''The Woman's World'' was a Victorian women's magazine published by
Cassell between 1886 and 1890, edited by
Oscar Wilde between 1887 and 1889, and by
Ella Hepworth Dixon
Ella Hepworth Dixon ( pen name, Margaret Wynman; 1857–1932) was an English author and editor. Her best-known work is the New Woman novel ''The Story of a Modern Woman'', which has been reprinted in the 21st century.
Early life and education
D ...
from 1888.
Foundation
In the late nineteenth century, the market for periodicals was growing, and interest from women, who had always been the larger part of the market for fiction, increasing. Cassell and Co. launched a new magazine, ''The Lady's World'' in October 1886, intended to appeal to an aspirant middle-class audience of lady readers. It concentrated on fashion and trends among high society. Impressed by Wilde's journalism on the ''
Pall Mall Gazette
''The Pall Mall Gazette'' was an evening newspaper founded in London on 7 February 1865 by George Murray Smith; its first editor was Frederick Greenwood. In 1921, '' The Globe'' merged into ''The Pall Mall Gazette'', which itself was absorbed in ...
'', Wemyss Reid, the General Manager of Cassell & Co., wrote to Wilde in April 1887, enclosing several copies of the magazine. Wilde replied interestedly and suggested possible changes to the magazine. In May, he signed a contract for the editorship, to work two mornings a week and be paid a weekly salary of £6.
Wilde's editorship
Wilde persuaded the publisher to change the title to ''The Woman's World'', the change of description indicated it positioned itself towards an emerging class of educated women reflecting their changing place in society: Wilde designed it as "the first social magazine for women".
[Clayworth (1997:89)] Stephen Calloway and David Colvin characterised the change as one which eliminated connotations of "bas-bourgeois snobbery and reflected his advanced views on female emancipation".
[Stephen Calloway & David Colvin, ''Oscar Wilde: An Exquisite Life'', Orian, 1997, p 53-54.] The titular change was part of a wider strategy of focusing more on what women "think and feel" and not exclusively on what they wear.
Wilde managed to entice contributions from well-known writers and distinguished figures including
Elisabeth of Wied
Pauline Elisabeth Ottilie Luise of Wied (29 December 18432 March 1916) was the first queen of Romania as the wife of King Carol I from 15 March 1881 to 27 September 1914. She had been the princess consort of Romania since her marriage to then- ...
(the Queen of Romania),
Princess Christian
Princess Helena (Helena Augusta Victoria; 25 May 1846 – 9 June 1923), later Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, was the third daughter and fifth child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
Helena was educated by private tutors chosen ...
and
Marie Corelli
Mary Mackay (1 May 185521 April 1924), also called Minnie Mackey, and known by her pseudonym Marie Corelli (, also , ), was an English novelist.
From the appearance of her first novel ''A Romance of Two Worlds'' in 1886, she became the bestsel ...
. He even asked
Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previo ...
to submit poems, but was refused. The magazine continued to publish articles on high society trends and fashion, but with a more artistic slant.
Sarah Bernhardt wrote an essay on "The history of my tea gown", and Wilde offered to write an article in her name about her American tour.
Charles Ricketts
Charles de Sousy Ricketts (2 October 1866 – 7 October 1931) was a British artist, illustrator, author and printer, known for his work as a book designer and typographer and for his costume and scenery designs for plays and operas.
Ricketts ...
also contributed.
Wilde wrote a column of literary notes and responses to readers. At one point he had to defend himself against early animal rights activists who objected his promotion of the "wearing of dead animals" in his fashion notes.
[Shelagh Wilson, "Monsters and monstrosities: grotesque taste and Victorian design", in Trodd et al. (eds.), ''Victorian Culture and the Idea of the Grotesque'', Ashgate, 1999, p. 220]
Wilde soon tired of his editorial work and often failed to turn up for work or attend meetings with the publishers. As a result he was dropped as editor, but the magazine was unable to continue without him.
Bibliography
Clayworth, A. (1997) "''The Woman's World'': Oscar Wilde as Editor" ''Victorian Periodicals Review'', Vol. 30, No. 2 (Summer, 1997), pp. 84–101.
Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University (Johns Hopkins, Hopkins, or JHU) is a private research university in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1876, Johns Hopkins is the oldest research university in the United States and in the western hemisphere. It consi ...
Press on behalf of the Research Society for Victorian Periodicals
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Woman's World
Defunct women's magazines published in the United Kingdom
Monthly magazines published in the United Kingdom
Magazines established in 1886
Magazines disestablished in 1890
Oscar Wilde