Lola Montez Introduction
Lola Montez, who was born Eliza Rossana Gilbert on February 17, 1824, was a very interesting and largely studied figure. According to one biography, Montez was known to be a serial liar, therefore her fascinating life is a tangle of complex falsities and is very difficult to trace (Seymour, vii). Montez was an Irish born dancer known best for her jaw-dropping beauty which captured the hearts of many noble and important men from all around the world (Seymour, 1). Although she had two husbands prior, her most notable suitor was King Ludwig I of Bavaria. Lola, who was commonly characterized by her hot temper and inability to remain in one place for too long, challenged all the expectations what it meant to be a woman in the Victorian age (Seymour, 11). She challenged conventional femininity in many ways, from being a chain-smoker, to wearing provocative clothing, and everything in between. Perhaps one of her most notable deviation from womanhood, however, is that she was a female author in the early 19th century.
Below you find the excerpts from The Arts of Beauty; or, Secrets of a Lady's Toilet, that we have chosen to analyze in this entry.
Continue through our pages, to explore and learn about some key themes discovered in this text.