Mrs. Pardiggle, a representative member of the bourgeoisie or upper class aristocracy,
with her intrusion, condescension, religious and political surveillance, and control,
visits an impoverished family of a brickmaker. Mrs. Pardiggle represents the views of
someone just like Hannah More:1
Dickens sometimes put words in his characters' mouths, that pointed out the
hypocrisy of the religious:
"Is my daughter a-washin? Yes, she is a-washin. Look at the water.
Smell it! That's wot we drinks. How do you like it, and what do you think
of gin, instead! An't my place dirty? Yes, it is dirty — it's nat'rally
dirty, and it's nat'rally onwholesome; and we've had five dirty and
onwholesome children, as is all dead infants, and so much the better
for them, and for us besides. Have I read the little book wot you left?
No, I an't read the little book wot you left. There an't nobody here as
knows how to read it; and if there wos, it wouldn't be suitable to me.
It's a book fit for a babby, and I'm not a babby. If you was to leave me
a doll, I shouldn't nuss it.2
Hannah More is far out of her depth. Her views politicaly and morally
are indeed at the level of a baby not only intellectually and emotionally:
she is not able to comprehend political issues associated with slavery,
Abolitionism, the French Revolution, and most importantly: Feminism.
Hannah More cannot deal with needs regarding women: education, economic
independence, nor sexuality. As such, Hannah More cannot comprehend the
needs of women, men nor children.
Website Terms of Use