the people, women in 19th century marin loredana

8/8/2019 The People, Women in 19th Century Marin Loredana

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The People: Women andThe People: Women and

minoritiesminoritiesWomen in the 19Women in the 19thth century incentury in

America America



European and American women in theEuropean and American women in thenineteenth century lived in an age characterizednineteenth century lived in an age characterizedby gender inequality. At the beginning of theby gender inequality. At the beginning of thecentury, women enjoyed few of the legal, social,century, women enjoyed few of the legal, social,or political rights that are now taken for grantedor political rights that are now taken for grantedin western countries: they could not vote, couldin western countries: they could not vote, couldnot sue or be sued, could not testify in court,not sue or be sued, could not testify in court,had extremely limited control over personalhad extremely limited control over personalproperty after marriage, were rarely grantedproperty after marriage, were rarely grantedlegal custody of their children in cases of legal custody of their children in cases of divorce, and were barred from institutions of divorce, and were barred from institutions of higher education.higher education.



Women were expected to remainWomen were expected to remainsubservient to their fathers and husbands.subservient to their fathers and husbands.Their occupational choices were alsoTheir occupational choices were also

extremely limited. Middleextremely limited. Middle-- and upperand upper--classclasswomen generally remained home, caringwomen generally remained home, caringfor their children and running thefor their children and running thehousehold. Lowerhousehold. Lower--class women often didclass women often didwork outside the home, but usually aswork outside the home, but usually aspoorlypoorly--paid domestic servants or laborerspaid domestic servants or laborersin factories and mills.in factories and mills.



The onset of industrialization, urbanization, as well asThe onset of industrialization, urbanization, as well asthe growth of the market economy, the middle class,the growth of the market economy, the middle class,and life expectancies transformed European andand life expectancies transformed European and

American societies and family life. For most of the American societies and family life. For most of the

eighteenth century through the first few decades of theeighteenth century through the first few decades of thenineteenth century, families worked together, dividingnineteenth century, families worked together, dividingfarming duties or work in smallfarming duties or work in small--scale familyscale family--ownedownedbusinesses to support themselves. With the rapidbusinesses to support themselves. With the rapidmercantile growth, big business, and migration to largermercantile growth, big business, and migration to larger

cities after 1830, however, the family home as thecities after 1830, however, the family home as thecenter of economic production was gradually replacedcenter of economic production was gradually replacedwith workers who earned their living outside the home.with workers who earned their living outside the home.



In most instances, men were the primaryIn most instances, men were the primary"breadwinners" and women were expected to"breadwinners" and women were expected tostay at home to raise children, to clean, to cook,stay at home to raise children, to clean, to cook,

and to provide a haven for returning husbands.and to provide a haven for returning husbands.Most scholars agree that the Victorian Age was aMost scholars agree that the Victorian Age was atime of escalating gender polarization as womentime of escalating gender polarization as womenwere expected to adhere to a rigidly definedwere expected to adhere to a rigidly defined

sphere of domestic and moral duties, restrictionssphere of domestic and moral duties, restrictionsthat women increasingly resisted in the last twothat women increasingly resisted in the last two--thirds of the century.thirds of the century.



Scholarly analysis of nineteenthScholarly analysis of nineteenth--century women hascentury women hasincluded examination of gender roles and resistance onincluded examination of gender roles and resistance oneither side of the Atlantic, most often focusing oneither side of the Atlantic, most often focusing ondifferences and similarities between the lives of womendifferences and similarities between the lives of women

in the UnitedS

tates,E

ngland, and France. While thein the UnitedS

tates,E

ngland, and France. While themajority of these studies have concentrated on howmajority of these studies have concentrated on howwhite, middlewhite, middle--class women reacted to their assignedclass women reacted to their assigneddomestic or private sphere in the nineteenth century,domestic or private sphere in the nineteenth century,there has also been interest in the dynamics of genderthere has also been interest in the dynamics of genderroles and societal expectations in minority and lowerroles and societal expectations in minority and lower--

class communities. Although these studies can beclass communities. Although these studies can becomplementary, they also highlight the difficulty of complementary, they also highlight the difficulty of making generalizations about the lives of women frommaking generalizations about the lives of women fromdifferent cultural, racial, economic, and religiousdifferent cultural, racial, economic, and religiousbackgrounds in a century of steady change.backgrounds in a century of steady change.



