How far have women come since the early 19th century? Women have made a lot of progress in the past 200 years. Today, women are able to hold jobs and vote, which was unheard of in the 1800s. Women have the freedom to be themselves and speak up; they have a voice, and it is a voice that can be heard by all. But even today, women still are not treated equally to men in some aspects. Think, what would happen if most of their freedoms got revoked? How would that change the roles of women today? In the early 19th century, gender roles were a common theme expressed throughout the works of many writers. Authors Jane Austen and Christina Rossetti demonstrated the specter of sexes by showing how it altered, and eventually bettered, the lives of women, …show more content…
Women were pressured into marriage in order to feel complete; without a man, women were worthless. In Chapter 1 of Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Bennett and Mrs. Bennett are talking about this man, Mr. Bingley, who is quite wealthy, and she thinks he shall come visit her daughters, but Mr. Bennett states, "It will be no use to us, if twenty such should come, since you will not visit them" (Austen, 1813, p. 225). Right away, we learn how powerless women are. There is no way for the Bennett girls to meet Mr. Bingley unless their father were to invite him over. During this time period, women could not find a man to marry without the help of their father or it was thought of as disrespectful. Mrs. Bennett was begging Mr. Bennett to have him over, so one of her daughters could marry into wealth since she knew that marriage was very important for women. For many, marriage brought with it freedom, a husband to love, an increased social position, and money to buy the luxuries in life. People in the early 1800s also thought that all women were ditzy and superficial. They believe women wasted money on clothes and only thought about boys and marriage:“And when her sisters abused [the bonnet] as ugly, she added, with perfect unconcern, "Oh! But there were two or three much uglier in the shop; and when I have bought some prettier-coloured satin to trim it with fresh, I think it will be very …show more content…
820). This quote is very straightforward when it comes to how this woman was feeling. Normally during this time, women were not able to discuss their feelings openly, but in this poem she starts out by telling a man who wants to be in a relationship with her that she doesn't love him right from the start. Even though, he desperately wants to be more intimate with her, she just wants to stay friends, refusing his proposal. Women in the Romantic Period depended on men to have a prosperous life. Women did not typically turn down a hand in marriage because they may not have gotten another chance. Women believed they did not have to be fully in love with a man and typically settled for whomever wanted them or was brought to them by their fathers. For women in Romantic times and Victorian times being single meant social failure; a limited, restricted life, and low status. In her own life, Christina Rossetti never married. She turned down multiple men and was even engaged a few times but never went through with the marriages. Her readiness to turn down offers of marriage shows her independence and strength of character. Another quote from stanza “I’d rather answer ‘No’ to fifty Johns, than answer ‘yes’ to you.” No matter how many people would propose to her, it did not matter and she would still turn everyone down before she would settle for this man she did not love. This line
Although it can be said that seeing as women had no rights during the time period, why not have them serve their husbands as a primary goal. Women usually were less educated, had restrictions on trades that they may practice and limited job opportunities. (S.V. Rosser, 2008 p23) They also were considered to be too young at the time of marriage to know what is best for them so their parents chose their suitor. In fact, one could say if the girl is too young to know what is best for he, should she marry at that age in the first place? Although work was not always strenuous for wives of wealthy suitors, they should have their own lives within the marriage like their husband and not have to constantly please them and have their own lives dictated to...
In romantic words, the poet expresses how much she does think of love. She state it clear that she will not trade love for peace in times of anguish.
Throughout history, especially in the fifteenth century, it was extremely rare for a woman to choose her husband. The majority of marriages were planned by the head of the household, which was usually the father of the bride or groom. The purposes of these marriages were to gain power and social standings. This in turn also provided the chance for the heirs of the marriages to have possession of power, territory/land, and a set social standard for the family for all future heirs. This was more of a benefit for the men than the women, for the men could own territories and be the head of the household, women could not. Instead, a woman’s obligation was to fulfill their family’s jurisdiction in their future.
Men saw marriage as a way to get rich; love didn’t even enter the equation. Padua is a rich area and therefore many suitors fled there in the hope of becoming wealthy. “I come to wive it wealthily in Padua,” says Petruchio. He asks outright, “Then tell me – if I get your daughter’s love, what dowry shall I have with her to wife?” (Page 37, act 2 scene 1, line 119-120) The husbands were given a dowry by the father of the daughter when they became married. Women didn’t have any say in who they chose to marry; instead the decision was given to the father. If a daughter was not married then they were looked shoddily upon within the society. In this era every woman was to be married otherwise they were frowned upon within the community. Further more without Katherina getting married, Bianca would also never marry. Within a family the eldest daughter must be married off first and in this play turned out to be a bonus. “Her father keeps from all access of suitors and will not promise her to any man until her elder sister first be wed.” This is the main an...
Women were confronted by many social obligation in the late nineteenth century. Women were living lives that reflected their social rank. They were expected to be economically dependent and legally inferior. No matter what class women were in, men were seen as the ones who go to work and make the money. That way, the women would have to be dependent since they were not able to go to work and make a good salary. No matter what class a woman was in, she could own property in her own name. When a woman became married she " lost control of any property she owned, inherited, or earned" ( Kagan et al. 569). A woman's legal identity was given to her husband.
