A Better Opportunity For Women In The 19th Century Analysis

The Convent: A Better Opportunity for Women in the Nineteenth Century
At the time of Confederation Canada was a male dominated society. There were few opportunities for women in the nineteenth century. Women were only seen as extensions of their husbands or fathers. Their roles in society were considered only part of the “domestic sphere.”1 They were expected to be housekeepers, child bearers and tenders to their husband and children. They had no rights as human beings and were not a seen as individuals. Opportunities for improvement as anything other than a wife and mother were nonexistent. Women had to get married and raise a family, this was what was expected of them, and one of the only choices that they had. There were few opportunities
Getting married and having a large family was one of the only options. There were no opportunities for women. They were only seen as extensions of their husbands or fathers. Almost all women married that lived in Canada at this time. Spinsters, women that did not marry were shunned and were considered even less of a person that women that married “…over 95 percent of women married, because not to marry was to be left to their own devices in a patriarch society in which spinsterhood was tantamount failure”15 Marriage, and raising children was not easy. Women marriage young to ensure their livelihood, and most of the time they did not marry for love but for convenience. Women’s work did not only include tending to the household, but a whole extended list of jobs. If their husbands were farmers they would have to help with outside work such as milking, gardening, taking care of animals, feeding hired hands, and making clothing.16 If husbands were fishermen they would have to help clean, salt and sell the fish at market.17 These tasks were expected of them, and sometimes extremely labour intensive. There was no time for themselves as their life revolved around the needs or their husbands, families and sometime extended family. Nuns had the ability avoid marriage and having children. They were able to lead more fulfilling enjoyable lives through their marriage to God. Their choice to become a nun enabled them to avoid the pain and horrible conditions that surrounded childbirth. They did not have to risk their lives to bear their husbands children. Nuns were also involved in charity work with the needy.18 They were able to find worth in the jobs that they did to help others. They also encouraged to exploring other talents that a married women with women would never have the opportunity to do. “…the community encouraged talented women to develop their literary and