Separate Spheres: Gender Roles In The 19th Century

Stereotypes to Break the Spheres:

The Separate Spheres Ideology

The term “separate spheres” has two parts, the “public sphere” and the “private sphere.” Men spent much of their lives in the “public sphere” which included politics, the economy, and government. While the women were expected to take care of the home, bear children, and help within the church in the “private sphere.” This ideology consumed Europe and North America for several centuries. Women were able to use the stereotypes of nurturing, commitment, and perseverance to their advantage when breaking the “separate spheres.”

Many men and women believed that taking care of the home and family was the “private sphere,” and the “private sphere” was considered the women’s domain up

until the mid-nineteenth century. Home is where the women cleaned, cooked, baked, raised their children, and helped their children with their schoolwork. Women were also thought of as participating in the church and being social in the aspect of conversing with other women. The “public sphere” was more the man’s domain, and he could move without restriction between the spheres at any time without judgment. While the women were taking care of things around the house, men had a more active role in politics and government. The man had the job of making money to support his family.
Men and women have never been physically equal. Men were and often still are, thought of to be physically bigger and stronger than their female counterparts. It was common in the nineteenth century, for a man to be referred to as a “true man” if he lived in a serious, competitive, and aggressive manner. Young boys were raised by their mother from infancy to the age they could attend school and start assisting their father with work. Boys from a middle or upper class family almost always attended school to learn more than just the basics. Once his parents pulled him out of school, he was expected to learn and assist his father or even take over his father’s work. He would then be expected to find a wife and start a family, continuing the cycle.
Because of their “true man” style and their generalized physical dominance, men were supposed to control the “public sphere.” According to Jan Marsh, “The public sphere was man dominated because of the decision-making in political, legal, and economic affairs.” It was expected that the man would take care of the family business or farm. For example, if a family owned and operated a farm, the man would tend to the crops and animals. A “true man” worked very hard to move up the social ladder. They would also take a role in local and national politics, often taking a position in supporting one candidate over another.
Women were generalized as being the spine of society.

Females were stereotyped as nice, took great care of the home, obedient to men, pure in every sense, sincere in their religion, and committed to their families. Although, women were and still are often considered physically weaker than men, Kathryn Hughes mentions in her article, “Gender Roles in the 19th Century,” that women were often viewed as morally superior to their male counterparts. A “true woman” was seen to create order within the home. It was viewed as the least she could do for the money and the social status her husband provided her. Bearing children and raising them to be productive in society, was and still is commonly believed to be the most important “job” a woman could have. If lucky enough during the nineteenth century, young girls may have gotten a small amount of schooling to only learn the basics. Most of the time, they stayed home with their mother, assisting her and learning how to take care of the home or the “private

