The Evolution of Woman

The Evolution of Woman

In this book, McVickar, who is the illustrator of An International Episode, is now the writer and illustrator of his own book. The first illustration provides a preview of what is to come, and appears on the contents page. It shows a man dressed for winter and the wind is so strong it is blowing his clothes around, as well as the tree behind him, and it reads “A Cold Day for Man”. The preface, titled “(A Man’s) Preface,” consists of a poem by E. Irenaeus Stevenson. Throughout it, he explains how bad women used to have it in Ancient times, and that now they’ve come a long way, so they should stop attempting to evolve further, because men liked them better as they were, and they are more likely to be loved if they allow men to act above them. From the very beginning McVickar provides biblical imagery from the Garden of Eden, along with a poem saying it was she who “deceived [Adam, a man].” The following passages describe things that were done to women in ancient times, along with very violent accompanying images. In addition to being victimized through these images, women are also sexualized, as is the case with the women lifting up their skirts to reveal their lingerie. Furthermore, they are depicted as victims of manual labor, as seen in the images that accompany Switzerland. As the book goes on, it provides drawings that supposedly show women achieving liberation, because they are playing sports, practicing law, and wearing pants. The last verse is titled “A.D. 1900,” which at the time, would have been in the future, because this was published in 1896. It’s accompanying image shows a woman, wearing pants, lifting up a terrified man. McVickar believes that the fall of man is what is to come if women keep gaining standing. If this reveals how McVickar views women and balances of power, then the illustrations of An International Episode, done four years prior, could be looked at through an entirely new lens, which assumes that McVickar was trying to communicate how he did not find women, even in positions of high status, to be equal to the dominion of a man. The only instances in which women are drawn facing forward, or in a way of admiration, is when they are illustrated as products of the male gaze, described in terms of their physical appearance, or their relationship to men.

Harry Whitney McVickar - Author and Illustrator

HathiTrust

Harper & Brothers

1896

Text, Octavo, 96 pages, 42 illustrations

Poetry: short, rhyming verses by the same author, about the same topic, with accompanying illustrations.