The Governess

In this episode we explore the role of the governess in 19th Century England.  Governesses were well educated young women employed by wealthy families to teach their daughters. Existing in a strange limbo, they were not considered a part of the family but were also too high status to fit in with other servants.  Due to this governesses were often lonely figures who operated outside of feminine conventions, as they were unmarried and financially independent. In this episode we delve into the day to day work of a governess and what type of women tended to fill this role.
In addition, we explore the lives of some famous governesses, stereotypes and examples of governesses in art and literature, which have helped build them up as a fictional archetype. 

Trigger warning - there is some discussion of sexual assault 

Sources
https://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/videos/the-governess
https://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/the-figure-of-the-governess
https://www.19thcenturyart-facos.com/artwork/governess-0
https://www.mimimatthews.com/2015/06/15/the-literary-governess-depictions-in-austen-bronte-thackeray-and-heyer/
https://www.mimimatthews.com/2018/02/12/the-vulnerable-victorian-governess/