Where generalizations can be made, however, "theWhere generalizations can be made, however, "thewoman question," as it was called in debates of thewoman question," as it was called in debates of thetime, has been seen as a tendency to define the role of time, has been seen as a tendency to define the role of women in terms of private domesticity. Most often,women in terms of private domesticity. Most often,

depictions of the lives of nineteenthdepictions of the lives of nineteenth--century women,century women,whether European or American, rich or poor, arewhether European or American, rich or poor, areportrayed in negative terms, concentrating on theirportrayed in negative terms, concentrating on theirlimited sphere of influence compared to that of menlimited sphere of influence compared to that of menfrom similar backgrounds. In some cases, however, thefrom similar backgrounds. In some cases, however, the

private sphere of nineteenthprivate sphere of nineteenth--century women hadcentury women hadarguably more positive images, defining woman as thearguably more positive images, defining woman as themore morally refined of the two sexes and therefore themore morally refined of the two sexes and therefore theguardian of morality and social cohesion .guardian of morality and social cohesion .



Women were able to use this moreWomen were able to use this morepositive image as a means for demandingpositive image as a means for demanding

access to public arenas long denied them,access to public arenas long denied them,by publicly emphasizing and asserting theby publicly emphasizing and asserting theneed for and benefits of a more "civilized"need for and benefits of a more "civilized"and "genteel" influence in politics, art, andand "genteel" influence in politics, art, and

education.education.



The same societal transformations that were largelyThe same societal transformations that were largelyresponsible for women's status being defined in terms of responsible for women's status being defined in terms of domesticity and morality also worked to provoke genderdomesticity and morality also worked to provoke genderconsciousness and reform as the roles assigned womenconsciousness and reform as the roles assigned women

became increasingly at odds with social reality. Womenbecame increasingly at odds with social reality. Womenon both sides of the Atlantic, including Angelina andon both sides of the Atlantic, including Angelina andSarah Grimké, Sarah Josepha Hale, Charlotte Brontë,Sarah Grimké, Sarah Josepha Hale, Charlotte Brontë,George Eliot, Elizabeth Gaskell, and Frances PowerGeorge Eliot, Elizabeth Gaskell, and Frances PowerCobbe, both expressed and influenced the age'sCobbe, both expressed and influenced the age's

expectations for women. Through their novels, letters,expectations for women. Through their novels, letters,essays, articles, pamphlets, and speeches these andessays, articles, pamphlets, and speeches these andother nineteenthother nineteenth--century women portrayed the oftencentury women portrayed the oftenconflicting expectations imposed on them by society.conflicting expectations imposed on them by society.



These women, along with others,These women, along with others,expressed sentiments of countless womenexpressed sentiments of countless womenwho were unable to speak, and brought who were unable to speak, and brought

attention and support to their concerns.attention and support to their concerns.Modern critical analyses often focus on theModern critical analyses often focus on themethods used by women to advance theirmethods used by women to advance theircause while still maintaining their delicatecause while still maintaining their delicatebalance of propriety and feminine appealbalance of propriety and feminine appealby not "threatening" men, or the familyby not "threatening" men, or the familyunit.unit.



Angelina and Sarah Grimké Angelina and Sarah Grimké



Sarah Josepha Hale and CharlotteSarah Josepha Hale and Charlotte

BrontëBrontë



George Eliot and Elizabeth GaskellGeorge Eliot and Elizabeth Gaskell



Frances Power CobbeFrances Power Cobbe



Marin Loredana, American Studies, Year I,Marin Loredana, American Studies, Year I,Group BGroup B

the people, women in 19th century marin loredana

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