Friend or Foe: How far were sororal relations depicted positively in nineteenth-century England? Emily Lam

Sisterhood was commonly used in nineteenth century literature as an instrument to achieve a conventional end or to advance a romantic storyline; however, the shifting economic landscape and changing attitudes towards women meant that sisterhood was becoming a seemingly more complex concept, exposing competition and hostility amongst sisters. This paper explores two artefacts centred on sisterhood and suggests that sororal relations in nineteenth century England were portrayed both negatively and positively, revealing a more profound kind of feminism.