman in
hc
pi callcd oul
"
h ce ch
ea ,·
and h
e
c
lo
ud
chee s
wc
c
gi en
acco dingl
y.
M s.
Mo
wall soon appca cd. lcd un
by
M .
C
isp Thc chee s
-shu
u
s-,c ecms-
plaudi s
bu s o h
a
esh. wh
ils1
a whi lwind o po
cke
handke cl1ic ,
swc
pl
o c
hc
bu
xes. and i e anú six
hund cd
bo
o s hundc cd
in
lh
c gallc ies.
M
s.
Mo
w
al
cou
cs
icd. and a
sho
wc u bouquc s cll a he
cc »
(J' loo
dy 313).
A1111a
Co a
Mmnm
'.'
Fashio11:
Thea i nl
Re ashio11i11g
o
he
l'lll d •
Sel
31
Fo
1me H1m e .
Sh
e al so w o e a se
i
es
o
oman ic no
cls
such as E elyn. o A H
ean
U
11
11wsked,
T
i
e T
wi
11
Roses and / alian
lije
and
Legends. In addi ion
o
Fasl
ion.
she
w o e
he
plays
Gul::.a a;
m;
The Pe sian S
a
( 1841) und A mwzd ( 184 7) and, in 1854,
he
Au obiog aphy
o
mi
Ac ess,
o
Eigh Yea s 011 he S age. a book which p o ides
pcnc a ing ins
igh
s in
o
nine een h-cen u y hea c .7
This
was
ollowed a
yea
Ja e by
semi
-au
o
biog ap
hical s o ies
o
he s age, Mi
mi
c
Lije:
o ,
B
e o
e
and
Behind
he
C11
ai11
( J 8
56)
. Da id G ims ed explai
ns
how h
e
sen i
me
n al
i
c ion as
we
ll
as
Lh
a
penned
by
o hc
ac csscs. such as
Cha
lo e Cushman. s essed he ha dships.
ia
ls
and agcdies
o
lile on s age in an a emp o o e
come
hc publie p ejudices agains
hei p o essions. In 1851
Ja
m
es
Mowa died and she ma ied Wi
ll
iam F.
Ri
chie
in
1854 and e i ed
om
he s age.
Edga
Allan
Poe
e
iewed
he op
ening
pe
o mance
o Fashio11 in he
Bmadway Jou nal. on Ma ch 29. 1845. hough basing
his
c i
i
cism
on
he ea
di
ng
o
he
o iginal manusc ip : «Fashion is hca ical bu no d ama ic. h is a p elly
well
a anged
se
lec ion om
he
usual ou ine
o
s age cha ac e s. and s age manocu es,
bu he e is
no
onc pa11icle
o
any na u e beyond g een- oom na u e, abo
u
i [ ... [
Ou
a
ul - inding
is
on
he
sco
e
o
dc iciency in c isimili udc
-in
na u al
a
- ha
is
o
say.
in
a
based
in he na u al laws
o
ma
n's
hea and
unde
s a
nd
ing». Poe
l'i
nd
s aul
in he c ossings ami n:c ossings
o
hc ac o s
on
he s age:
hc
eading
o
pii a e lel e s
in a loud hc o ical one. he p epos e ous solilo ¡uising and asides.
among
o he s. Ye
he ema ks ha his is no speci ic o Mowa
's
comc<ly. bu
o
he mode n d ama
in
gene al. si
nce
o he
c
i ic «i has. in especial. he e y high ne i
o
simplici y in
plo ». On he whole. be
co
ncludes: «compa ed wi h he gene alily
o
mode n
d amas.
ic
is a
good
play
-compa
ed
wi h
mos
Ame ican
d amas
i is a e y good
one-
cs ima ed
by
he
na
u a
l p inci
pies
o
d ama ic
a .
i is al
ogc he
unwo hy
o
no ice». Yc . i secms ha Poe mus ha e el ha his dcsi e o a new and o iginal
d ama
ha
d l
ed
him
o
be
oo
ha sh
. ami a week la e ,
on
Ap
il
5.
he
was
mo e
gene ous. He lamen
cd
o
ha c done Mowall unin cn ional injus ice and s a es h
a
he
en i e hesis is an
o
iginal onc as
«We
can
call o mind no d
a
ma. jus now, in wh
ich
Lhc
desi
gn
can be p opc ly s a ed as hc sa i izi
ng
o
oshioning as ashion» (Hcwi
1. 9).
