Promises Broken: Courtship, Class, and Gender in Victorian England

In the nineteenth century, a woman who could prove a man had broken his promise to marry her was legally entitled to compensation for damages. Bridging the gap between history and literature, Ginger S. Frost offers an in-depth examination of these breaches of promise and compares actual with fictional cases. Althought the most important factor in determining the outcome of such trials was gender, class was also vital in assessing the suitability of mates. Promises Broken highlights the courtship practices of lower- and middle- class Victorians, a group much neglected in previous scholarship.

Ginger S. Frost is Assistant Professor of History at Judson College.