Page 44 - Confronting Race Women and Indians on the Frontier, 1815 - 1915

CHAPT E R ONE

Perhaps inspired by these novels, Codey's began to include the capa­
ble woman among its other features. In the mid-r840s, Codey's pub­
lished on a regular basis sketches of heroic women of the American
Revolution. "The women of that era were equal to the crisis," one
author wrote; they contributed "active assistance, by the labor of their
hands; by the sacrifice of their luxuries; by the surrender of what had
been deemed necessaries." About the same time, accounts of female
heroism in other eras appeared. In r845, one tale recounted how an
explorer's life had been saved several times by women. Another story
celebrated the wife who realized that a robber was hiding under the bed
and bravely detained him by staying in the room for two hours until
help arrived. 8 3
The emergence of capable women also manifested itself in Codey's
through an increased emphasis on exercise, diet, health, beauty, and fash­
ion. The argument was that women could perform their moral duties
only if they were healthy and strong. Women therefore needed to learn
how to take proper care of themselves. As early as r84I , Codey's dared
to suggest that the "delicate" young lady was becoming passe; that a
woman should "go forth into the fields and woods, if you live in the
country-take long walks in the cool morning and evening hour, if you
are in 'populous cities pent'-let the minimum of these daily excursions
average at least two miles. W " hen indoors, dancing provided excellent
exercise, as did the practice of modest calisthenics. Even a revision of
Codey's fashion plates was justified by the appearance of capable women.
During the r840s, Codey's launched a campaign to do away with stiff
and pudgy figures, replacing them with healthy, graceful ones. 84
The contradiction between woman's weakness and her capability
were especially apparent in the dime novels of the late nineteenth cen­
tury and early twentieth century. On the one hand, women were char­
acterized as " gentle maidens" who required protection from men. W h en
one heroine of the r890s was accosted by a bully demanding a kiss from
her, she cried out, "Are there no men among you who will help me?"
She was saved by a stalwart hero who proclaimed that he "never hesi­
tated to face death in defense of a woman." In another tale, "white maid­
ens" were placed in a grotto by their male protectors, who fought off
"savages" on their behalf." 85