Changing Role Of Women In The 19th Century

ASSINGNMENT 2

CHANGING ROLE OF WOMEN IN 18TH AND 19 CENTURY

8/23/2013

ANTONIO COLEMAN
Prof. Chip Stansbury

CHANGING ROLE OF WOMEN IN 18TH AND 19TH CENTURY

Maria Elisabeth: 1680 – 1741 (of Austria)
This personality was the daughter of Hapsburg Emperor Leopold I. Appointed as governor of Netherlands and she chose to remain unmarried for her entire life. She was culturally and artistically adept. Also, she was sister of Queen of Portugal, Maria Anna who was the ruler of Portugal after her husband 's stroke.
Queen Victoria 1819-1901 (Queen of Great Britain)
Queen Victoria is known to have given her name to an era known as “Victorian Era” in the western history. She was a ruler if Great Britain during the empire time
and democracy in the country. She was an influential leader and was married to Prince Albert for 21 years.
Dialogue between the two leaders:
Maria Elisabeth: Women were treated like slaves in 18th century which is a testimony of the fact what kind of roles they played during my times.
Queen Victoria: The situation improved a bit during 19th century because they could world outside the home though in very bad conditions.
Maria Elisabeth: in 18th century they lacked any authority and did not have right to vote which had to be changed.
Queen Victoria: Some women started studying in resident college and universities by 1870 which changed their condition to some extent.
Maria Elisabeth: Only unmarried women or widows could own a property and most man used to women like other material possessions.
Queen Victoria: Things started changing during 19th century when women started to own businesses like sewing shops, clothing and cafes.
Maria Elisabeth: In 18th century most women were trapped in loveless marriages and women having no families were treated as outcasts.
Queen Victoria: By the time it was mid nineteenth century, the role of females started to change in the family although the experiences depended upon the class and race of the woman.
Maria Elisabeth: Many women suffered because of the fact that they were inflicted atrocities by their husbands because males were entitled to beat their wives and divorce was not a resort because thye were not granted and woman had to run away from bad
marriages.
Queen Victoria: The women in west during 19th century worked very hard like their grandmothers but had developed sense of morality.
Maria Elisabeth: In 18th century, women had no identity and they were supposed to do lot of labor at home and the only status they were granted was of wife and mother which became their main occupation.
Queen Victoria: The role of women started changing drastically when the colonization started in many countries in the west because they had to be involved in building communities and civilize the brutal land.
Maria Elisabeth: Most of the professions for women were confined to feeding the family, make the clothing, cleaning of house, caring children, nursing and performing midlife activities.
Queen Victoria: Some woman started to venture out of the long held stereotypical standards and break the conventions. These women were regarded as courageous and self-reliant qualities that eastern society women could not get. Some of these prospered a lot and set the precedent in for the next generations.
Maria Elisabeth: Many of the problems with respect to the freedom of women were because of the fact that men were considered to be biologically superior and stronger than women and hence could do any kind of work.
Queen Victoria: In 19th century social and economic status was not an issue and the ability to survive the status among men was the only problem.
Maria Elisabeth: 18th century also use to deal with the common problem of perception that “a woman’s place is in the home” although African woman were allowed to work in the fields and in the house.
Queen Victoria: 19th century gave the freedom to behave in a certain manner and still be considered as lady.
Maria Elisabeth: White women were the only women who could find employment as maids, seamstresses, laundresses and cooks.
Queen Victoria: I wanted women to play much larger role in terms of decision making in the family and in her children’s life.
Maria Elisabeth: My opinion about the desired role would be to take care of her life and become independent to do whatever she wanted to become in life.
Queen Victoria: Women in 21st century is playing all-encompassing roles as seen in many households where they earn, look after children and also take care of household chores.
Maria Elisabeth: Also, there has been considerable change in proportion of women in the management and ruling roles which is a testimony of the fact that men are accepting them as the equal counterparts.
Queen Victoria: Although society has come a long way since women did not even have the voting rights, but still, not all communities accept the equality of gender and so there is a huge scope of improvement in the status of women.
Maria Elisabeth: Yes! I agree with you. Unless all the communities in the west provide equal opportunities to women to progress, the world will still be ruled by the men.

REFERENCES
Henry M. Sayre (Feb 28, 2011), The Humanities: Culture, Continuity and Change, 1800 to 1900 (2nd Edition)
Victoria 's journal, 25 April 1838, quoted in Woodham-Smith
Bagehot, Walter (1867) The English Constitution, London: Chapman and Hall
Jone Johnson Lewis, Women Rulers of the Eighteenth Century, Queens, Empresses, Other Women Rulers 1700 - 1800