Examining the Cult of Domesticity

During the Antebellum age of America, new values and ideals began to arise. These ideals were reflected in the households of middle class citizens and grouped together to create the “Cult of Domesticity.” The cult helped form the foundation of female inferiority in the male dominated society. As “slaves” to the home, women were to uphold morals that were no longer relevant in the new industrialized world. The ideas that led to this treatment of women were drawn from religion, “scientific studies”, and the Industrial Revolution.

For the longest time, women’s role in society was very narrow and set in stone. Women weren’t given the chance to decide life for their own, and there was a very sharp distinction of gender roles. Women were viewed as inferior, weak, and dependant. They were expected to be responsible for the family and maintainance of the house. But as the 19th century began, so did a drastic change in society. Women started voicing their opinions and seeking change. Trying to break away from this ideology called “cult of domesticity” was a lengthy, burdensome, and demanding struggle.

During the time period from the end of the American Revolution to the Civil War, American womanhood changed greatly. Due to differing beliefs during the time the American women’s ideals became to change. At the time, main beliefs were the “republican motherhood”, or the thought that women had power in the country’s politics in the sense that they raised the next generation, and the “cult of domesticity”, or the thought that women should be submissive, moral, and take care of their husbands and family. These beliefs greatly limited the power of the women in the 18th century. Due to these ideas, such as the “republican motherhood” and “cult of domesticity” during the time period from the American Revolution to the Civil War, women

The United States of America gained a large reputation of equality and social democracy. This was much better at the time than Europe which had less opportunity and was much harder to rise in social status unlike the United States. Although, an entire section of the United States population was cut off from these great improvements and those were women. After the revolution, “republican Motherhood”, the vision of women passing on knowledge to the youth was put on hold in the United States society. The “Cult of Domesticity” had taken women back to their homes to just not do work outside of home. Many people embraced the “Cult of Domesticity” and Republican Motherhood” in order to be apart of a ideal American motherhood. Although, blacks or even lower class women were unable to achieve this because of either economic or public restraint. Educated women that were in the middle or high class had a hard time moving up social class and slaves were often separated from their families holding them away from all of that. A Reformer in (doc 4), Margaret Fuller, is trying to have social and economic equality but it is held back by the “Cult of Domesticity” and “Republican Motherhood”.

The article, The Cult of Womanhood: 1820 - 1860 written by Barbara Welter discusses the philosophy towards women in America during the mid 19th century. A set of demands and expectations based upon four principles: piety, purity, submission and domesticity were placed on women as well as certain behavioral expectations left 19th century women feeling guilty. It also left women feeling this way during the industrialization period as well as having a huge presence of incompatibility with society. Welter shares her viewpoint that the Cult of Womanhood was an attempt to preserve pre modern values in the industrial age. Men held a dominant place in society and continued to prevent new opportunities for women to explore. Narrow minded

Women’s lives were shaped by the “Cult of true Womanhood” where the general belief of a “true” woman was based upon a variety of expectations from women in the 19th century. The criterion was that women should remain pious, pure, submissive and domestic. Women who were outspoken and who participated in public relations were unattractive to men. Women were part of the private sphere in which they took part in house duties and raising children. The status of women in society changed rapidly during the Progressive Era. Women sought job opportunities as clerical workers and others who were of good wealth took the opportunity to pursue a prominent

Early twentieth century America is shaped by World War I , the effects of industrial growth, and a beginning of a new age in literature. Despite movements for progressive reforms like the prohibition of alcohol and the movement for women’s suffrage women’s rights were still limited by traditional gender roles. Women are a “detached portion” of their husbands and expected to submit to his every demand. As result of women being viewed as flighty and emotionally unstable, men must take the dominant role and every decision made in the family is approved by them. Moreover, the purpose of a woman’s life is to maintain a household and birth and care for her

In antebellum America there was little tolerance for autonomous women. Usually females, spanning all classes, were attached to households, dependent on males for status and wealth. Society demanded that domesticity be the woman’s domain, any deviations from this constricting edict was met with disdain. The cultural myth of the model genteel women permeated the fabric of 19th century life. However, with the advent of the Civil

A house is not a home if no one lives there. During the nineteenth century, the same could be said about a woman concerning her role within both society and marriage. The ideology of the Cult of Domesticity, especially prevalent during the late 1800’s, emphasized the notion that a woman’s role falls within the domestic sphere and that females must act in submission to males. One of the expected jobs of a woman included bearing children, despite the fact that new mothers frequently experienced post-partum depression. If a woman were sterile, her purposefulness diminished. While the Cult of Domesticity intended to create obliging and competent wives, women frequently reported feeling trapped or imprisoned within the home and within societal

First and foremost, prior to the 19th century, women lived in a patriarchal system in which their views were constantly ignored and ridiculed. They were denied rights that made it difficult for them to gain any opportunity to perform outside their home. The stereotype in which their gender held at the time made them inferior to men. The “Culture of Domesticity” was the term used to describe a set of beliefs about women and gender roles in America and Great Britain (Cummings 1). The set of beliefs described that since men were busy working, women should be at home. An aspect of the Culture of Domesticity describes the ideal woman. This ideal woman, also called “True Woman”, must uphold “4 main principles: piety, purity, submissiveness, and domesticity” (Cummings 1). The combination of these principles expected a woman to be supportive

This article discusses the changing role of women in America during the 1920s. It talks about the transition in the role of women from their wartime jobs during WWI to their jobs in their homes working as housewives. The article also describes the new norm of women that says women should be nurturing their own children in contrast to women who would hire nursemaids to care for their children. Moreover, the article also describes the new view of women as the topic of sex became less taboo during the 1920s. This article was retrieved from a reputable online database, Explora, but is originally found in the book Failure is Impossible by Martha E. Kendall. In addition, the book this article is found in was published in the 21st century, which contributes

During the early 1800's women were stuck in the Cult of Domesticity. Women had been issued roles as the moral keepers for societies as well as the nonworking house-wives for families. Also, women were considered unequal to their male companions legally and socially. However, women’s efforts during the 1800’s were effective in challenging traditional intellectual, social, economical, and political attitudes about a women’s place in society.

Thesis: A “true women” in the 19th Century was one who was domestic, religious, and chaste. These were virtues established by men but enforced and taught by other women. Women were also told that they were inferior to men and they should accept it and be grateful that someone just loved them.

During the 19th century, men and women were expected to occupy different spheres. Men lived a public life, working and socializing. While women, however, were tasked with taking care of the home. Women had been tasked with this job since, practically, the beginning of civilization. Women were expected to manage the cooking, cleaning, and children. Not only was it a lot of men who occupied this notion, but also a plethora of women.

The “cult of domesticity” is a social system made up of middle-class American Women in the Nineteenth-century that were confined completely at home. This had privatized women’s roles for work, education, and voicing opinions. This gave women a disadvantage unqualified to participate in the realms of politics, commerce, or public service. Women’s roles were viewed by society as raising children, tend to housekeeping, and providing a home in a state of good health and virtue. Being restricted by the cult of domesticity, this encouraged a lot of women to form communities in their homes, to express their moral bravery separate from men in the communal realm. Women became successful in writing, developing their own personal voices, and opinions