La e
li c a y his o ians ha e undc s ood
Fashio11
as a de as a ing social
sa i e
ha exp cssed
Lhe
g owing eeling in he Uni ed S a cs agains
emula
ion
o
Eu opean
mannc s. They ha
e
cons
idc
cd
he
play
as an oucs anding
comedy
o
manne s,
he
o m
o
which is «
ho ough
ly Eu
opean,
in
he
modc
o
he
eigh een
h-cen
u
y
bou gcois play» (Johnson 331
).
No
wi hs anding. o hem.
Mowa s
impo ance Iies
p eeminen ly on he ac ha
he
ca ec
as a playw igh and an ac ess can
be
he
ld
espo
n
sib
lc
o
li
ing
he
soc
ial cp
u a
l
io
n
o
he
Ame ican
ni
ne
ee
n
h-ccn u
y
hea e . Acco d
in
g
o
Quinn. « eal as h
e
co
n ibu ion o
ou
d ama
was.
he
in
1u
ence
7.
Na ha
ni
el Haw ho ne m
ake~
i
pa
o
a
li
~
o
a hal -dozen
goo<l
Amc ii.:an books he
ccommcn<lcd o Richa d Monck on Milac>.along wilh Tho cau·s
Walde11
and .4
Week
1111
lh<'
Con nnl
w d
M<'n-imac
Ri1·e s. Ca oline Ticlmo .
H1Mll ome
ami
His
P11h/isl e ( 1913;
cp
in cd .. Po
Washing on. N.
Y.
: Kcnnika P css. 1969). 1
35
. Q d. in Ah amson 39.
32
Ca me
Manuel
upon ou hea e was p obably
e
en g ea e . Coming in o
ali
e which. no wi hs and
ing
he many s e ling men and women who pu sued i , s
i
ll
su e ed om he adi ions
o
loose s anda ds and
o
he disapp o al
o
he Pu i an
elemen
in ou socie y, she
p o ed iumphan ly ha an Ame ican gen lewoman could succeed
in
i wi h
ou
he
al e a ion
o
he own s anda d
o
li e. She ook
in
o he p o ession he high hea ,
he
u e e inemen . he keen sense
o
social alues, and he in ini e capaci y
o
e o ,
and he e ec was a eal and a g ea one» (3 19). Fo
Hew
i , «she was
no
only
Ame ica's í s impo an woman playw igh ; sbe was also
he
i s
Am
e ican ac ess
o s a a he op. Wi hou ha ing gone h ough e en a b i
e
app en iceshíp as l
eading
lady in a esiden company, she became
a
once a a eling s a . A sign
o
he imes.
Mo eo e , she li ed he dubious li e
o
he hea e o níne
yca s
wi hou su e ing a
blemish o he epu a ion [ ... j She had p o ed ha a lady could be
an
ac ess and
by
in e cnce ha an ac ess could be a lady. The s a us
o
he
p o
ession was ma e ially
imp o ed» ( 141
).
Albe Aus e sums up he wo h
in
Ame
ican hea ical
his o y
when he s esses ha , «al hou
gh
Cushman and Mowa did no o ally e ase Ame ican
p ejudi
ce
agains
he
s age,
hei
ca ee s
and
pe sonal
examples
did
aise
í s
p o essional and a is ic s anda ds. Mo e impo an ly. hey p o idcd models o a
ca ee ha women, and no only meo. could pu sue» (
18
). Tubman
al
so s a es ha
Mowa 's «c eden ials
o
espec ahilí y helped he hea
e
on i s pa h o accep ance
as
a ole able, e en h
ono able
p o ession» (7
6)
.
Thu
s
she
helped
mod
i
y
cul u al
a i udes owa d ac esses and «e en imp o c l he quali y
o
audiences by a ac ing
people who had o me ly sco ned he hea e» (Ba low xi).
The u
h
is ha when Mowa app oached hea ical w i ing and ac ing. she
was o ced o ace
bo h
amily and social p ejudices. The ambígui y wi h whi
ch
hea e was seen by he espec able Ame ican middle-class Ame ican is e ínced by
Louisa May Alco
in
he no el Wo k: A S o y
o
Expe ience ( 1873). Hc e she ells he
s o y o a woman 's
ques
o independence and i len i y. He s uggle o li e 's
signi icance akes he in o he di e en paid occupa ions a ailable o a young woman
in
a cí y such as Bos on. Among hcsc. ha
o
ac ess
is
desc ibed in chap e h ee.
