The Victorian Housewife In The 20th Century

The Victorian Housewife
The Victorian housewife of the 20th century was the key person in insuring the success of the Victorian family. Fit with cash, they were able to purchase the new advances in homecare such as appliances that would enable them to run their home efficiently. The Victorian housewife served five main roles, such as: a financial manager, a secretary and coordinator, a maternal role, a manager of religious and public-service obligations, and a protector of family health. As a financial manager, the housewife used funds to pay for home expenses, medical care, and household necessities (including the use of servants). When a secretary and coordinator she would set up recreation activities for her children and family get-togethers. As a maternal role she dealt with the consequences of sexual endeavors, such as pregnancy. Playing a manager of religious and public-service obligations, the housewife kept her children on track with their prayers and had them practice good morals. When protecting their family’s health it was hard for the housewife because of state-of-the art medicine in 1857. These key roles were among the many that the Victorian housewife served as in the 20th century.
As a Victorian woman of the 20th century, the housewife had to manage her family’s financials and expenses. Most women, at this point of history, did not have much experience at being a manager of the family. Women had to learn how to finance on the job. Managing money especially was a difficult task because as a woman back then, she had to choose what priorities to servants and expenses. Under servants they had to worry about their wages, food for them, and what days they would work. Under expenses they had to worry ab...

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...shing animal shelters, putting up drinking fountains for horses, establishing libraries and training schools, helping in soup kitchens, working in isolation hospitals, setting up residential homes for the blind, assisting in reformatories and many more
(Draznin 146)
In conclusion woman was a key person in insuring the success of the Victorian household. She played the roles of a financial manager using funds to pay for home expenses, medical care, and household necessities. Then played a maternal role as a bride and dealing with birth-control. The woman took care of her family’s health and her own. Then when still playing an important role, the Victorian housewife set up fun activity’s for her children and her family.
Finally, the woman tried to lead her children into a spiritual and good life by being their manager of religious and charitable obligations.