Essay On Maisie Dobbs

In the novel Maise Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear, the main character, Maisie Dobbs, at the age of 13 becomes a domestic servant that works for Lord Julian and Lady Rowan where she blackened the fireplace, swept the floor, polished the furniture and ran errands for Lady Rowan. With Maisie only having one job she was able to move in with Lady Rowan and Lord Julian, other known as the Compton’s. In Maisie’s free time she took it upon herself to read some of the books that she had gotten from the library to further her knowledge. I have done my research and none of the domestic servants have said that they have once had free time to do other thing. In the novel Maisie Dobbs it fails to tell the true reality of domestic servants instead it shows

how Maisie and her father were privileged.
In the novel, Maisie’s father, Franke Dobbs, was also a domestic servant that worked as horse keeper who watched over the horses and he even had to cover for his employer because Lady Rowan did not want the soldiers to use her horses.

So Frankie Dobbs faked the horses being sick so that the horses which worked. Even before all this Maisie was the reason why Frankie her father got the job as being a caretaker to the horses. It seemed as though Frankie liked his job. Although Maise’s father had to wake up early to tend to the horses he did not complain about it. “ Frankie would be at the stable with Persephone from early hour, not as early as on the weekend, but early all the same” (Winspear 104). Mr. Frankie Dobbs had a steady schedule that he liked and he was able to make time to meet with his daughter Maisie whenever she visited. According to article called Women in first war Britain: Exploitation revolt and betrayal servants that lived outside of their home were paid more and the workers did work long hours from dawn to day. Unlike others Frankie Dobbs basically worked early mornings and midday that could be because of the position he carried because most men were sent into war so there were not many men working as domestic

servants.
The main character, Maisie Dobbs, is privileged because most domestic servants her age do not like their job and work long hours and do not know when their shift may be open they just work until called upon. This 14 year old described her experience as a domestic servant and it was far more different than how Maisie’s life was. “When I was fourteen years of age I went to service for about 18 months and I did not like it at all because you were on from morning to night and never did get meals on time in your peace for you are up and down all the time, you only get half a day a week and you never get large wages in service” (ibid) (Ana Munoz). In the novel Maisie pretty much has it made she did not really complain about food she was on good standing with the whole staff and they all said that Maisie would be a success coming out of here. Also many domestic servants around 13 and 14 years old were sent in to work to help provide for their family, instead in this case the funds were going toward college.
Maisie’s roommate Enid joins the factory work for less pay and her working conditions were at high risk. Former worker in the factories stated that “Being in a mill was like being in a prison, and it had the further disadvantage that one was being slowly melted away. In my first two years my weight remained the same, although I grew a couple of inches. Most of us developed speed, but we lacked weight and strength – the work made us human whippets. One day was like another. It was throb, throb, throb” (Ibid.) (Ana Munoz). Enid worked long hours for less the pay than she did when working for The Compton’s and her conditions were far worse. Mute and Forgotten article stated that one positive aspect of being a factory worker is there was no uniform that had to be worn mainly because everyone was at the same level and you could not really go up or down when working in the factory. So many came to work comfortably dressed. Unlike those who are domestic servants their clothes determine what rank they were in.
To continue with how Maisie Dobbs was privileged, in the Compton’s home there was a huge library and Maisie would go to the library and read any chance she could get. “I go to the library every week on a Wednesday afternoon. Mrs. Crawford sends me with a list for her and Mr. Carter, and get books for myself as well” (Winspear 84). There Maisie is telling her dad how she takes advantage of the fact that she gets to go to the library and she makes sure she gets a book for herself. One day on her adventure to the library Maisie gets caught in Mrs. Crawford’s library in her house. Instead of punishing her she actually helps Maisie and sets her up with Maurice Blanche as a like a teacher to help her improve her reading skills and prepare her for college. “Dr. Blanche, must, however, be on your own time and must not interfere in any way with your work in the house” (Winspear 98). I have done my research and I have yet to find anything about the employer of a domestic servant ever helping out a domestic servant advance his or her education.
Maise has had the opportunity to go school thanks to the help of her employer Lady Rowan and even become a nurse during the war. Many other domestic servants stick to their one job but some actually do venture off and become nurses or working in factories.