strixus

Oh gods, that’s even worse if you understand the FULL horror of what is happening.

She’s young, and dressed in full mourning dress. This means she’s either mourning for a child, a parent or sibling, or her husband.

If it was a husband, she’s been in this state for at least a year - widowed women were not supposed to leave home until a year had passed, but had to continue wearing full mourning for at least another year after that.

However, since she isn’t wearing a veil, my guess is it is likely either a parent or child. If it is a parent or sibling six months was generally the period of full mourning. If it was a child, she could wear this as long as she wished. My guess would likely be a parent or sibling, since she is shown traveling.

So you have a horrible man, leering at this woman who is dressed to show her grief at the loss of someone close, at a time when she not only would be unable to be social had she wanted to, but when such an approach was the worst decorum possible of a man in public.

A woman, having lost a parent, sibling, or child, is being oogled as a sexual object at the very time when society denies her sexuality the most.