Over the course of this essay I will be discussing the movie, The Magdalen Sisters (Mullens, 2002) and historical readings from and about the laundries in the 19th century. I will argue the similarities and contrasts between four key factors that are occurring. These factors are: That many women who entered the laundries were unmarried mothers. That labour was intensive and demanding that provided no source of income or value to the women. That abuse was occurring and regular and that the outside world considered the women to be sinners and beneath the rest of society.
One of the most popular perceptions of the Magdalen Laundries that has re-occurred several times is the fact that the majority of the laundries were filled with un-married mothers.
