Societal Expectations Of Women In The 19th Century

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Societal expectations of wives during the 19th century ranged from beauty, domestic abilities, and to education. Being able to succeed in these expectations a woman could be able to attract a husband. Women were to acquiesce with their husbands and help their marriage thrive. To be a proficient wife and be a success in society’s eyes would be a challenge. By 19th century standards Georgiana had failed as a wife. A woman’s natural way to attract a husband relied on her beauty. Beauty played a major role in how women were viewed in society, it could be their flaw that would cast their downfall. Education among women depended on their social status, although an ability women should have been able to share was their domestic abilities. One indiscretion, trivial by today's standards, would be her downfall, and there was no place in polite society for a fallen woman. (Ushistory.org”). Failure to achieve the expectations set by society, women were unsuccessful as a wife. Nathaniel Hawthorne states in “The Birthmark”, a short story, Some fastidious persons...affirmed that the bloody hand, as they chose to call it, …show more content…

In the 19th century, education was more common among men because it gave them the opportunity to maintain and provide for the household. Female’s education consisted occasionally of reading, singing and mostly of domestic abilities which would attract a husband. A woman being more astute than a male was frowned upon because males were superior to women and women were to be weaker. (Hughes). Therefore resulting in women’s labor being consistent in focusing on the household. In Page seven in“The Birthmark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Georgiana is caught by Aylmer reading Aylmer’s books which arises a conflict between the married couple. Georgiana’s knowledge results in her displeasing her husband which is the opposite of what wives are meant to do, please their

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