Demimonde (French for "half-world") is a polite 19th century term that was often used the same way we use the term "mistress" today. In the 19th century, however, it primarily referred to a class of women on the fringes of respectable society supported by wealthy lovers (usually each had several). The term is also used to refer to these women as a group, and the social circles they moved in. As a group, the demimonde did not form a 'society', per-se, any more than modern prostitutes form a society. However, they did represent a specific class of women in the latter half of the 19th century and into the early 20th century who, though not respectable, were commonplace fixtures in the upper class of French, English and, to some extent, American society. In the United States and Britain, they were (and still are) also often referred to as courtesans, though the term courtesan in the 19th century applied to a profession (as the term "prostitute" describes a profession), whereas Demimonde/Demimondaine was used to describe a broader social class of persons. The term is French, and means literally "half-world", implying those who existed on the fringes of the "real world." Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Social Circles are groups of socially interconnected people. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999... Upper class refers to the group of people at the top of a social hierarchy. ... Languages English Religions Christianity (Anglicanism, Roman Catholicism and other minority denominations), and other faiths. ... A courtesan in mid-16th century usage was a high-class prostitute or mistress, especially one associated with rich, powerful, or upper-class men who provided luxuries and status in exchange for her services. ... A courtesan in mid-16th century usage was a high-class prostitute or mistress, especially one associated with rich, powerful, or upper-class men who provided luxuries and status in exchange for her services. ... Prostitution is the sale of sexual services (typically manual stimulation, oral sex, sexual intercourse, or anal sex) for cash or other kind of return, generally indiscriminately with many persons. ... Social class refers to the hierarchical distinctions between individuals or groups in societies or cultures. ...

Fictional Demimonde

Descriptions of the demimonde can be found in Vanity Fair, a novel which satirizes 19th century society written by William Makepeace Thackeray. Although the terms 'demimonde' and 'demimondaine' do not appear in the work (the term had not been coined at the time of the writing), the term was used by reviewers and other authors following the release of the novel in reference to three characters within it. The characters of Lady Crackenbury and Mrs. Washington White are demimonde characters, both of whom Captain Rawdon Crawley lusts after in his younger days. Prior to her presentation in court, Becky Sharp is perceived as being a demimondaine, and she later becomes one in fact during her travels through Europe following her abandonment by her husband. Colette's Gigi also describes the demimonde and their lifestyle. Gigi is schooled from childhood to be a kept woman, to stifle her feelings in return for a life of ease. "We never marry in our family", says Gigi's mother. But Gigi finds herself a misfit in the demimonde of Paris in the 'Gay Nineties', as she desires true romance with Gaston. Title-page to Vanity Fair, drawn by Thackeray, who furnished the illustrations for many of his earlier editions Vanity Fair: A Novel without a Hero is a novel by William Makepeace Thackeray that satirizes society in early 19th-century England. ... William Makepeace Thackeray (July 18, 1811 – December 24, 1863) was a British novelist of the 19th century. ... Becky Sharp is the main character in the novel Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray, first published in 1847. ... World map showing the location of Europe. ... Colette Colette [1] [2] was the pen name of the French novelist Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (January 28, 1873 – August 3, 1954). ... Gigi is a 1945 novel by the French sentimental romance writer Colette about a wealthy cultured man of fashion who discovers that he is in love with a young Parisian girl who is being groomed for a career as a grande cocotte, and eventually marries her. ... City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) The Eiffel Tower in Paris, as seen from the esplanade du Trocadéro. ... Gay Nineties is a term that refers to the decade of the 1890s in the United States. ...

Real Demimonde

Externally, the defining aspects of the demimonde were an extravagant lifestyle of fine food and fine clothes, easily surpassing that of most other wealthy women of their day, simply because of the steady income they made in both cash and gifts from their various lovers. Internally, however, their lifestyle was an eclectic mixture of sharp business acumen, social skills, and simple hedonism. Smart demimondaine, like the fictional Gigi's grandmother, invested their wealth for the day when their beauty would finally fade. Others ended up penniless and starving when age finally took its toll on their beauty unless they managed to marry one of their lovers. Of real-life demimonde, the most famous was arguably Cora Pearl. Cora Pearl, during her life, was the acknowledged Queen of the Paris courtesans. Cora's lovers, all wealthy noblemen, she called her 'chain of gold' - and included such notables as the Duc de Rivoli and even (she claimed) Prince Napoleon. Cora was so successful with her 'chain of gold' she literally made and spent millions of francs during her life. But, she was not a simple hedonist - during the Siege of Paris, Cora turned her mansion into a hospital for wounded soldiers. Cora's memoirs were discovered in 1982 in the hands of a German collector, and released by Granada Publishing Ltd in 1983, under the title The Memoirs of Cora Pearl: The Erotic Reminiscences of a Flamboyant 19th Century Courtesan. Her memoirs are, as the title declares, erotic reminiscences where she discusses in the most graphic detail the sexual prowess and tastes of her lovers, both famous and humble. Possibly the most titillating (and telling) scene describes her presentation at dinner, naked and decked in cream, as a final dish. Image File history File links C_pearl. ... Cora Pearl (1835-1886) was a famous courtesan of 19th century France. ... Combatants Prussia, Baden Bavaria, Württemberg (later German Empire) France Commanders Wilhelm I of Germany Helmuth von Moltke Louis Jules Trochu Joseph Vinoy Strength 240,000 regulars 200,000 regulars 200,000 militia and sailors Casualties 12,000 dead or wounded 24,000 dead or wounded 146,000 captured 47... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ...

Decline of the Demimonde

As the 20th century dawned, evolving social mores regarding women's place in society (particularly the suffragette and flapper movements) caused the demimonde to fade. The term then became commonly used to refer to the class of 'starving artists' - painters, authors, poets and other pseudo-bohemian types - who were marginalized by their failure to succeed financially. Suffragette with banner, Washington DC, 1918 The title of suffragette (also occasionally spelled suffraget) was given to members of the womens suffrage movement in the United Kingdom. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

Other uses of the Term in Fiction

In Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy, the "demimonde" refers to a semi-tolerated, "off the net" society of commerce and education. For the late American actress, see Kim Stanley. ... The Mars trilogy is a series of award-winning science fiction novels by Kim Stanley Robinson, chronicling the settlement and terraforming of the planet Mars. ...

Citations

• Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray (1848).

• Gigi by Colette (1945).

• The Memoirs of Cora Pearl: The Erotic Reminiscences of a Flamboyant 19th Century Courtesan edited by William Blatchford (1983). London; New York: Granada. ISBN 0-246-11915-2.

• Courtesans : Money, Sex and Fame in the Nineteenth Century by Katie Hickman (2003). New York: Morrow. ISBN 0-06-620955-2.