Clockwork Angel

Clockwork Angel is set in late-19th-century Victorian London. Life in Victorian London was characterized by a complex web of social norms, class distinctions, and gender expectations. During this era, which spanned from the ascension of Queen Victoria in 1837 to her death in 1901, there were especially rigid social expectations for women. Women were generally expected to conform to the ideals of femininity, which included qualities such as modesty, domesticity, and submissiveness. They were often seen as the moral guardians of the household and were expected to prioritize their roles as wives and mothers above all else.

Cassandra Clare uses the setting of Victorian London and the expectations of its society to shape her female characters. Tessa Gray is an orphaned teenage girl from working-class New York City; she follows her brother to London because she doesn’t have the standing as an unmarried girl to provide for herself. Similarly, Jessamine plans to marry quickly so that she can have property of her own and escape the Shadowhunter world. Both women seek the protection of men, reflecting that women in this time period faced significant challenges to maintain themselves independently. Employment opportunities for women were limited, particularly in higher-paying professions or those that required education. Women were often relegated to low-paying jobs, such as domestic service or factory work, where their wages were meager and working conditions often harsh. Many women found employment as governesses, teachers, or nurses, but these roles were also poorly paid and did not offer much financial independence. Although the Clave, the Shadowhunter law enforcement, is more progressive in their treatment of female leaders, they hold Charlotte Branwell to a higher standard than their male counterparts, scrutinizing her activities as Head of the Institute and reflecting the social judgment of women who operate outside of the expected feminine sphere of domesticity.