The Painted Cohorts (263-301)

 Kaitlyn Frey, Tara Kennedy, Keith Russel, Zach Waltman and Mike Donovan

The Tale of Rose Haggerty:

Rose Haggerty, who was born in a Cherry Street tenement-house, refuses to fall in the wake of semi-starvation, dirt, and smells that she experiences daily. Her father, Dennis Haggerty, who unloaded ships and other odd jobs, has six children remaining (including Rose) out of twelve. Dennis and Norah, Roses parents, are both alcoholics. One night, Dennis tells Rose to take all the money in his pockets and keep the children straight. At seven years old, Rose is a responsible person, and does not wonder why her mother drinks. Their parents swear to give up alcohol, but never do. Rose learned to hide her clothes and things in an old shoemakers shop to keep them protected. Eventually, a fever killed Roses father, her brother Dennis, and left Norah paralyzed from spinal disease and unable to work.

Rose starts working at a bag-factory, soon earning $4 a week, but the old shoemaker helps pay for the first month’s rent, which is $6 a month, and occasionally takes care of the children. At 14 years old, Rose works 10 hours a day, then comes home to cook, clean, wash, and mend. Mrs. Moloney, a friend of the old shoemaker, teaches Rose how to manufacture shirts, and Rose takes work through her. Mrs. Moloney does not take advantage of Roses quality work, and Rose makes around $30 a month for 2 years while working 10-14 hours a day. Eventually, shirt prices drop, and are more closely scrutinized for flaws. Rose finds it harder to make a living as she performs various clothes manufacturing jobs, and can no longer stave off starvation or the cold. Refusing to give up her brothers and sisters after 20 years of hard work, Rose decides to try one more attempt at honest work. Bringing her work in to be inspected, she realizes that her needle “jumped”, and the foreman inspecting her only pays Rose $3.45 for the week.

Walking by the river in despair, a sailor grabs Rose by the arm and offers to pay her for sex. Even though it is dishonorable, Rose finally obliges so she can provide food and warmth for her siblings. The sailor even offered to marry Rose, but she said that no man would ever marry her after what she had done that night. Keeping her word to never marry, Rose officially becomes a prostitute, and is now able to provide for her family because of the steady work and decent wages she can earn. Rose concedes that she will probably not live long, but her siblings will have a better future because of the sacrifices that she had to make for them.

Reasons Women Became Prostitutes

Dr. William Sanger interviewed 2000 prostitutes on Blackwell’s Island, where he was the resident physician, in the 1850s.  He documented the reasons the girls gave for why they became prostitutes in the last section of his famous work, The History of Prostitution: Its Extent, Causes, and Effects throughout the World.  His research yielded these results which can also be found on page 267 of the Bedford Cultural Edition of Maggie: A Girl of the Streets:

http://www.librarycompany.org/shadoweconomy/ipad/Sanger/index.htm

Destitution was the cause of 26% of the girls resorting to prostitution, the largest percentage for any one reason.  Further questioning of the participants in the study revealed that they often “earn so small wages that a temporary cessation of their business, or being a short time out of a situation, is sufficient to reduce them to absolute distress” (270).  Sanger gave examples of girls who tried everything else before turning to prostitution and only did so when it was a matter of life and death.

25% of the girls became prostitutes because of Inclination.  While it was very taboo to report on at the time, Sanger acknowledged that some women “resort[ed] to prostitution in order to gratify the sexual passions” (267).  He went on to say that these “passions” were only awakened due to interactions with males, associations with prostitutes, intoxication, or some other outside source, ultimately dismissing the notion that any woman would naturally be inclined to be a prostitute. 

Ill-treatment by parents, relatives, or husbands was the main reason 164 of the women in the study became prostitutes.  Abuse was very likely associated with other causes in a lot of these cases, such as the desire to drink, violation, and seduction and abandonment.  For example, Maggie represents the demographic of prostitutes who were “seduced and abandoned.”  Her “ill treatment by parents” was a contributing factor that led to her descent into prostitution.

The beliefs that all women were naturally pure and even when they sinned it was out of weakness and not vice, gave rise to the notion that “seduction and abandonment” was the main cause of prostitution.  Sanger’s research says otherwise.  In fact, only 13% of the women interviewed gave it as their reason.

Drink, and the desire to drink was an interesting category in that it was closely tied to other reasons.  For example, women could have turned to alcohol as a way of dealing with the pain of “ill treatment” or “abandonment.”  Alcohol was also a big part of many girls’ lives after they had descended into the realm of prostitution.  Edward Crapsey observed, “If the unconsciousness of inebriety is ever a blessing , it is such in the case of these lost women, as it permits them for the time to forget what they are and must be always” (278).  

