18th and 19th Century Attitudes Towards Women

18th and 19th Century Attitudes Towards Women

From the author of both sources we can immediately gather that they

both relate to middle-class women. Working class women were on the

whole illiterate, as they were offered no education, so therefore

would not be purchasing, 'The Magazine of Domestic Economy'. For

Florence Nightingale to be able to write diaries, this demanded a

middle-class upbringing. With the ability of hindsight, we know that

Florence Nightingale was a very unusual woman, as the, 'Lady with the

Lamp' tendered to many injured soldiers in the Crimean war. Despite

experiencing the nurturing into being the 'typical woman', such as

attending tea parties and presenting yourself respectably as a lady,

she seems bored by this monotonous routine, as suggested when she

finishes her entry with the sentence, "And that is all." This clearly

suggests an element of tediousness. Relating to the question, Florence

seems dejected regarding her position in society, and we assume she

wants to defy this dull routine. Indeed she does in her later life,

however she is extraordinary in her choice to pursue that sort of

career. Most children at that age were content in their place in

society, and as ladies, were pleased to be pampered. This is not

because they were lazy and not eager to work, but because they were

nurtured in such a way by their parents, and knew nothing else.

Florence is unusual in her thought patterns, and with the ability of

hindsight, we can safely conclude this. Diaries are personal to the

individual, and this account represents only Florence's view, not the

average 12 year old girl being brought up in a middle-class

background. If you consider source D, a popular magazine is most

likely going to represent the view of the average middle-class lady.

It refers to the luxury and wealth of the home being, 'more deep,

heartfelt and personal interest to us than the public affairs of all

the nations in the world'. This is completely the opposite in the case

of Florence Nightingale, who snubbed the home and turned to public