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The societal and political atmosphere for women was severely limited; women were expected to be homemakers and were frowned upon for working outside of the home if they were married1. They could
Those that did not have husbands to do so, despite wealth, were
Problems of British Settlers in Early 17th Century Going to another country or land always means to explore or advent. By viewing the new world can open people’s mind, especially for people who remain in the same place for a long time. Because of the advanced technology and the development of the map, British people started to explore America in the early 17th. However, starvation during the winters, no central authority, and low quantity of the population were some of the major issues British settlers had when they tried to settle at the beginning. Without a central authority would be hard to settle and build up the foundation of civilization in a new land.
There were four main social classes existing in the south during the Antebellum time period. At the very top were large plantation owners who usually owned over fifty slaves. Right below them were small slave owners who had around twenty slaves. Next were Yeomen farmers and freed slaves. The Yeomen farmers were the largest social class out of these four.
Imagine working sixteen hours a day in an unsanitary, dangerous, place for a big business gaining two dollars. This is what laboring-class Americans had to go through during the Gilded age. Politically, the first largest American labor union was formed during the Gilded age and many other organizations formed as well as violent strikes. Socially, different ethnics joined together to share their thoughts and realize the evils of big business and of the federal government. Mentally, most we 're losing their personal life while some were financially stable and glad.
The Gilded Age was an age of rapid economic growth. Railroads, factories, and mines were slowly popping up across the country, creating a variety of new opportunities for entrepreneurs and laborers alike. These new inventions and opportunities created “...an unprecedented accumulation of wealth” (GML, 601). But the transition of America from a small farming based nation to a powerful industrial one created a huge rift between social classes. Most people were either filthy rich or dirt poor, with workers being the latter.
Work Cited Madland, David. " Growth and the Middle Class." Democracy Journal. 04 Mar. 2011. Web.
Essentially, marriage in the 1700’s was seen merely as a means of birthing heirs and finding a way to financially support yourself, so it resulted in both men and women being devalued. It is universally known that women were often treated as inept and helpless rather than sophisticated people with autonomy and capabilities. In fact, during this time, “married women were consistently compared with minor children and the insane-- both categories of people considered incapable of caring for themselves. To marry a woman was, in one sense, to ‘adopt’ her-- or at least to adopt responsibility for all the circumstances of life with which she entered the marriage” (Teachman 39). Furthermore, when women got married, they would legally cease to exist.
The middle class was an important group because they often held important jobs that society could not function without. For example, some of the middle class were doctors and lawyers. This group was similar to the aristocrats because they too had similar beliefs and ideas. They too also owned slaves, but only a few each and they were well off because they had decent income.
During the Victorian Era, marriage was important, but it was crucial who one was marrying. Social class was what men and woman looked for. One can marry someone who they didn't love as long as they had wealth. Heritage had to be passed on to both future and present generations. Love shouldn't have to do with how much money one has.
Women in this time were expected to be the ones to take care of their children so even if there was an opportunity to get a job the wife normally couldn’t since most wives were stay-at-home wives. The husbands are normally seen as the man of the house and this was especially true in the late 1800s. They were known to be the ones who were in control of everything and the women had to listen to them because that was expected of them. So when their husbands didn’t allow them to obtain a job the wives had no choice but to listen to them. The husband preferred for their wives to take care of their child since there was nobody else that could take care of them and that was a norm for women.
In the case of the Bennet daughter’s, their father had a small yearly income, therefore, being less favorable to marry to a higher social class. The first paragraph in the novel, “Pride and Prejudice” it is states that (a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.) (3). Women of this period, didn’t have fortune, nor could they possess property, therefore, becoming someone’s wife would assure them a future.
The Reverberation of Mary Wollstonecraft in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice Mary Wollstonecraft’s A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792) has often been regarded as one of the most influential and important articulations in the history of feminist theory. Wollstonecraft, addressing such issues as education, politics and marriage and debunking the myths of female frailties, vehemently argues for the rights of women and the equality of the sexes. In particular, Wollstonecraft’s views on marriage are continuously echoed throughout Jane Austen’s beloved novel, Pride and Prejudice (1812). Wollstonecraft’s notion that marriage should be based on friendship and respect rather than economic security or physical attraction is an ideal epitomized by the nuptials between Pride and Prejudice’s two leading characters, Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. Matrimony in eighteenth and nineteenth century England played a significant role in the lives of women.
My family is middle class. I did not quite have the extraordinary up bringing that prince William did with his endless opportunities, but my parents always paid the bills on time, many family vacations (within the states) and there was always enough for on the table. Since I did not grow up quite as wealthy as the royal family my parents instilled a since of money value and responsibility in me. That if I wanted the next best thing out on the market that I would have to get a job and save my own money to purchase it, that If I had a car it was my responsibility to put gas in it. I believe Prince William was very brave to go against his culture by marrying a common girl, and gives me hope that everyone one day will have the opportunity to marry
Eliza Haywood’s Fantomina; or, Love in a Maze is about unnamed young woman who changes her identity multiple times in order to maintain a relationship with the man she loves. Her high standing social class does not allow her to freely communicate with men. This issue prompts her to disguise herself as prostitute for the chance to be with Beauplaisir. The restrictions set by society heighten her curiosity and desire for love—it becomes her biggest yearning. The extreme measures this woman takes throughout the story demonstrates how society made finding a sensual relationship extremely difficult, if not impossible, for high classed women during the eighteenth century.
