Gender Roles In The 19th Century

In the nineteenth century, while various parts of the world were progressing be it in the abolishing of slavery and the implementation of democracy, the treatment of women both in reality and in literature remained unchanged. Gender roles in the 19th century were more pronounced than ever, and there was a clear and distinguished line that had been drawn between men and women. This was because of something called separate spheres (Victorian terminology). Separate spheres refers to the natural characteristics of women and men – men were thought to belong to the public sphere because they were “powerful” and “logical” and “independent” while women in comparison belonged to the private sphere because they were considered to be “weak,” and “passive” and “illogical.”

In earlier centuries, it was acceptable for women to work with husbands and brothers in the family business because ‘living over the shop’ made it easier for them to help out at the shop as well as attending to their own duties. In the 19th century as men began to commute to their jobs, the female sex stayed at home to

The proper role for women was dependent on the role of men who were portrayed as being assertive and dominant. For upper middle class women in the early nineteenth century had strict expectations regarding everything including dress, behavior and etiquette. The industrial growth in America divided the male and female responsibilities. The definition of the ideal lady had begun to be associated with the idea of a home, and women were characterized by their submissive behavior and their focus on affairs relating to home and hearth. The ideal lady was per se, an ornament and was assumed to be physically and emotionally