A Better Opportunity For Women In The 19th Century Analysis

The Convent: A Better Opportunity for Women in the Nineteenth Century
At the time of Confederation Canada was a male dominated society. There were few opportunities for women in the nineteenth century. Women were only seen as extensions of their husbands or fathers. Their roles in society were considered only part of the “domestic sphere.”1 They were expected to be housekeepers, child bearers and tenders to their husband and children. They had no rights as human beings and were not a seen as individuals. Opportunities for improvement as anything other than a wife and mother were nonexistent. Women had to get married and raise a family, this was what was expected of them, and one of the only choices that they had. There were few opportunities
for women to work out of the home in jobs. The jobs that were available were closely linked to the domestic work that they were doing at home cooking, cleaning, sewing and weaving.2 Some women were given the opportunity to work in other jobs that were not domestic; these however carried heavy discrimination towards women. There was one other option that was afforded to women in the nineteenth century, becoming a nun. This alternative role was a beneficial opportunity for women to enjoy some freedom, and individuality yet still be provided for in a safe environment. During and after Confederation in Canada the gender a person was would determined what their role in society would be.3 Women were not treated equals to males. One such area was teaching. Teaching was an opportunity for women to leave home and have meaningful work. Lay teachers were not treated the same as their male equivalents, this difference was not so prevalent in that of teaching nuns. For laywomen there were fewer places to train to become a teacher and these places taught in horrible conditions.4 However, for nuns there was the opportunity of an education that was not acquired through suffering, and there was more ability to attain a higher education.5 They were even given the opportunity of post secondary education that would have never been considers for most laywomen. “Poorly educated intelligent women were sent to universities in Quebec and the United States undertake medical training.”6There was also a significant difference to the amount of pay that female teachers would receive as compared to men. 7 This difference was not however reflected in the lives of nuns. The nuns were not able to earn money for teaching; they did not need to as they were provided for in the convent. This meant that the nun’s material needs were always taken care of and there was no risk of starving if they lost their job or could not be employed due to illness. 8 The convent schools were also run entirely by women. Nuns were able to hold the highest position possible at schools, that of principle.9 This was not an option for women; men were in charge always and held the highest positions. This was done to ensure that women were not seen as equals. 10 Nuns were given significantly better opportunities in the teaching profession. Nuns had advantages over laywomen when it came to political aspirations and opportunities. Living in a community run and organized by other women enabled them to hold positions of power that otherwise would never be allowed in a male dominated world. They were able to hold high positions of “mother superior and governing council.” 11 These positions were much similar to male controlled businesses. “The mother superior and governing council would make all the decisions regarding convent life.”12 The opportunity for laywomen to hold any position of power did not happen, they were considered a lesser people. Laywomen had no democratic right; they were denied the right to vote or to participle in politics in any way.13 Nuns had the ability to choose the people that were in charge of the convent. “In the Congregation of Notre Dame ll professed sisters who had been with the community for at least ten years cast an indirect vote for their leaders.” 14 Having the ability to choose the people in charge through indirect voting and having the ability to hold a political office in the convent enabled nuns to have more control and individuality. Being born a woman in the nineteenth century meant a life of marriage and servitude.
Getting married and having a large family was one of the only options. There were no opportunities for women. They were only seen as extensions of their husbands or fathers. Almost all women married that lived in Canada at this time. Spinsters, women that did not marry were shunned and were considered even less of a person that women that married “…over 95 percent of women married, because not to marry was to be left to their own devices in a patriarch society in which spinsterhood was tantamount failure”15 Marriage, and raising children was not easy. Women marriage young to ensure their livelihood, and most of the time they did not marry for love but for convenience. Women’s work did not only include tending to the household, but a whole extended list of jobs. If their husbands were farmers they would have to help with outside work such as milking, gardening, taking care of animals, feeding hired hands, and making clothing.16 If husbands were fishermen they would have to help clean, salt and sell the fish at market.17 These tasks were expected of them, and sometimes extremely labour intensive. There was no time for themselves as their life revolved around the needs or their husbands, families and sometime extended family. Nuns had the ability avoid marriage and having children. They were able to lead more fulfilling enjoyable lives through their marriage to God. Their choice to become a nun enabled them to avoid the pain and horrible conditions that surrounded childbirth. They did not have to risk their lives to bear their husbands children. Nuns were also involved in charity work with the needy.18 They were able to find worth in the jobs that they did to help others. They also encouraged to exploring other talents that a married women with women would never have the opportunity to do. “…the community encouraged talented women to develop their literary and
artistic abilities as part of their commitment to religion.”19 By Taking the Veil nuns had the ability to avoid the hard life a laywomen would potentially have and nuns were also given the opportunity to expand as individuals buy doing things that they enjoyed. Choosing to become a nun in Canada in the nineteen century was beneficial when considering that of being a laywomen. Laywomen were forced into living in a male dominated society where women had no rights, and were not even considered individuals. Nuns had the ability to become teachers without all the problems that lay teachers faced; low wages, male dominated schools, no ability to move up in their profession, and horrible working conditions. They were also given the opportunity to advance their education, which was not the case of most laywomen. Nuns were given the opportunity to hold high positions at the convents. These positions were ones that would have normally been male dominated in regular society. Nuns also were given the right to vote for people that they wanted to make decisions. This was not the case for laywomen until the year nineteen hundred and sixteen. Women’s work was a difficult and never ending task in the nineteenth century. Women were always tending to their husbands and children with no time for enjoyment. Nuns however, were given opportunities to find fulfillment by being involved in charity work and to explore other talents that they displayed. Becoming a nun gave women more opportunities and advantages than laywomen. Their whole lifestyle was that based in servitude but only in spirit not in reality.

Bibliography

Danylewycz, Marta. Taking the Veil: An Alternative to Marriage, Motherhood, and
Spinsterhood in Quebec, 1840 – 1920. Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press, 1987

Francis, R. Douglas, Richard Jones, Donald B. Smith, Robert A. Wardhaugh, Destinies:
Canadian History Since Confederation, 7th ed. Toronto, ON: Nelson Education, 2012.

Prentice, Alison, Paula Bourne, Gail Cuthbert Brandt, Beth Light, Wendy Mitchinson,
Naomi Black. Canadian Women: A History. Toronto, ON: Harcout Brace Jovanovich Canada Inc, 1988