I have been reading a lot of books that were either set or written in the 18th and 19th centuries and have noticed a high frequency of women passing out after having a fit of hysteria or "fever".
Was this actually a common occurrence? Did it happen for a specific reason? Were women faking it? Or is it just made up...
Thank you!
Hi there, you're not alone in wondering about that portrayal of frail Victorian ladies. I've asked a similar question and got a fantastic answer by /u/chocolatepot and in this thread, /u/colevintage addresses the trope and the myth of corsets causing the fainting. This is not meant to discourage answers coming in, but I thought you'd like to read those posts.