Ragtime’s fill of characters each had their own inscriptions on the past that may or may not be myths. Evelyn Nesbit’s character was both a mix of unique inscriptions to history and myths of history. Her actions showed that she as a woman in the early 1900’s had power. She was able to move around freely as a woman with authority and able to be divorced and provided with sums of money. When I think of the early 1900s I do not think of women that had affairs or ventured far beyond the home especially those of the upper class. According to the text Evelyn’s character was fairly high in the socio-economic chart having lived in South Hampton. Girls at this time were more focused on finding husbands that were successful. Here is the myth, even though Harry K. Thaw had showed he was a violent man, by causing lacerations on her body, she accepted the proposal to marriage. After the proposal she states “She had only been in the chorus but she had done as well as any of the Floradora girls.” Her life with Harry K. Thaw up to her divorce I believe was all homogenous views of women prior to the Women’s Rights era. Evelyn Nesbit stood by the side of her husband no matter what. What he asked for she would follow and do. It is common for this to occur but the para-doxical part of this is the sexual favors she was asked to do to show her love and devotion for him. Usually I would think he would ask for her not to marry anyone else, or for her to stay with him longer in prison. I did not expect Doctorow to give those depictions of history.
Another event that I found to be a myth is the intersection with Tateh and his daughter. Evelyn’s lack of knowledge about the lower class is showed throughout history books about all upper class. Tateh’s use of a rope to tie his daughter to keep them connected at all times so she doesn’t get sold into labor work. I believe Evelyn Nesbit’s character is always looking for something new in her life, some sort of adventure. When she found Tateh and the little girl it caused her to forget about her life and live in a new life. She stated in one scene that “she lived as a woman in the Jewish slums.” Not many history novels depict rich upper class women would leave their homes to experience these living situations. Most people if born at the top stay there and if not they try and make their way up. It is never the reversal. With this new family again it goes back into the myth of the housewife, with her taking care of the little girl bringing food and linens to take care of the house also.
Evelyn’s character was very unique to the social network at that time. I would not think of a rich upper class woman having affairs and going to Jewish slums. She is moving away from the consensus of what rich Hampton women would be seen as. The novel shows that these women suffered a lot of abuse and were strong with their sexuality just like the men at this time. Historical novels usually would leave the details about sexual scenes out and this has constructed a view in many minds that women never thought like about sex or adventure.
