Module 5- A Woman's Role

Utopian socialist Charles Fournier said that the progress of civilization depended on the progress of women: (quote and pg 92). That being true, it explains how the world we live in today came to be how it is not all that it could be. Women were, and still are in some cases today, seen as inferior to men. They are more of a commodity than a person. I don’t know exactly where or when the inequality began but I can imagine how it may have happened. In most cultures the men hunt for food while women prepare the food, while also raising the children and taking care of the house and families. In some cultures they realize the work the women do and respect it while western cultures look down on it and ignore how much effort it takes. It is easy to see how women could have fallen into their roles. Women carry the children to term and must nurse the child and so naturally it makes sense to raise them. Since they then are already watching the children, it makes sense to also watch the house and perhaps animals and other family members, women do have that maternal instinct.

Men on the other hand, are tougher and have more upper body strength so, while the wife is at home caring for their children, the men would go out and find food for the family. Men simply developed larger testosterone driven egos and society seemed to have developed around them. Before the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Abigail Adams wrote to her husband and said, “Do not put such unlimited power in the hands of husbands. Remember, all men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention are not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebelion, and will not hold ourselves bound to obey laws in which we have no voice of representation" (Zinn, 86). Women were never mentally inferior, they have only been conditioned into thinking so. They are raised as a stereotypical woman and married off to begin and take care of a new family. Especially in the days before the revolution in America, people lived that way and, as is the brilliant capitalistic scheme of today, most were too busy or resigned to their fortune to take the time and think about the why’s or how’s of their lives. Abigail Adams and many other women prove how intelligent and innovative they can be. Most commonly heard from in the 19th century were privileged white women who had enough status to speak freely (Zinn, 86). Women had biological characteristics different from men just as blacks had physical differences which made it easier for white men to discriminate and keep their control.

How women progressed over the recent years..

An 18th Century woman sewing. She's wearing very concealing clothes and a cover on her hair. It's a very proper scene for a woman of that time. She makes clothes, cook and takes care of the children but has no political say or a career.

Claude Monet, an impressionist painter from the 19th century, depicted a woman of the century. The clothing has become even more fashionable (as this is a higher class than the previous picture, the time period was changing and with it the want for goods was increasing). She is still very ladylike and covered. She also is wearing tighter clothes allowing for more features to be apparent and desired. Women begin even more committees in the 19th century and begin taking a role in politics were they were allowed or able to push their way in. Women's suffrage and rights were being fought for along with equality and the ability to be heard.

Once the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century really began taking effect and transforming lives, since the men were always gone at work it left the home to the women even more. It was becoming the 1950's stereotype that the home is the "woman's spere."

Even in the 1950's women retained their stereotypical roles, they're simply modernized. Shows like Leave it to Beaver idealized a mother who was beautiful and nuturing. She good cook and clean and do everything for everyone all in heels. Of course not all women were like that, but it was an image..

Unlike the puritan look of the 18th century and earlier, even everyday women were made to be more feminine, while before it was mainly high society. The culture itself was broading in the 20th century with female icons bursting with sex appeal such as Marilyn Monroe.

Women's roles in society have definitely progressed, but I think they've also been able to get their rights while still remaining women. A white man's image has never seemed to change much except for his clothes (of course I'm speaking very generally) but women have held the whole gammet of positions in society and life. I can't say I usually care much about women's rights and feminist activities but it interesting looking at their development and actions from a more social standpoint. I know I would never want to be a woman two hundred years ago.. I couldn't stand feeling so hopeless if my situation was bad. But it'd be very interesting to see what America would be like today if women were treated as equals from the start. If Abigail Adams is right then we'd be living in a completely different world and probably a safer more humane one.

Monet: http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/fnart/art/19th/painting/cc_monet001.jpg

18th century woman: http://www.jimandellen.org/ellen/DuparcWomanKnitting.jpg

50’s woman: http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-set/BQcDAAAAAwoDanBnAAAABC5vdXQKFmtsaWJ3T3VlM0JHNGVsMm9xenlFU1EAAAACaWQKAXgAAAAEc2l6ZQ.jpg
Marilyn Monroe: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/24/43755058_1df8be22d6.jpg?v=0