“A Letter to the Queen”

Caroline Norton married George Chapple Norton in June 1827. The marriage was a disaster because they had nothing in common. She was outgoing, witty, and headstrong while he had no personality. After two months, he became abusive to keep her in line. Caroline began to write for pleasure and to support her family. She also pressured friends and family to give her unemployed husband a job. By her third child, the abuse had become unbearable. They separated after having an argument about the children’s vacation location, which led to George removing the children from the home and evicting Caroline. The fate of this marriage would be decided in court. Caroline realized for her to survive she would have to fight the court to change laws that were bias against women.

I saw Caroline as a hero for women because she set out to change history and the laws which governed our people. All laws benefited the rich and men. Her first step was the draft of a letter. This letter was to the Queen about Lord Chancellor Cranford’s Marriage and Divorce Bill.

In reading this letter, I chose to focus on three of the laws that deny women their rights.
(1) A woman is denied the right to own possessions whether received before marriage or as gifts. I believe an old saying “what is mine is mine and what is your is yours”. No one should be able to take this from you. It says that a woman does not exist. The laws of England felt otherwise. “A woman’s person and property were at her husband’s disposal…The thinking was that”husband and wife are one person and the husband is that person” (564).
(2) A woman can not legally receive a salary for work performed. I feel that the job is hers and all work completed was done by her so the money does not belong to the husband. In a marriage, you should work with your mate to provide a staple home which can include contributing to the financing of it. “Whether wages for manual labour or payment for intellectual exertion… her salary is the husband’s; and he could compel a second payment, and treat the first as void, if paid to the wife without sanction” (565).
(3) A woman should have the right to be part of the divorce proceeding and the right to initiate them. A marriage is what you make of it. If all parties involved are not in agreement with its status, then either should be able to dissolve it. There is such a thing as piece of mind. If you do not have it, problems could arise. “If a husband take proceedings for a divorce, she is not …allowed to defend herself…She is not represented by attorney…she cannot divorce...and she cannot claim support” (565-566).

Caroline was responsible for the passage of the Divorce and Matrimonial Cause Act (1857) because of the injustice she received from her husband. Her letter became the focus of the public eye. She assisted in removing hurdles that stood in our path for women’s rights to equality.