Rated R for Risqué: Courtship, Romance, and Intimacy in the Hazen Household

1711 Dandridge Avenue,Knoxville TN 37915

14 February, 2023

Description

A heart doesn't play by rules, but romantic love has its own rules and demands! The who, what, when, and how are molded by context and complexities of time and place and are always subject to change. For Valentine's Day 2023, join Mabry-Hazen House for Rated R for Risqué: Courtship, Romance, and Intimacy in the Hazen Household to learn about the act and attitudes around love at the historic house museum. Preserving the stories of three generations of women, this Mabry-Hazen House tour will explore romantic conventions and challenges of falling in love at the turn of the 20th century. Learn how each generation thought about romance -- the good and the bad -- and how it changed across the decades. Beginning with the courtship of Alice and Rush Hazen, visitors will learn how Victorian conventions of romance evolved into the more familiar ideas of dating in the age of Gibson Girls and flappers. The story of Evelyn Hazen and her ill-fated fifteen year engagement to Ralph Scharringhaus and subsequent "heartbalm" lawsuit will offer visitors an intimate glimpse into the thoughts and actions of a couple falling in and out of love during the Jazz Age. With much of the original furniture and decor owned by the family on display, visitors will stand next to exactly where romantic interactions and exchanges occurred, see books and artifacts that taught and helped them be "good ladies," and hear their own words about their experiences courting, dating, and loving another person. Tour starts at 7:00pm and will last about 85 minutes. Tickets are $15 per person and pre-purchasing is encouraged as tickets at the door are not guaranteed. Space is limited to fifteen visitors. Visitors must be 18 or older and/or 16 or older with a guardian older than 21 years. This program will discuss topics such as sexual trauma and harassment and could be triggering for those sensitive to such issues.