The Case of the Married Woman
Caroline Norton and Her Fight for Justice for Women
1 of 2 copies available
Racked with jealousy, George Norton took the Prime Minister to court, suing him for damages on account of his adultery with Caroline. A dramatic trial followed. Despite the unexpected and sensational result—acquittal—Norton was still able to legally deny Caroline access to her children. He also claimed her income as an author for himself, since the copyrights of a married woman belonged to her husband.
Yet Caroline refused to despair. Beset by the personal cruelties perpetrated by her husband and a society whose rules were set against her, she chose to fight. She channeled her energies in an area of much-needed reform: the rights of a married woman and specifically those of a mother. She campaigned tirelessly, achieving her first landmark victory with the Infant Custody Act of 1839. Provisions which are now taken for granted owe much to Caroline, who was determined to secure justice for women at all levels of society from the privileged to the dispossessed.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
November 22, 2022 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9798765091050
- File size: 271917 KB
- Duration: 09:26:29
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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March 21, 2022
Historian and novelist Fraser (The King and the Catholics) delivers an informative biography of author and women’s rights activist Caroline Norton (née Sheridan; 1808–1877). Married to Tory MP George Norton at age 19, Caroline’s sardonic wit and exotic beauty made her one of London’s most popular salon hosts. Though George relied on Caroline’s social connections to help advance his political career, he grew jealous of her many male admirers, including prime minister Lord Melbourne, and physically assaulted her. When the marriage fell apart in 1836, George sued Lord Melbourne for damages due to “criminal conversation,” or adultery. Though he lost that case, English law entitled Norton to full custody of the couple’s three children and the proceeds from Caroline’s writing. In response, Caroline launched a vociferous campaign on behalf of the rights of married women, helping to win passage of the 1839 Infant Custody Act and the 1857 Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Bill, which shifted divorce rulings from ecclesiastical to secular courts and allowed separated women to “hold property in their own names and sign contracts.” Fraser’s vivid character sketches and incisive analysis of legal, political, and rhetorical matters result in a winning study of an indefatigable crusader who turned a personal tragedy into a public triumph.
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