Roles Of Women In 19th Century Britain

Catalina Morton

Mrs. Dixon
Senior British English
December 9th, 2014
The Role of Women in Mid 19th Century Britain The roles of women have always been a big part of British society. Women have been placed in domestic and less authoritative roles, as compared to the roles that men have been placed in which was to be the provider, and as the leader. Much of the population of the early Victorian era Britain were learning to cope with the new form of labor that was coming about which is known as the industrial revolution. At the same time that men were starting to go way from home to work, more women were looked upon to be the homekeepers and to bear children. After the establishment of cities and a larger middle class women began to try

N.p., n.d. Web.). They were called accomplishments even though most of the time the only place that they could use these so called skills was to be at home and they were mostly domesticated skills. Music at this point was not very useful except for in entertaining guests (such as a party trick). Sewing would come in handy to women when they had children, another way of preparing them for being mothers and wives before they even thought about why they were being taught these things in particular. Middle class boys on the other hand were sent to grammar schools and other educational institutions.(Life in 19th Century Britain. N.p., n.d. Web.) They were being educated far more than the girls even by the time they were 12. Boys would be expected to find a job which then could allow them to find a wife. This might also be why girls from the working class were usually servants, to the middle and upper

They have , however, been looked at as less than men in many cases. Particularly in Victorian era Britain women have had a hard time. They were placed in mostly domestic roles and that was not always what they wanted. Many women of the time didn’t get the opportunity nor choice to further their education past what now would be considered grade school or middle school. They were taught how to be good wives and mothers and to look for a good husband that would take care of them and their children.They weren 't very happy in these roles because they many times felt as if they prisoners in their homes after having children and having to care/look after them. They were judged based upon the amount of children they had and if they didn 't have any children they were looked down upon. Women in mid 19th century Britain did have important roles in society but they weren’t very happy at the end of the