El servicio doméstico como mediador del escándalo: aproximación a través de un caso de adulterio, Santiago de Chile, 1874-1875

Abstract

This paper presents a first approximation of the figure of the servant in Chilean court records from 1874-1875, based on the servant’s role in the spreading of information about a scandalous situation (adultery). In addition to the details of the case, it reveals the participation of domestic servants into the justice system, and how they, as the primary witnesses to family intimacy, are subjected to various strategies by the parties to the dispute.

Keywords

• Chile
• 19th century
• domestic service
• scandal
• court record