Based on he au ho 's own au obiog aphical da a, Ch is ie De on, a e so ne ime
le o e l
o
a success ul ca ee , ealizes ha she is becomíng oo ha d-hca ed and
gi es up he s age o e e . Ye , she
is
awa e
o
he ac ha
he
b ie bu passiona e
engagemen wi h he hea e will always lu k in
he
li e as a dis epu able pas o
be
,
í
no , hidden.
a
Jeas , well p o ec ed. In ac ,
as
Johnson
explains, lhe hea ical
p o ession was pa adoxical o nine een h-cen u y women. On he one hand. i o e ed
a good sala y, he possibili y
o
compe i ion wi h men on an equal basis
oí
alen and
public appeal. and a secu e posi ion
o
managemen . On he o he , h
ese
ad
an
ages
we e ain ed by a da k side since he ac ess had, «by
i
ue
o
he associa ion wi h a
p o essi
on
blemish
ed
in he eyes
o
he public. o elinquish impo an aluables
o
Vic o ian woma
nh
ood
-a
special, e en e e en es eem a o ded he ideal mo he -
wi e, as well as he sympa he ic suppo
o
he nine een h-cen u y sis e s». Mo eo e ,
une
o
he
ins i u íons which encou aged he os acism
o
he
ac ess om good
socie y was he chu ch and, «al hough he a i ude
o
he
e
ligious pu
bl
ic owa d
ac esses was based
on
igno ance and g oss dis o ions. i was, in·e u ably, a s ongly
held and widely held iew, a eali y o be deal wí h» («En e
he
Ha lo » 66).
Anna Ca a
Mo11•a 1
's oshion: Thea ical Re ashioning
o
he Fema/e S
el
33
As
c i ics
ha e
a
es
ed
d awing
he
in onna ion
om
Mowa
's
au obiog aphical accoun , he playw igh o alle ia e
he
amily
's
pecunia y dis ess
«supp essed he p ejudice agains public hea ical pe o mances which had been
ins illed
in
he
by
he
se mons
o
he Re e end Man on Eas bu n
a
G ace Chu ch»
(Moody 311). Ba low also unde sco es his e idence and explains ha o yea s
Mowa had e used
o
a end he p o essional hea e because a minis e con inced
he ha he s age was he home
o
he de il (x). He decision was
bo
ld as i has o
be
unde s ood on he idea ac o s and ac esses we e held a he ime. They we e social
ou cas s. d awn ei he om
he
lowes classes o om he sons and daugh e s
o
hose
al eady in hc
p o
ession, as in
he
case
o
Susana Rowson, Fanny Kemble,
o
Cha lo e Cushman.
Thea e o Mowa had mean home heal icals
and
amily enjoymen and
i
only became a oca ion when she was aced wi h economic ouble. As she w i es
in
he au obiog aphy:
I ponde ed long and se iously upon he consequ
ence
s
o
my
en e ing he p o-
ession [ ... ] I e iewed
my
whole pas li e, and saw, ha , om ea lics childho-
od, my as cs. s udies, pu sui s had ali combi
ned
o
i
me
o his end. I
had
exhibi ed a passion o d ama ic pe o mances when I was li le mo e ban an
in an . I had played plays be o e 1 had e e en e ed a hea e. I bad w i en plays
om he ime ha I i s wi nessed a pe o mance. My lo e o he d ama was
genuine, o i was de eloped a a pe iod when he hea e was an unknown
place, and ac o s a species
o
mylhical c ea u es. I de e mined o
u
l ill be des-
iny which seemed isibly poin ed ou by he unening inge
o
P o idence [ ... ]
I would become an ac ess.8
I is in e es ing
o
no ice he way Mowa aces back he d ama ic oca ion and
how she ies
o
dodge he clima e
o
hos ili y. Fi s ly, she is ca e ul enough o jus i y
he immedia e success as an ac ess basing i on he li e-
Jon
g since e a ac ion and
de o ion o d ama. And secondly and mos impo an!, ha a achmen
is
desc ibed as
ha ing bcen bom ou side he place
o
pe o mance, in he bo ne and long be o e she
had se eyes on,l
e
alone s epped in o, a eal hea e. Thus she exculpa es he sel om
all
possible
co
ndemna ions
ha
he
mo ali y
o
playw igh
s
and
o
audiences
a ending he hea e
in
an ebellum Ame ica
po
ssessed. Rosema ie
K.