Society shows the stereotypical way of thinking in the Victorian era: women are subordinate to men. This can be seen through Mary Whitney. Mary Whitney tells Grace what her goals should be and how she should act: “It was a custom for young girls in this country to hire themselves out, in order to earn money for their dowries, and then they would marry, and if their husbands proposed they would soon be hiring their own servants in their turn and then they, ―would be mistress of a tidy farmhouse, and independent” (Atwood 182). Mary Whitney is explaining to Grace that a woman needs to get married in order for her to be successful. This was the gender construction of the time, and she is trying to get Grace to take on that role. This is very true to the a...
In the 19th century, women were expected to have certain roles to fit into and create a “normal” society. In the beginning of the 19th century, women did not have the same freedom that they do today.
The novel Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen gives us the reader a very good idea of how she views marriage, as well as society. The theme of marriage is set in the very opening sentence of Pride and Prejudice; "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife" (Austen, 1) As Norman Sherry points out, this is Austen's way of implying that 'a single man in possession of a good fortune' is automatically destined to be the object of desire for all unmarried women. The statement opens the subject of the romantic novel; courtship and marriage. The sentence also introduces the issue of what the reasons for marrying are. She implies here that many young women marry for money. The question...
Not only was the fact that women were viewed as second-class citizens and had limited rights compared to men during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries a major problem, but women were also held to a much different standard, and expected to carry out many responsibilities that they might not have chosen for themselves. Most women were expected to get married because society during these time periods made it almost impossible for women to make a living solely on their own, so the need for a husband was necessary. In addition to being predestined to be married, a woman in the Victorian era was to be a virgin, and remain free from the thought of love or sexuality until she was married. Though most women were expected to marry, those of a certain age were expected to remain unmarried spinsters. Women turning to prostitution were not a rarity during this time period; it was legal, and seemed to be the only economic option for some women.
Throughout the early 1800s, British women often played a subordinate role in society, flexed by many obligations, laws, and the superior males. A young woman’s struggle for independence and free will can often be compared to a life of servitude and slavery. Women were often controlled by the various men in their lives; whether it be father, brother or the eventual husband. Marriage during this time was often a gamble; one can either be in it for the right reasons such as love or for the wrong reasons such as advancing social status. In 19th century Britain, laws were enacted to further suppress women that eventually bore the idea that women were supposed to do two things: marry and have children. In Pride and Prejudice, Austen demonstrates a women’s struggle within a society that stresses the importance of marriage and strict behavioral customs. As evidenced by the Bennett daughters: Elizabeth, Jane and Lydia, as well as Charlotte Collins, marriage for young women was a pursuit that dominated their lives.
In life women had only one main goal; to marry. Prior to a woman’s marriage, a woman would learn the basic necessities and qualities of a typical Victorian Woman. She would learn ideals such as cooking, cleaning, weaving, raising children and plenty more. If a woman was well of in the financial aspects, she likely did not have to learn much or work as hard other women due to having maids at hand. Women at the time were typically unable to better educate themselves beyond minimal knowledge of household duties because in essence men ruled society. “A woman was inferior to a mam in all ways except the unique one that counted most [to a man]: her femininity. Her place was in the home, on a veritable pedestal if one could be afforded, and emphatically not in the world of affairs” (Altick, 54).
People of around 150 years ago were very superstitious and marriage was important. If a woman did not marry by a certain age she was thought of as a witch, or 'spinster'. Her only roles were to be faithful to her husband and to bear a son to become heir. The role of women was very different from today's society - it was world dominated and run by men.
Throughout the 19th century, feminism played a huge role in society and women’s everyday lifestyle. Women had been living in a very restrictive society, and soon became tired of being told how they could and couldn’t live their lives. Soon, they all realized that they didn’t have to take it anymore, and as a whole, they had enough power to make a change. That is when feminism started to change women’s roles in society. Before, women had little to no rights, while men, on the other hand, had all the rights.
Throughout the early 1800s, British women most often were relegated to a subordinate role in society by their institutionalized obligations, laws, and the more powerfully entrenched males. In that time, a young woman’s role was close to a life of servitude and slavery. Women were often controlled by the men in their lives, whether it was a father, brother or the eventual husband. Marriage during this time was often a gamble; one could either be in it for the right reasons, such as love, or for the wrong reasons, such as advancing social status. In 19th century Britain, laws were enacted to further suppress women and reflected the societal belief that women were supposed to do two things: marry and have children. In Pride and Prejudice, Austen portrayed a women’s struggle within a society that stresses the importance of marriage and strict behavioral customs. As evidenced by the Bennett daughters: Elizabeth and Jane, as well as Charlotte Collins, marriage for young women was a pursuit that dominated their lives.
...vailing attitudes and inheritance laws, it would be considered perfectly normal, wise even, for women to enter into a marriage which was financially advantageous, although loveless, in order to ensure financial security for themselves and the other members of their family. In other words, it would be entirely normal for women not to be allowed to say “no”.