sphere.”
The “private sphere,” which was considered the women’s realm consisted of caring for the home and children. Eric Foner notes in his book, Give Me Liberty: An American History, that home was the women’s sphere. In their homes, the women cooked and cleaned for the family, did dishes, laundry, raised the children, and taught them basic ideas and principles. Unlike the men’s public sphere, there was no closing time. The private sphere was constant work and being on call 24 hours a day. Making the home run smoothly, took lots of nurturing, commitment, and perseverance. But, together, each concentrating in their separate areas, a wife and husband could make a picture perfect life to the outside world.
For a better understanding, women had a much harder time with housework in the 1800s than many women do now. For instance, houses did not have electricity. There were no electric stoves, no dishwashers, or any other amenity that is now considered common. Radios did not exist in the home during the nineteenth century. On top of that, many women taught their own children, so they would have a basic understanding before entering school. If a child were ill, the mother would respond, and only attend the doctor if it was very serious. Therefore, a mother could expect to care for a sick child throughout the night. While her husband may come home from work to relax and play with the children.
Women were extremely committed to their families. Women would carry the children for nine months, then continue to nurture and raise the children until fully-grown and productive in society. While the children were very young, the mother would stay home and care for them, while the father would head into town and spend much of his time in the public sphere. In families of the lower class, if the family could not afford the basics of life, the women would choose to take a job. She was so committed to her family, she would take a job as a domestic servant, a factory worker, or seamstress because it was “essential for her family’s economic survival.”
Even though the separate spheres ideology was widely practiced throughout the nineteenth century that did not stop some women from exploring and pushing their boundaries. Most women did stay within the home, but according to Foner in Give Me Liberty, “Even though women could not vote, they circulated petitions, marched in political parades, and raised money for political causes.” They were not always welcome, but they continued because they were full of perseverance. Women started to believe that they could only benefit society from within the public sphere. While arguing for their rights within their opposing sphere, they insisted their “in-born maternal instincts” would be a valuable asset; Women’s ability to provide nurturing, care, and organization would improve the public sphere.
Although not generally accepted within the public sphere, many women worked tirelessly to change that. Some women like Catherine Beecher took a small approach. Beecher urged that women should be allowed to teach in the classroom. Women teachers, Beecher claimed, would ingrain the “proper moral code into future generations.” Because women were stereotyped as nurturing and pure, it was very fitting for them to be teaching children.
Hughes in her “Gender Roles in the 19th Century” article, noted that other women simply longed for something more. She included the example for Florence Nightingale, who wanted to help others, but was forced to accompany her mother and sister within the private sphere. Once she was able to leave her home, she became a nurse. Eventually, Nightingale, herself, improved the unsanitary conditions in hospitals and as a result, saving many lives.
Other women continued to pursue a life in the public sphere, more rigorously. Foner powerfully quoted Lydia Maria Child in his book Give Me Liberty, “Either the theory of our government [the democratic principle that government rests on the will of the people] is false, or women have the right to vote.” Overall, many people, of both genders, and all social classes openly supported women in various and changing roles.
Most women who were interested in the public sphere kept their knowledge and opinions between their friends and family.

Foner writes in his book, Give Me Liberty, “Women’s letter and dairies often revealed a keen interest in political issues.” Women who helped with political campaigns would help organize, set goals, and empathize with voters. Showing their more nurturing side against a strong man made the election more personable. In fact, without the votes of many women supporters, Woodrow Wilson, would not have been re-elected as President of the United State in 1916. Women brought a powerful force to their new foreign sector; the public

sphere.
Angelina and Sarah Grimké were sisters from an upper class family and during the 1830s, the pair became very involved in the rights of slaves. They traveled, spreading their thoughts and giving lectures. Ultimately, the Grimké’s were told that their political messages were not something that women should share.
The Grimké sisters were willing to study slavery and look further into the situation than most wealthy families would. They were obviously intrigued and concerned about the slave situation and felt very strongly for them. Together, the girls travel around the country in hopes of activating change. The Grimké’s wanted to help promote anti-slavery, for the slaves that could not speak for themselves. Angelina Grimké was quoted in Give Me Liberty by Foner saying, “Since I engaged in the investigation of the rights of slaves, I have necessarily been led to a better understanding of my own.”
Along with the Grimké’s, there is still yet another example of nurturing, commitment, and perseverance is found within Foner’s Give Me Liberty. Elizabeth Stanton and Lucretia Mott had traveled all the way to London, England from America to participate in the World Anti-Slavery Convention. The two women were attempting to take an active role in anti-slavery, of which they felt very strongly towards. They wanted what was best for the slaves, after all, slave were still humans. Stanton and Mott were not allowed to even enter the convention, solely based on their sex. Anti-slavery was a political topic in the public sphere, which women were not to be associated with.
Yet another example of committed and persevering women are the Lowell Mill Girls. The first female-labor force in America worked in the textile mills located in Lowell, Massachusetts. The “Mill Girls” as they were often referred to, started their own magazine, which published their written works, such as poems and essays. They worked in the textile factory all day, returned home, and studied seriously in the evenings to produce their magazine. Even while working in the factory, they were noted as being “lively, well dressed, and gentile in their appearance,” which was a surprising comment from the factory stigmatism. This proved that women could be working hard and long hours, yet still be a happy and stereotypical woman. The Lowell Offering attracted a wide range audience. Many of their subscribers across America and abroad were simply curious about their lifestyle.
In the breaking of the “separate spheres,” women were able to use the stereotypes of nurturing, commitment, and perseverance to their advantage. The separate spheres ideology dominated much of American life for several centuries. While some of the stereotypes may still be considered normal today, the ideology overall has greatly progressed.