work instead of
leisure,ä and ãto rely on herself rather than a husband or any other personä (Powell 6). Of course, working against
the social norms attributed to the foul attitude from men, yet, it spurred the beginning of female independence, both
financially and socially.
Outside the household, there was little training, though it was common for minor actresses to frequent local
theaters when veterans and leading actresses came to perform. Watching the touring actresses, young girls would
obtain expressions and mannerisms that would be helpful with future auditions. As the young girl performed more
lines in more respectable show, the more she gained experience. From experience, she becomes a hard working,
young lady auditioning for lead roles in famous and highly respected plays. Eventually, the young lady encounters
a lifestyle-changing role that transforms her into a major actress, or a Leading Lady (Kent 97).
A Leading Ladyâs life is entirely different from a minor actress, with the exception of the hard work and long hours she spends training and rehearsing. Her pay is increased to an average of £20 to £30 per week, which was a generous amount for a woman in any type of work. The Ladyâs steady income allowed her to purchase beautiful dresses, handcrafted gowns, luxurious amenities, and elegant homes or apartments. In fact, many Leading Ladies were expected to provide their own costumes, as well as personal servants (Kent 101). In terms of acting, a Leading Lady performed the major roles and supporting roles, even equal to those of men. This sort of ãstage equalityä angered men in a way such that they complained that women would take over the theater. The menâs attitude fueled societyâs hostility toward actresses because instead of homemaking, they devoted their time in a steady career.
Leading Ladies performed major roles comedies, satires, melodramas, and tragedies. The Ladyâs experience
garnered admiration from friends and family, and especially aspiring minor actresses. 
Photographers and journalists
who attributed to her success always surrounded her. Traveling was also part of her busy schedule. They were often
scheduled in theaters within the city and even toured in different countries. From town to town, local newspapers
would critique a Leading Ladyâs performance. Sometimes, a critics view was the antithesis of the audienceâs opinion,
or vice versa. Consequently, unfavorable opinions only caused the Leading Lady to work harder at her craft.
A Leading Ladyâs life wasnât constantly glamorous, however. She had a limited amount of time to rehearse from
city to city and rehearsing from morning until late at night, all while taking care of her children and family.
like Hamlet and King Lear (Sarah). An additional actress who was very successful and extremely rich was
the musical comedian Lucia Vestris. She earned up to £40 a night impersonating males and showing off her
shapely legs (Kent 99).
From the beginning of Victorian actresses, acting was the least respected of the performing arts, but with the hard work and dedication of many actresses, society realized that acting was indeed a true craft. Actresses of the Victorian were ahead of their time. They didnât follow social standards of the day; instead, they chose their direction. They had the power to control the audience with the slightest motion, and control silence or raise laughter. Victorian actresses paved the way for modern actresses, however, the whole notion of what an actress wants to achieve hasnât changed ö they are passionate and want to embody the character they play.
Works Cited
Howland, David. Ellen Terry. 2 May 2002.
Kent, Christopher. A Widening Sphere: Changing Roles of Victorian Women. Ed. Martha Vicinus. Bloomington, IN: IndianaUP, 1980.
Powell, Kerry. Women And Victorian Theatre. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997.
ãSarah Bernhardt.ä Colliers Encyclopedia. CD-ROM.
This page was written by Ernesto Rausa, and is maintained by Melanie Ulrich.
This page was last updated Saturday, 27-Apr-2002 11:54:06 CDT