WOMEN IN THE 19th

CENTURY

Oh, how far the ladies

have come!
Facts about the 19th Century
(1800s)
 Called “The Victorian Age” from England’s Queen Victoria who ruled for
60 years.
 The Industrial Revolution caused a sharp differentiation between the
gender roles and life became more comfortable for ordinary people living
in towns and cities.
 During this time, marriages were usually arranged, except for the
poorest people. Divorce was unknown. Legally girls could marry when
they were 12 years old.
 As the 18th century progressed, Girls from well off families started goimg
to school but it was felt important for them to learn 'accomplishments'
like embroidery and music rather than academic subjects.
 At the end of the 18th century a woman named Mary Wollstonecraft
(1759-1797) published a book called A Vindication of the Rights of
Woman.
STEREOTYPES OF MEN AND
WOMEN IN THE 19th CENTURY
 MEN
 Powerful
 Active
 Brave
 Worldly
 Logical
 Rational
 Individual
 Independent
 Able to resist temptation
 Tainted
 Ambitious
 Sexual
 Sphere: PUBLIC
STEREOTYPES OF MEN AND
WOMEN IN THE 19th CENTURY
 WOMEN
 Weak
 Passive
 Timid
 Domestic
 Illogical
 Emotional/hysterical
 Familial
 Dependent
 Unable to resist temptation
 Pure
 Content
 Non- sexual
 Sphere: PRIVATE
STEREOTYPES OF MEN AND
WOMEN IN THE 19th CENTURY
 MEN WOMEN
 Powerful Weak
 Active Passive
 Brave Timid
 Worldly Domestic
 Logical Illogical
 Rational Emotional/hysterical
 Individual Familial
 Independent Dependent
 Able to resist temptation Unable to resist temptation
 Tainted Pure
 Ambitious Content
 Sexual Non- sexual
 Sphere: PUBLIC Sphere: PRIVATE
 THINK PAIR SHARE
 Reflect:
 1. These traits are generally _____ of
each other.
 2. However, there are a few traits for
women that are contradictions of each
other. Which are they?
Four Main Virtues of a “True
Woman” of the 19th century
 1. Pious (religious)
 2. Pure (uncontaminated, chaste, clean)
 3. Submissive (yielding to someone else)
 4. Domestic (stay at home and do household chores)
 Your Life as a woman in the
19th century
 You live a life a little better than that of a
slave. You have to obey men, because you
have no money or rights of your own.
 If you remained single, you would attract
social disapproval and pity. You could not
have children or live with a man: the social
penalties were simply too high.
Your Life as a woman in the
19th century
 You can not follow your chosen
profession, since they are all closed to
women.
 You receive less education than boys,
are banned from universities, and can
obtain only low-paid jobs.
Your Life as a woman in the
19th century
 Your sole purpose is to marry and reproduce.
 Once you marry, everything you own, inherit and
earn automatically belongs to your husband.
 Furthermore, rights to you personally - that is, access
to your own body - are his alone. You must agree to
this verbally: written into the marriage ceremony is a
vow to obey your husband and you will do whatever
he asks of you.
Your Life as a woman in the
19th century
 Obviously, no sex before marriage is
allowed. You learn about sex on your
wedding night. Hope you like it with
him! But men are allowed to have sex
with servants and prostitutes whenever,
no problem.
Your Life as a woman in the
19th century

 Your husband has the right to force you

into sex and childbirth. He can also take
your children without reason and send
them to be raised elsewhere. He can
spend your money however he wishes.
True life example
 Susannah Palmer escaped from her
adulterous husband in 1869 after suffering
many years of brutal beatings, and made a
new life for herself. She worked, saved, and
created a new home for her children.
However, then Her husband found her, took
her children and stripped her of all her
possessions and left her with nothing, with
the blessing of the law. In a fury she stabbed
him, and was immediately hung as
punishment.
Your Life as a woman in the
19th century- Fashion
 Women's clothing symbolized their
constricted lives.
 Tight lacing into corsets and many multiple
layers of skirts which dragged on the ground
restricted women's freedom of movement.
 The skirts were so wide that many women
died engulfed in flames after the material
caught fire from an open grate or candle.
And you thought heels were
uncomfortable!
Your Life as a woman in the
19th century- Fashion
 As corsets develop, the woman's breathing becomes
much more difficult.
 Fainting as a reaction to excitement or an "improper"
situation is acceptable and frequent, as it means that
a woman is truly a lady.