Monthly Magazine for Governesses

Class

The Governess was a monthly magazine intended for governesses of upper class families. This is the first issue from April, 1882 and it contains lesson plans for teaching subjects like: pianoforte to beginners, plain needlework, Greek mythology, and Shakespeare. This is particularly interesting since we encounter all of these things in Jane Eyre. Charlotte Brontë alludes to Greek mythology and Shakespeare multiple times in the novel, and Jane is proficient in all the categories listed in this magazine. There is even a section on fashion and gossip in The Governess; the fashion section offers “the secrets for dressing well this year” and details the colors, fabrics, and shapes of the latest styles and the gossip portion focuses on what was happening in the academic writing community at the time.
This magazine gives us an idea of the type of education that was important for children in upper class families during the Victorian era. It shows what skills governesses needed possess and also depicts what the upper class culture was like during the 19th century.

British Library

April 1882

Rachel Niemeyer