The Changing Role Of Women In The 1900's

The role of women has changed over the generations: from Shakespeare’s time of being someone’s property, to the Victorian times as an ideal women, to being rebellious women, to today’s present day that women are permitted to be and do whatever she would like. Women back then, didn’t as much freedom as the women in our today’s generation, the role of women has changed dramatically.

In Shakespeare’s time, the role of women were if they were property to their husbands. They were only to be at their house doing everything a wife should do, like clean, cook, any duties that had to be done. They were to do whatever to please their husbands, which was mostly in sexual ways. In the play Twelfth Night, the Duke Orsino says “For women are as roses, whose

fair flow’r, being once displayed, doth fall that very hour…” (Shakespeare 41). With this quote, it was saying that women were just seen for their beauty at a young age, but once aging, they would lose it all. Which is why many woman got married at a young age. Viola states “Alas, our frailty is the cause, not we, for such as we are made of, such we be…” (Shakespeare 30). Which was explaining how the women are emotionally and weak because of how they see themselves. Men only liked women for their beauty and the young selves. The more beauty they had, the more men wanted them for sexual reasons. After being shipwrecked in a foreign land, Viola says to the sea captain, "I prithee, and I'll pay thee bounteously, conceal me what I am, and be my aid for such disguise as haply shall become the form of my intent. I'll serve this duke..." (Shakespeare 7). Viola dressed as a man for her safety, as sexual ways, to not become a property to a man. During Shakespeare’s period of time, women didn’t have the choice to be or any say to anything. They had to be obedient towards their husband. During Shakespeare times, women were dragged everywhere by their husbands. They didn’t get to say a word, just obey and do what so ever to keep their husbands happy and satisfied. There was no room for any single woman to be independent at the time. In the article “The Status of Women in Shakespeare’s Time”, it says “There were limits, even for women from the upper classes. Their education wasn't preparing them to go on to a university, or to become a doctor, priest, or politician; instead, it was outfitting them for life in the domestic sphere. Rather than history, grammar, and logic...” (paragraph 11).
In Victorian times, 1830’s through 1900’s, the role of women was to be an ideal woman.

As an ideal Victorian woman, according to the article “Women of 50’s” it states that an ideal women “…is a women who was a home loving, loyal to her family, sympathy, sacrifices and supports her husband, and has the same mind and goals set as her husband…” In the book Dracula, Van Helsing says “She is one of God's women, fashioned by his own hand to show us men and other women that there is a heaven where we can enter, and that its light can be here on earth. So true, so sweet, so noble.” (Stoker 201). This quote was towards Mina, who represented the ideal woman. In Dracula, she was the faithful one to her fiancé, Jonathan, while he was away. Even when she didn’t hear anything from him after writing to him, she remained loyal. She was smart, young, had beauty and wanted to help Jonathan through everything. Mina wrote in her journal, “I have been working very hard lately, because I want to keep up with Jonathan's studies, and I have been practicing shorthand very assiduously. When we are married, I shall be able to be useful to Jonathan...” (Stoker 58). Mina was very supportive with Jonathan’s job and tried to keep a mindful to please her husband. "The dear girl was more affectionate with me than ever, and clung to me as though she would detain me..." (Stoker 288). Jonathan wrote in his journal, saying how much Mina was attached to him, her loyalty remained the same as before. Victorian

woman was what was wanted back then, which was anything to or for their husbands. The only time women could’ve worked was when the wars happened, they women education was their education was to take care of their homes, they were taught the easy stuff like French, dancing, drawing, music. But the main thing they were in charge of was to take care of their duties around the house while their husband were at work.
In the 1950’s, the role of women around this time was to do what society placed on them to do what they were expected to do.

Around this time, women revel to have freedom to do what they want to do and be. They rebelled because they were being judged because they were females. According to Juliet Gardiner’s article, she say’s “Women might have had the vote on the same terms as men since 1929, but for most that was pretty well the limit of their equality: working women were paid much less than men and despite the responsibilities and sheer hard graft many had endured in wartime, were still regarded as submissive and inferior beings. Educational opportunities were limited…” (Gardiner 3). Many reasons why women rebel to have the same equality as men. For example, Rosa Parks fought for equality. Society placed on them as if they couldn’t do what males could do. Young mothers were seen and encouraged to stay at home for the family. In an article “Mrs. America: Women’s Roles in the 1950s” it states “women who chose to work when they didn't need the paycheck were often considered selfish, putting themselves before the needs of their family...” (paragraph 6). Females looked like they were trying to be independent instead of depending on a man. Once women were tired of being treated unfair against males, they rebelled to have equality as men as in jobs, wages in their jobs, to not discriminate them just because they were women and society made them look like something that they may

not want to do.
Today, women have the freedom to do whatever they desire. They could be a housewife, or can go on to school and become what they want. In the article, “Short Paragraph on Role of Women in Today’s Society” it says “A woman today no longer lags behind the man in the most occupations...” (Gyan 1). This statement means that women today don’t have to be dragged around like they were back then, not being taken granted for. Women today actually have to chance to be a house wife like back then and something in life, like to start a career. A perfect example is Michelle Obama. Mrs. Obama is the first lady but she was a mother, a wife, lawyer and a public servant. In the article of “First Lady Michelle Obama”, it says “Mrs. Obama decided her true calling was working with people to serve their communities and their neighbors…” (paragraph 5). This proves that even if Mrs. Obama is busy being a mother and a wife, she still has time to help other around her community for anybody needs. She is a great example as how today’s role for women changed. Women can continue going on to school and start a career for a better future. Today’s society, women are taking over many jobs. To the article, “As Women Take Over a Male-Dominated Field, the Pay drops”, quotes “Women over all now obtain more education than men and have almost as much work experience. Women moved from clerical to managerial jobs and became slightly more likely than men to be union members…” (Miller 1). Women are taking over men jobs too, when they used to be discriminated for not being men, but today many women’s are the ones who run the companies. Women today can even join the any type of military branch. They can become doctors, teachers, mechanics, any jobs that many men can do. They can do whatever they like without getting told anything.
As back during Shakespeare years, through Victorian times, to the 1950’s, to today, the role of women has changed from being a man’s property, to becoming an ideal women, to being a rebellious woman, and in today for being whatever you want or like to do. The role of women has changed dramatically for only being loved for the youth and beauty, to being the perfect ideal Victorian women who does many things for the husband as support and to be in the same interests as them, to being the women that society placed on them, to having the freedom to be and do whatever the women would want to do and still be a house wife. Many women’s are something in life and others are still house wives, just depends what the women chose to do.