Lizzie Hazlendean admits to using Henry Prest because he had the finances needed to maintain her natural lifestyle. Lizzie repeated the word natural several times at the beginning of the novel as she tries to hide her sin from her husband. Her goal throughout her affair was to maintain the lifestyle she has become accustomed to. Henry was able to provide for her in a way she hadn’t experienced growing up. With her husband and provider ill, money was not a disposable as Lizzie had hope, resulting her to step out with Henry. This exchange for sexual activity for money is known as prostitution. Prostitution is a career path as old as time and is ongoing presently.

The word prostitution comes from the Latin meaning “placing in front”; the word whore is Indo-European coming from the Old Indian word Kama meaning lust. This horrid label is placed on women who upset societal norms and perform in immodest behaviors.  In the article “The Prostitute Through The Ages. A Brief Introduction on the History of Prostitution”, the author mentions the Whore of Babylon, a biblical story about a woman who slept with many men. In Revelation 17:1-6 it states “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits by many waters. ² With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.”Much like Lizzie from Wharton, and Hester from Hawthorne, this nameless women, known as a whore, was wearing Scarlet. This woman was viewed as unholy and criticized by those in her community whereas the men’s actions were ignored.

Prostitution, although not an ideal job, is a career some women choose to take. In Lauren Elkin article Flâneuse: Women walk the City in Paris, New York, Tokyo, Venice, and London, Elkin identifies an issue that most people overlook in the name of feminism. People often victimize women when they are in immoral situations, they say “oh poor girl she has no choice” or ‘she was handed a bad life” but fails to acknowledge or give credit to those who choose these paths. Being a prostitute, stripper or a sugar baby brings in more income than working a traditional 9-5 at minimum wage. A stripper claims to make about 1k, a prostitute makes an average of 3k a week whereas traditional jobs make about $300 a week or $600 every two weeks.

With the ratio of traditional to untraditional job wages, it’s no wonder Lizzie took the untraditional route to maintain her new money status. Henry had old money and can be seen as a pimp. The income he was able to provide for Lizzie was one that a traditional career path for a woman of that time could not match.

 

Bibliography

Lauren, Elkin. Flâneuse Women walk the City in Paris, New York, Tokyo, Venice, and London

The Holy Bible. King James Version Revelation 17:1-2

The Prostitute Throughout The Ages, A Brief Introduction on the history of Prostitution