Women Involved in Social Reform in the 19th Century - Essay Example

Women Involved in Social Reform in the 19th Century How did the “Cult of True Womanhood” encourage women in the 19th century to become involved in social reform? In what ways did this gender ideology influence the reform agenda of a social movement of the 19th century? The importance of women in terms of their efficacy for the society cannot be denied as they play a major role as mothers, wives, daughters and sisters. However, this role is not enough, as they are also required to be career oriented and ambitious. The ‘Cult of True Womanhood’ that entitled women as deities of the household enabled women to regard their self-importance, as the whole theory attached with the concept of womanhood was self-destructive. There was a strategy to make women acknowledge their role associated with their families and homes only. However, according to the concept, women were regarded morally and virtually superior to men. The concept accommodated men as creatures prone to do wrong and entitled women as the guardians of the household who not only tried to safeguard men from flawed lives, but also kept graceful nature to bear the uncertainties of their husbands. This paper discusses American women’s involvement in social reform in the 19th century and women formed a good total of American population. The ‘cult of true womanhood’ encouraged women in the 19th century to become involved in social reform by standing with men in terms of running their households and they witnessed promotion of their gender ideologies through education. The ‘cult of true womanhood’ arrested women in their houses and assigned them the role of managing their households domestically only. “When depicted within households, women were romanticized as “Republican mothers” and cultivated companions” (Boydston, 1996). The women were required to tend to the needs of the men of their homes, their children and their families. In fulfilling their standardized roles defined as per the concept deprived of their right to work outside. However, due to economic pressure on the society, they continue to work outside for their household management. This approach of the women and their financial requirements brought men against them and they regarded working women as morally deprived and inferior to other women. There was a full-fledged revolt against women working outside their homes. “Female domesticity was thus historically constituted in the United States not as a discourse about males and females but particularly as a discourse about working women” (Boydston, 1996). The concept of “cult of true womanhood” also called as female domesticity excluded working women from standardized womanhood as defined by men. However, many people involving men and women started a social reform regarding women’s role in the society. The editors of various magazines realized that women are deprived of quality education as per their needs, due to which, they show weaknesses and failure in performing various outside tasks. A magazine named as Godey’s Lady’s Book was introduced for informing ladies about their needs. “The magazine was intended to entertain, inform and educate the women of America” (Accessible Archives Inc., 2011). As the quote mentions, the magazine took the responsibility of educating American women with its literary writings. The writers of the magazine realized the need of the hour by accommodating woman to get educated. Previously, women were not allowed to get education as per their requirements, but only some minute artistic education to facilitate their household members. The magazines worked towards enabling women to identify their submissiveness and lacking in terms of education. “The greatest triumph of this progression is redeeming woman from her inferior position and placing her side by side with man, a help-mate for him in all his pursuits.” (Accessible Archives Inc., 2011). The magazines worked towards making women realize of their inferior standing in the society. The magazines highlighted the negative implications of the “cult of true womanhood” and told women that they should improve with the support of education. Hence, the concept of woman domesticity itself made women to bring in a social reform. Sara Josepha Hale worked towards bringing in the forefront the social deformities regarding women’s role in the society as she used her “unwavering editorial principles regarding social inequalities and the education of American women” (Accessible Archives Inc., 2011) to inform women about the importance of education in their lives. The theory of true womanhood deprived women of their social right of equality and their standing with men as men portrayed women in the manner in which, they wanted women to be. Men allotted women’s role to them and women were supposed to follow only. However, they revolted by gaining education. The magazines informed that “a young lady may excel in speaking French and Italian; may repeat a few passages from the volume of extracts; play like a professor, and sing like a syren; have her dressing-room decorated with her own drawing tables, stands, flower pots, screens and cabinets; nay, she may dance like Semphronia herself, and yet we shall insist, that she may have been very badly educated” (Thomas, 2012). For women, this much education is not enough, as they are only the traits that men wanted to be in women so that they can amuse the members of their home with their art. The magazine worked towards brain washing of women and rejected the notions characterized as standard by men. The gender ideology of women was not regarded as submissive, but that was suppressed because of lack of education. Women rejected the norms of ‘true womanhood’ and they participated in the social reform as they realized their part in society. As far as men were considered, the magazine’s writers inform, “it is a companion whom he wants, and not an artist” (Thomas, 2012). The education that women were supposed to get before nineteenth century made her an artist only, while she was fully deprived of education related to her and her family’s welfare. Women should have the quality of reasoning, reflecting and judging like men, which was only possible with the right education. Clarke (2006) informs that “limitation or abortion of development leads both to weakness and failure”. Hence, the deprivation of women to get the education as per their requirements and needs made them weak and failed them in other fields except household management. Moreover, the needs of women should be identified and should not be mixed with men. The women should not be restricted, so that they get a chance to develop and prosper just like men in the society. Equal opportunities should be provided to both the sexes. Clarke (2006) further informs that the wrong type of education for women drags them in greater threat in terms of health and life and “the educational methods of our schools and colleges for girls are, to a large extent, the cause of "the thousand ills" that beset American women” (Clarke, 2006). There are wrong and flawed methods employed for educating women in America due to which, American women are weighed down. The improvement in women’s lives in American society depends on the type and quality of education that is provided to them. Women because of improper methods of study become prone to diseases as Clarke (2006) says that usage of “improper methods of study, and a disregard of the reproductive apparatus and its functions, during the educational life of girls, are the sole causes of female diseases”. Improper methods of education makes women diseased as Clarke informs so women were in need of proper education to stand in equal terms with the men. A lot of ways were employed for engaging women in the social reform of education in the 19th century, as it was considered that women were mistreated due to which, they were unable to participate with men equally. The “cult of true womanhood” was a subjugated and suppressing concept for women of the 19th century and they came to realize about the suppression with the support of magazines, writers and other concerned individuals. The “cult of true womanhood” informed women about their role at their homes. They were supposed to be accommodating men in all senses. They were regarded as deities and highly moralistic in leading their lives. However, men were openly entitled as prone to do wrongs and inferior to women in terms of virtue and morality. Regarding the masculine attraction towards sin, women were asked to be more tolerating and forgiving. The essence of woman was regarded the household only. However, the revolutionists rejected the notion and introduced education as the rescuer of women. It was socially known that women were treated unequally and this unequal treatment was clear in educational field. The revolutionists worked towards eradication of unequal social treatment with the women and they started with education. Women also worked outside their homes because of social and economic pressures and the followers of the true womanhood regarded such women as morally deprived and inferior to women managing the household only. The gender ideology of women was more encouraged by pointing out the issues related educational inequality of women. Women got involved in this social reform as the magazines and writers informed them of their weaknesses and lacking in educational field. References Accessible Archives Inc. (2011). The Complete Godey's Lady's Book - 1830-1896. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.accessible-archives.com/collections/godeys-ladys-book/ [Accessed: 18 Feb 2014]. Boydston, J. (1996). The Woman Who Wasn't There: Women's Market Labor and the Transition to Capitalism in the United States. Journal of the Early Republic, 183-206. Clarke, E. H. (2006). Sex in Education or a Fair Chance for Girls. Boston: Rand, Avery, & Co. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/18504/18504-h/18504-h.htm [Accessed: 18 Feb 2014]. Thomas, J. (2012). Female Education, December 1830. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.accessible-archives.com/2012/12/female-education-december-1830/ [Accessed: 18 Feb 2014]. Read More