Love, Marriage, and Divorce
November 21, 2021 @ 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Love, Marriage, and Divorce
A Bennington Historical Society Presentation
The highs and lows of love and heartache, from Victorian wedding gowns to scandalous tales of sexual harassment.
Marriage isn’t what it used to be, but what did it really used to be? In Colonial America, marriage was largely a matter of property and reproduction. Romantic love as we know it today was not considered necessary to wedded bliss until the Victorian era. Some same-sex couples quietly cohabited in the Green Mountains in plain sight during the nineteenth century, although their relationships were not recognized as “marriage” until a century later. Domestic abuse, sexual harassment, and scandal have been tabloid fodder since the earliest days of Vermont’s statehood. Despite changing social customs, we may find that human nature has changed very little over the years, although the nature of marriage continues to shift. A phonograph concert inspired by the exhibit will follow the presentation.
About the Presenter
Callie Raspuzzi has been the Collections Manager at the Bennington Museum for 16 years. She attended Colgate University and has a Master’s degree in Museum Studies from the George Washington University.
This program will take place in person. A recording will be available for later viewing.
Bennington Museum requires the use of a face mask that covers both the mouth and the nose at all times while inside the building. Thank you for helping to keep all of our visitors and staff healthy.
The Bennington Historical Society is a volunteer-run program of Bennington Museum. The BHS offers its programs at no charge. Please consider supporting the efforts of the BHS to share the history of our region by making a donation.
