Menie Muriel Dowie: Feminist, traveler and ... hypocrite?

Born in Liverpool in 1867, Dowie was a critically acclaimed female writer during her time (Adams 313-314). Her works mainly explored avant-garde opinions of femininity and sexuality. However, she was also known for her independent adventures to foreign countries. Poland was one of them.

Dowie traveled alone to the Carpathians, where she spent several weeks acquainting herself with Polish customs and traditions. She acquired a certain empathy for the people, praising their beautiful language, art and preservation of culture. In fact, she based Wladislaw off of a real painter whom she met during her travels.

                                                                                        But,

Hidden among Dowie’s praise are certain ideas which may discredit her positive stance towards Poles. When scrutinized, her word choice and commentary reveal that Dowie herself may have been the victim of what she called a “British crudeness.”

One interesting point is how the same person is described by British writer Dowie, and Polish writer Krajewska. Dowie uses the phrase “peasant servant” (Dowie 768) to describe the Pole who helped her during her travels. Krajewska calls him “goralski przewodnik” (Krajewska 303) – the literal English translation: “highlander guide.” An Anglophone reader would simply skim over the phrase, not deeming it offensive or inappropriate. It is the Polish reader who pauses and realizes the word’s true harmful power.

Such word choice on Dowie’s part reveals her internalized prejudices which stem from her upper class upbringing. It also reveals just how strong the influences of one’s social sphere really are, for such ideas must have come to Dowie from somewhere.

It is also worthy to note that Dowie’s decision to travel to Poland was not based on a desire to broaden her understanding of European culture. She simply wanted to show the world that a woman could travel alone – first traveling to France, then Germany and finally reaching Poland (Adams 317). In fact, she admits that she knew nothing about Poland and that she did not feel that her ignorance required an apology (Dowie 765).

She also states, “I hope that nothing I have said will induce anybody else to come” (771). After a lengthy explanation of the beauty and safety of Poland, one might wonder why Dowie hopes to prevent others from visiting and experiencing the beauty first hand.

One might wonder,

What is the point of boasting the greatness of a peoples and in the same breath warning others away from them?