In "Bazaar Beauties," Jane Rendell discusses how women interacted with space during the early nineteenth century. She begins by discussing the personality of cities -- the make up of contemporary urban society, the architecture of cities, studying cities through factual historical accounts, and taking a more subjective view of the study of cities. Since space is an important part of cities, then studying how urban citizens acted and reacted in the space of cities is also important. Rendell refers to these as "spatial stories" (p. 106) and points out how most people are fascinated by the spatial stories of detectives, spies, ramblers, and prostitutes.
Rendell focuses in particular on the spatial stories of the bazaars that were set up in the early nineteenth century to help widows and orphans make a living by being able to sell goods in a safe, controlled atmosphere. Yet, while these markets were supposed to be safe areas for women to sell their handgoods and make a living, they became underground spaces for the trading of female flesh as well. Women were already considered property, to be raised, protected, and sold to the most suitable husband by the men in their families, as well as there being some women selling their bodies in prostitution. These bazaars, however, emphasized the commodity nature of the women behind the counters, so that terms such as "piece" and "article" may refer to parts of a woman's body as well as the goods she was selling on the table before her. Ramblers, the playboys of that era, made it a game to prowl the bazaars and try to judge which chaste looking woman was actually a wanton seductress through innuendo and suggestive looks.
It's interesting to see how this has not really changed from current everyday urban life. Advertisers frequently sell a woman in a television commercial in order to sell a product, such as a car, lingerie, soap, or a scent. It is also common to see how both women ...