Bank explains
ha many his o ical accoun s
co
uple p os i u ion wi h hea ical ac i i y in an ebellum
New Yo k. Yel, «unlike ea lie cha ac e iza ions, whe ein c i ics
o
hea e assume
co up ion
o
audiences by plays
o
by ac o s,an i- hea e a gumen s in he Jacksonian
decades ocus upon
co
up ion h ou
gh
co
n ac
o
audience membe s wi b o he
audience membe s» (50). Wha is ele an! he e is ha agains
h
e cha ges
o
mo al
8.
Anna Coca Mowal , Aidobio ? aphy
o
a11
Ac ess:
o
Eigh Y n s
on
he
S a ?e
(
Bo
s o
n:
Tickno . Reed,
an<l
Fiel<ls, 1854), 216. Q d.
in
Ab amson 39-40.
34 Cunne
Manue
l
co up ion
and
social dep a i
y
ha nine een h-cen u y
hca e
implied,
li e a y
his o ians ha e manipula ed Mowa -as she
sha
pe
s he se
l
- o Iegi imize d ama ic
a
as a espec able unde aking which was apidly losing in luence du ing he
middle
deca<les
o
he cen u y as audiences became c oss-cul u al a
nd
ma ginal Iaye s
o
socic ies app op ia ed new non-eli e o os
o
en c ainmen .
Wi h
Fashion he a bi e s
o cul u al di c si y managed
o
edi ec hei cul u al p
owe
by
a guing
ha
he
hea e was a place o hose wi h aspi alions owa d espec abili
y.
Mowa 's
gen eel
o igins
al
so
we e
ma
de
o
coun e ac
he
ch
a ges
o
im
mo ali y
o
ac o s
and
manage s ha h ea ened he p o ession.
The playw igh . on he o he hand. was ne e blind o
wha
Johnson calls
« he
lonely
gul »
which
exis ed
be ween
ac esses
and
socie y
and
which
c
ould
be
ex ended o women playw igh s
and
audiences. She was
so
deeply awa e
o
he
p ejudices agains he p o cssion as a body ha
she
in oduced jus i ica ions
u
sel -
asse ion in
he
play. In he edi ion
o
W.
Newbe y published in London in 1850,
she
p escn s a p c ace in which she jus i ies he edi ica ing na u e
o
he «good-na u ed
sa i e»
an<l
using eminized language hanks he public o he ecep ion
u
he
play
and o « he p o
e
bial gallan y
o
Ame icans
.»9
The
p ologue, w i en by he
edi o
Epes Sa gen
.
ad anees se e a[ c i icisms. Fi s ly,
che
Ame ican o igin
o
he
play
which disc edi s any a emp
ac
quali
y.
And
seco
ndl
y.
he
adicional
indic men
agains woman au ho ship, speci ically Mowa 's app op ia ion
o
a pa ia chal gen e:
En e a
Gen leman
-M
.
C isp-
eading a newspape 1
..
. ]
Fo Plays, we lack he manne s and he men!»
Thu
s spcaks
<me
c i ic. Hea
u11o he1
"s c eed
:-
«'
Fashion!
'»
-Wha 's
he c? [Reads]
I
ne e can succeed!
Wha ! om a
womwz
's
pen?
I
akes a man
To w i e a comed y - no woman can (317).
Ob iously she was also conce ned wi h he mo al alue
o
wha she w o e. This
made he u n o a opic ha was su e
o
mee he public's app o al. The p ologue
cn
<l
s celeb a ing he didaclicism cha he play encloses: «
A11
's
ai ab1ic ise
om
woman
's
oil/While we exhibi bu o
ep ehend he
social ices. ' is
o
you
o
mend!» (318). In his way Mowa 's cloaks social ans o ma ions aking place in he
Ame ica
o
he
day wi h a mo al
eading
sui able
o a espec able middle-class
audicncc. Mo eo e , when
she
w o e Fashion, she made he scl he he oine
o
he play
in he cha ac e
o
Ge ude, which s
he
Ia
e
pe lo med.
IO
In ac , i seems ha Mowa
9.
Anna
Co a Mowa
,«
P e ace»
o
Fashion. D ama.1' mm
lle
Ame icanThea e 1762-N09,
E<l.
Richa d
Moody
(Bos on:Hough on Mi lin
Com
pan
y.
1969)
, 317. Ali u hc 4uo1a ions om his
edi ion
o
h
c play will a
ppea
pa en helically in he
1ex1.
10. In 1845 Fashion «was cpea cd in hea
cs
h ougho
u
hc
co
un y: Cha lcs on. Mobilc.