Effects on the Health of Prostitutes:

In addition to the information present in our readings, we decided to do some outside research on the lives of prostitutes once they entered the profession involving their health and means of birth control. No matter what reason a woman had for becoming a prostitute, sexually transmitted diseases were a serious concern. In The History of Prostitution: Its Extent, Causes, and Effects throughout the World, Dr. William Sanger discusses various diseases that resulted from being a prostitute. Out of 2,000 prostitutes that were treated in New York on Blackwell's Island, 59% reported no diseases, 8% had at least one episode of gonorrhea, 5% showed more than one attack, 20% experienced one attack of syphilis, while 7% experienced more than one attack, and 2% experienced both gonorrhea and syphilis. While these numbers may not be staggering, these are only statistics from one source of people being treated. Diseases between sexual partners were still being spread and a number of undiagnosed cases still remained. In order to receive treatments for diseases such as syphilis, prostitutes had to go to a hospital. This cost them money that they didn't have. The only way for them to receive free treatment was if they went to a prison, such as the cases cited involving Dr. Sanger. Chapter XXXVII on page 627 of The History of Prostitution: Its Extent, Causes, and Effects throughout the World discusses this predicament while suggesting other possible solutions (see link for chapter). Overall it is possible that these diseases lead to the degradation of prostitutes and lowered the class to which they belonged.

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/41873/41873-h/41873-h.htm

In order to prevent pregnancy it would make sense for prostitutes to have utilized some form of contraceptive. In 1861, The New York Times printed the first ever condom advertisement called “Dr. Power's French Preventatives”. Goodyear, the tire company, mass produced these condoms after learning about rubber vulcanization. Around this time females also used coco-butter and a chemical known as quinine as barrier methods. Once inserted into the vagina and melted, these substances created a thick fluid barrier that prevented fertilization. It is unknown whether prostitutes used these exact methods however, it would have been important for them to prevent pregnancy some how. More history on contraceptives can be found here: http://www.medicinae.org/e08

The Different Classes of Prostitutes and Ties to Maggie:

Crapsey discusses and goes into detail about the different levels of prostitutes that were present in the 1850s when Maggie was set. He starts with the lowest type, referred to as the “street-walker.” These women were often poorly dressed and described as having “no beauty in face or form,” and succumbing to sleeping in cellars. Crapsey utilizes interesting diction in addressing these women, referring to the as “creatures.” These are the women that seek out and ask every man that meets their gaze, showing their desperation and their low standing. The women of the middle level present themselves a tad better and were seen to have some form of past beauty. It was not unheard of for these women to have their own housing near their tramping ground, and they were also more likely to speak first and address a potential customer. Both the lowest and middle levels were seen the hour before midnight, signifying what grade of cohort they were. The highest class of prostitutes would retire by ten o’clock, which showed their standing, as they were not out with the lower class women of their class. These women were very elegantly dressed and were skilled at making men approach and talked around the obvious subject at hand. They lived in respectable houses and gave off an impression of a quiet, reputable life.

We see examples of these classes of prostitutes throughout Maggie. Crane describes how Maggie transitions from one class to another until she is simply a streetwalker, the lowest form of prostitution in 19^th century New York. On page 87, Maggie is described as throwing “changing glances at men who passed her, giving smiling invitations.” This shows that Maggie was a member of one of the higher classes as she was not approaching the men and asking them, but inviting them with her stare and making them come to her. The chapter transitions to Maggie entering the poorer districts of New York and finding an old, drunk and greasy man as a customer. Another example is Nell, who is a prostitute of the highest class and has figured out the system behind her controversial lifestyle. She is described as being very elegant and well dressed, and talks to Pete about business in Buffalo, showing how well she understands how to operate in her line of work.  She is the only character in the novel whose dialogue is not unreadable, which shows that she is of a higher class than other characters, despite being a prostitute.

Doubled Standard

On page 283, Edward Crapsey points out the lack of punishment for the men that use these services in his article, “Prostitution”. He explains that if the men are never punished then they will always go back to the brothels, giving reason for women to enter the field. This idea of only punishing women can be seen not only with prostitution, but also on the topic of premarital sex. Pete publicly getting intoxicated and paying for the prostitutes company shows that it did not affect a man’s reputation to be associated with the working girls. Also, the men joke at Maggie how the have they do not have the money for her services that day, showing that they take prostitution light-heartily. As said before the double standard on premarital sex is more prevalent. The boldest example is Jimmy and his mother’s reaction they have when they figured the situation. They were not only disgusted at Maggie that they shunned her, but it took the sever action of death for them to forgive her. Jimmy even noted that he sleeps with multiple women, who could have a family just as Maggie did, but quickly disregarded it. Jimmy’s mother and his own disregard about his actions, unlike their feelings towards Maggie, show this double standards. It is a two way street.

Discussion Questions:

1.     What parallels, if any, do we see with the lives of Rose Haggerty and Maggie Johnson? Do their paths to prostitution both follow the path so popularly believed in this time? Which girl would say was in a worse situation?

2.     Reports show that New York had the most prostitutes of any American city during this time period. What kind of impression could this have had on people’s view of New York back then? Does it make you view New York as any different in the present day?

3.     The article on contraception through the ages discusses how birth control methods, such as condoms, were very expensive and not largely advertised until the 1860s, when prostitution was already well established with women of New York. Do you think that lower prices or more awareness would have led to fewer venereal diseases in these women?

4.      In the novel, we see examples of the classes of prostitutes explained later by Crapsey. Are there any other parts of the novel where prostitution is hinted at before Maggie officially becomes a streetwalker?

5.     The novel touches on inequalities between genders in regards to opinions of prostitution and the involvement of men and women. This is seen with Pete and Maggie; one of whom gets arrested for an altercation and receives no reprimand for premarital sex, the other kicked out of her house and forced into a desperate lifestyle that ends up ending her life. Do you think Pete got off easy, by being beat up, arrested, and almost losing his job or did he get off easy compared to Maggie?