Of course, the decadence movement fell step in step with the continued surge of the women’s rights movement Dowie found herself a part of. Both similarly eschewed social conventions and sought to expand the horizons of society’s limitations (Hughes, 851). Both the decadence movement that The Yellow Book ascribed to and the female literary movements were lumped together in the eye of the public, with both demanding that the frameworks in place which privileged nature over culture be dismantled. This is especially true in Dowie’s case, as her work is a clear reflection of the desire to break from assumed roles in nature such as motherhood (Hughes 851)

Linda Hughes explains quite succinctly in her work that Beardsley and The Yellow Book editorial team would often use poetry written by women following the arrest of Oscar Wilde (850). This allowed them to publish works that were more decadent without as great a fear of public backlash after the fallout from the famed author’s arrest. Part of the reason this was possible was due to the public impression of women at large.

Seen as susceptible to influence and more passionate and emotional than their male counterparts, female poets were not held to the same exacting levels of morality that men were-they simply were unable to control themselves (Hughes 850). Using this to his advantage, Beardsley was able to continue the magazine’s scandalous motifs and decadence without exposing himself or other male artists to extreme criticism from the public and other literary folk. This was important, for The Yellow Book prided itself on being avant-garde, and did not want to lose their edge simply by association by the took-it-too-far Wilde.

Between The Repentance of Mrs. **** and My Note-Book in the Weald, one might presume to know that gender norms in the 1890s were relaxed. However, it is clear that both these artists simply pushed boundaries, for better or for worth. Their involvement in the decadence movement and The Yellow Book helped to further their rebellion against polite Victorian sensibilities at the time. While we may never know what Mrs. **** was repentant for, or even her real name, it is fair to say that she was not Menie Muriel Dowie. She was repentant for nothing, and her body of work shows that no woman should have to be repentant for any part of their womanhood, especially for being independent from a man.