Ncw O leans. equcn ly wi h M s. Mowa in hc pa
o
Gc u<lc. Ncw Yo k and Philadclphia saw i
epca edly du ing hc summe
o
1845.
In
Janua y. 1850.i h
ad
i1
s li s pe o mnnccs
in
London wi h a
wo-week cngagemcn a he Royal Olympic» (Moody 2 1
5).
A111w
Co a M
ow
a 's
Fa. hion:
Thea ic
al
R
e as
hioníng
o
he Fema/e
Sel
35
shaped mos
o
he
w i ing on his p inciple. Geo ge
C.
D. Odell complains ha in
he
wo au obiog aphical no els,
Mimi
c L! e
(1855)
and Twin Roses ( 1857) she
was
«always making he se
l
he he oine
o
a no el, which
was
he
idea
o
he
own li e.»
11
The
playw igh was ollowing a pa e n
o
se
l - econs i u ion inicia ed
in
Fashion ha
me
ans much
mo
e han wha Ab amson as sumes when she says ha hese books
when
« aken
wi h
he
u
sual
g ains
o
sal
[ ... ]
a e
cl
ea
ly
in o ma i e»
(39).
Th
is
e ashioning is clea ly mo e han
ju
s
in o ma i e.
I
is
e idence
o
he p essu es
agains which Mowa was w i ing d ama and
pu
suing a hea ical ca ee .
In
Ac IV,
Scene 2, Ge ude s ages a p imi i e play-wi hin- he play, whicb is apidly abo ed
by
he es o he cha ac e s, in
he
a emp o p e en u he dama
ge
by
he
Coun
Jolimai
e. She
in end
s o
impe
sona e
Milline e
o
sa e
h
e
epu a ion
o
M s.
Ti any
's
daugh c , hough
she
is w ongly in c p e ed.
In
a sense, she
co
ns uc s a
me apho
o
he sel which in ends o b eak he dis ance be ween
h
e playw
i
gh
and
he
audienc
e.
The
ac
ha s
he
pe o m
ed
Ge ud
e
makes
his scene e en
mo e
suscep ible
o
in c p e a ion. Playing he he oin
e's
cha ac e , Mowa exposes and,
a
he s
am
e ime, sanc ions
he
de o ion o
d ama
on an e hical
ba
sis. As
Johnson
explains, so ne
o
he accu
sa
ions le elled
by
he cle gy on ac esses del ed on
h
e ac
Lha
«
no
woman
could
emain
on
he
s age
and
k
eep
hc
pu i
y
o
a
sai
n
like
eminini y»:
Th
e e ec
o
he kind o li e led by play
e
s is pecul
ia ly
pemicious o emale
cha ac e .
I
s ips
i
o
all ils l
o ie
a ibu es, i s so e a
nd
mo e delica e
cha ms. Sensibili y, modes y, and e inemen
a
e
g a
dually ex inguished by he
un eminine and indelica e business
o
he
s age
, and no hing is l
e
bu
he
hackneyed a
nd
hagga d o m
o
in
ju ed humanily, co e
ed
and bedecked
pe -
haps, by alse and awd y o namen s. A
e
w
ema
le ac o s may ha e p ese ed
he
i
i ue, b
u
, alas! how many ha e los i o e e
by
hei connec
i
on wi h
he s age. And i o he s ha e no been en i ely uined by his means, ho
.,
g e
-
a ly mus hei cha ac e s ha e s
u
e ed in pu ily and ele a ion,
by
he d
a
k
onns
o
e
il
wi h which hey come in o
such
close and
co
n inua!
co
n acl (q d.
in Johnson,
«E
n e he
Ha l
o » 70).
Compa e his o he eac ion
o
Adam T ueman when he disco e s he sec e
mee ing be ween Ge ude and he Coun
who
was conceal
ed
in a close . T ueman is
unable o anscend lhe ep esen a ion Ge1 ude h
as
s aged
o h
e se
l
in
o de
o
expose he impos
o
, he Coun . Ge ude's
beha
iou -an ac ess now, impe sona ing
Milline e's
ole-
is
imm
e
di
a ely associa ed wi h dep a i y. She is cas aside e en
by
he mos a ec ionale iends who silen
ce
h
e
igh o de end he sel
:
1
1.
Geo gc C. D. Odcll,
Amwls
o
he
New Yo k S
a¡:
e, 15 ol. (Ncw Yo k: Columbia
Un
i e si
y
P ess,
19
27
-1
949), 99. Q d.
in
Ab
a
mson 39.