Beauvoir The Married Woman

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Washing, ironing, sweeping, ferreting out the rolls of lint from under wardrobes—all this halting of decay is also the denial of life; for time simultaneously creates and destroys, and only its negative aspect concerns the housekeeper” (Beauvoir 380). "The Married Woman" is a chapter in Simone de Beauvoir’s book, The Second Sex, which demonstrates her negative thoughts about marriage and the overall treatment of a married woman. I agree with Beauvoir’s argument concerning the inequalities between spouses and the exaggeration of house work because of the time the book was written. In 1950, women’s roles were greatly changed because the men came back from war and took their jobs back. During World War II, women had taken men’s jobs while they …show more content…

As I explained in the first paragraph, due to the time period and world event, women were kicked out of the factory jobs because the men came back from war and needed a job. Ultimately, women were back at home cleaning and caring for their children. In the last paragraph, Beauvoir says, “…women’s work within the home gives her no autonomy; it is not directly used to society, it does not open out on the future, it produces nothing” (384). A women’s hard work at home does not impact society in a negative or positive way, it is essentially meaningless. While, we can assume work produced by the husband is very important for his family. Simone continues to state, “…her [the married women] occupation makes her dependent upon her husband and children: she is justified through them; but in their lives she is only inessential intermediary” (384). In the final analysis, it is apparent that the treatment of a married women in the mid-1900s was poor. They were not credited for their hard work and contributions in and out of home. "The Married Woman" is a chapter in Simone de Beauvoir’s book, The Second Sex, which demonstrates her negative thoughts about marriage and the overall treatment of a married woman. I agree with Beauvoir’s argument concerning the inequalities between spouses and the exaggeration of house work because of the time the book was