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Introduction

  • The Romantic Movement (1790-1837) had profound impacts on perceptions of death and beauty.
  • It is an ancient disease, but by the 19th century, it was an epidemic.
  • Most deaths were people aged 15-40. The causes of the illness were unknown. There was no cure.
  • Research question: Why was tuberculosis a beautiful and desirable disease?

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Methods and Analysis

  • On a study abroad trip to London, I conducted archival research on this topic.
  • I referenced letters, books, paintings/drawings, ephemera, and clothing.
  • I worked mostly in the Wellcome Collection and the British Library.
  • The most interesting source I found was Charlotte Brontë’s letters.

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Results

During the 18th and 19th centuries, tuberculosis was not only a deadly disease but also a cultural phenomenon that shaped Western beauty standards; its symptoms—pale skin, flushed cheeks, and a delicate physique—were romanticized in art and literature, reinforcing ideals of fragile femininity. Societal responses to the tuberculosis epidemic reflect health and beauty ideals and reinforces prevailing notions of class, gender, and aesthetics.

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Conclusions

  • Following the advent of germ theory, tuberculosis transformed from a romanticized affliction to a clearly defined infectious disease.
  • Although it is preventable and curable today, it remains the world’s most deadly infectious disease.
  • In the fall, I will continue this research to explore modern perceptions of TB and this period’s impact on beauty standards.

References and Paper

A Consumptive Death

Romanticism, Beauty, and Tubercular Illness in Victorian England

“Consumption, I am aware, is a flattering malady…” - C.Brontë

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Letter to W.S. Williams 1 February 1849

Acknowledgements

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Special thank you to Dr. Hamlin for all her support and guidance. I also extend my thanks to the History Department and their award of the Joyner Scholarship to make this project possible.

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“Tight Lacing!” Print, 9.5 x 9 cm. Unknown. Wellcome Collection.

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“Dropsy Courting Consumption.” Etching with watercolor, 35.3 x 25 cm, by Thomas Rowlandson. Wellcome Collection.

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“She Never Told Her Love.” Albumen silver print from glass negative, 1857, by Henry Peach Robinson. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Emily Luyster, History and Anthropology