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, therefor her fascinating life is a tangle of complex falsities and is very difficult to trace. 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. 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. 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.