Author: Alexandra Rusu
At the end of the 19th century, the stricter control of clandestine prostitution and the reformation of brothels coincided with the affirmation of family life values. The sanctity and pleasures of ideal family life called for protection against the amoral and shallow lifestyles followed by many, regardless of class and sex. By the beginning of the 20th century, the “good house” became a key symbol and a powerful metaphor in the worldview of the Romanian elite. However, the gap between ideals and the realities of domestic life has seen the emergence of cultural contradictions, conflicting messages, and experiences.
For the elite of the great capitals of Europe, the end of the 19th century brought a period of retreat into privileges and luxury and the defense of established values, which took precedence over the inclinations or desires of the individual. Emulating French and Viennese protipendada, wealthy families from Bucharest spent their days displaying their status and wealth; they honored tea invitations, went for walks, ate meals at the best restaurants or took part in worldly events. The litany of social acts is captured by Gabriela Adameșteanu in her novel “Lost Morning”, through the voice of a representative of the wealthy bourgeoisie: “I liked to travel, to dance, I really liked going to shows. With Lulu, I went to all the balls, I danced all night and, in the morning […], when I returned home […] I decided what the servant should cook that day, what was left to do around the house… Then I would go out by carriage, make orders for a week, pay visits again or go to a show in the afternoon.” (Adameșteanu, 2012, 43-44)
In this illusive ordered world, influential families had a duty to lead by example—a moral guidance (science of good and evil) embodied in strict codes of conduct. Widespread in all social environments, the rules “were intended to complement civil laws”, “drawing attention to the serious consequences of the willing or unwilling practice of social flaws (vices of all kinds)” (Vasile, 2010, 146). Complementary to the Church’s activity, in the Old Kingdom, moral laws were supported in various ways, in specialized publications (e.g. We don’t like it! Practical rules of good decency between people-Marin Florea Livescu, 1905; Moral disorder in our private and public life – Theodor I. Focșăneanul, 1897; Marriage handbook of – N.I. Petrescu, 1891), the press (e.g. The bee, The family’s tribune, Health Ideal, The voice of peasants) or through the lectures given by well-established professionals at the Atheneum. The Romanian Atheneum conference program for the year 1883-1884, featured lectures such as: “Old morals and new morals” by Gr. Vulturescu, “About the new generation. Sketch of morals and characters” by G. Miron, “Oriental morals and Romanians” by S.D. Olănescu. All lamented the moral disorder caused by the new values promoted in the age, such as material interest and personal good, at the expense of Christian virtues. (Capital Courier, 1883, 3)
Often, the scaffolding of norms formed a facade that hid immoral behaviors. Freud’s writings revealed how oppressive these codes of conduct were, causing many to repress their feelings, which triggered physical or mental pathologies. Struggling to suppress them, people ended up being ruled by them. Authoritative morality did not evolve to meet the challenges of modernity, so it began to be challenged, especially by artists and writers who caustically portrayed contemporary society, full of contradictions. Women’s emancipation, sports, youth self-assertion worked together to dissolve the boundaries between the sexes. The conservative generations blamed these paradigm changes for the moral decline, the increasing number of divorces, abandoned, illegitimate or single-parent children. (Ianoși, 2010, 19)
Between public and personal morality opens a chasm paved with hypocrisy and dissimulation. Since the family’s reputation was under constant scrutiny, a certain degree of censorship manifested itself in all aspects of life. Sexuality was a target; since it could not be ignored, it had to be invisible (Zweig, 2014, 82). Of all the vices affecting the institution of marriage, concubinage attracted the scorn of the community, the immoral couple “being pointed at as villains or common criminals” and forced into legality (Vasile, 2010, 168). Many couples began to rebel instead of accepting a marriage of convenience which they considered “a legal prostitution under the protection of the laws” (Achimescu, 1901, 15). Next was adultery, which was considered a scourge of modern society, “an ugly stain that spread and darkened the brightness of marriage”. The spouses shared the blame for falling into temptation (Vasile, 2010, 173). Even celibacy was looked upon circumspectly because it could potentially support prostitution and adultery, causing the number of divorces to increase and the health of the population to weaken. (Vasile, 2010, 172)
Despite, or because of, the control exercised by public morality, entire industries flourished, such as pornographic literature, “thrill” bars, and brothels. The notes of I. Minulescu’s character, Mihai Băleanu (Bucu), regarding the progress of society also include the “reform” of the hotel policy regarding this “micro-industry of carnal pleasures”: “the viper [the city] has become civilized. The streets were paved with asphalt and lit with electricity… the high school students no longer meet the milliners and seamstress on the city squares. Hotels began to rent rooms by the month, by the day and even by the hour…” (Minulescu, 1974, 24)
Social reform publications popularized the image of the prostitute to illustrate the danger of female sexuality. Prostitution – “the trade that a woman makes with her body” (Stanca, Voina, 1922, 63) – was seen, like alcohol consumption, as a sign of degeneration, an institution by which individuals of both sexes want to profit (Stanca, Voina, 1922, 81). In reality, “the foundation of erotic life beyond the boundary of marriage was prostitution” (Zweig, 2014, 96), a situation supported by “rendez-vous places for the society that sought to drown its loneliness in the intoxication of sensations.” (DiFilippo, 2015, 18)
Technological progress was another factor that shook up conventions at the turn of the century. The conquests of technology (electricity, the telephone, the bicycle, the car) generated new lifestyles incompatible with previous norms and created new educational perspectives for the masses. Progress is also one of mentality: “people, whether schooled or self-taught […] replace the need for miracle with the joy of scientific explanation.” (Pârvulescu, 2017, 318)
Text: Alexandra Rusu
Illustrations and ads from Asmodeu (1874), Bobârnacul (1878) and Furnica (1908) publications.
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