Heartthrobs

From dreams of Prince Charming or dashing military heroes, to the lure of dark strangers and vampire lovers; from rock stars and rebels to soulmates, dependable family types, or simply good companions, female fantasies about men tell us a great deal about the history of women. Change came slowly, and young women remained trapped in a double-bind: you may have needed a husband in order to survive, but you had to avoid looking like a gold-digger. In Heartthrobs, Carol Dyhouse draws upon literature, cinema, and popular romance to show how the changing cultural and economic position of women has shaped their dreams about men.When girls were supposed to be shrinking violets, passionate females risked being seen as 'unbridled', or dangerously out of control.

Education and wage-earning brought independence Show attraction too openly and you might be judged 'fast' and undesirable.