Mr Griffen Murphy
History Assignment: Victorian Britain
Victorian Britain was in almost all ways a period of oppression and exploration of women. Women in Britain during the Victorian age were seen largely as second class citizens in a so called “man’s worlds.” Women lacked the right to vote and the own property and inherit money once they were married, and where seen as the property of their husband to do almost anything that they so pleased. Though there are many reasons for why we can see that Victorian Britain was a time of exploration for women, in this essay the main points that will be focused on will be, women in the workplace, the role of women in marriage and the view that society had on women and their role within society. After looking at these points one will clearly see that Victorian Britain was a period of oppression and exploration of women.
Societies view on women and their place during Victorian Britain was that of a second class citizen. The view of the time was that women were to marry and to look after their husbands interests. “Women in the Victorian society had one main role in life, which was to marry and take part in their husbands’ interests and business,” (Felicia Appell, Victorian Ideals: The Influence of Society’s Ideals on Victorian Relationships) the idea that a women’s role is that of to serve her husband is a sexist view and does not allow for women to have much control over their own lives. Typically, women were also not allowed to be educated or gain knowledge outside of the home because it was a man’s world. Instead of proper education women before marriage would learn housewife skills such as weaving, cooking, washing, and cleaning. A woman was educated in these areas as it was seen that the home was the right place for her and not to concern herself with other matters. “Her place was in the home, on a veritable pedestal if one could be afforded, and emphatically not in the world of affairs” (Richard D. Altick). One of the popular ideas of
Victorian Britain was in almost all ways a period of oppression and exploration of women. Women in Britain during the Victorian age were seen largely as second class citizens in a so called “man’s worlds.” Women lacked the right to vote and the own property and inherit money once they were married, and where seen as the property of their husband to do almost anything that they so pleased. Though there are many reasons for why we can see that Victorian Britain was a time of exploration for women, in this essay the main points that will be focused on will be, women in the workplace, the role of women in marriage and the view that society had on women and their role within society. After looking at these points one will clearly see that Victorian Britain was a period of oppression and exploration of women.
Societies view on women and their place during Victorian Britain was that of a second class citizen. The view of the time was that women were to marry and to look after their husbands interests. “Women in the Victorian society had one main role in life, which was to marry and take part in their husbands’ interests and business,” (Felicia Appell, Victorian Ideals: The Influence of Society’s Ideals on Victorian Relationships) the idea that a women’s role is that of to serve her husband is a sexist view and does not allow for women to have much control over their own lives. Typically, women were also not allowed to be educated or gain knowledge outside of the home because it was a man’s world. Instead of proper education women before marriage would learn housewife skills such as weaving, cooking, washing, and cleaning. A woman was educated in these areas as it was seen that the home was the right place for her and not to concern herself with other matters. “Her place was in the home, on a veritable pedestal if one could be afforded, and emphatically not in the world of affairs” (Richard D. Altick). One of the popular ideas of