Women During The Nineteenth Century - 1562 Words

Women both in Europe and America during the nineteenth century were living in a society that was characterised by gender inequality (Wwnorton.com, 2015). In the early periods of the century, women were expected to remain passive and subservient to the male counterparts. They were denied many of the legal, social, or even political rights, which in the modern world we consider as a right (Wwnorton.com, 2015). Thus, generally speaking women who belonged to the middle and upper classes remained home; they were expected to care for their children and run the household. In contrast, lower class women worked more frequently and so had other roles to play in society, which was outside the home. However they were likely to be poorly paid servants†¦show more content†¦The roles of women were undergoing significant change, and so therefore many of the writers reflect this change in their writing, and so we see different explorations of the roles of women in society. Many of the writers in the nineteenth century explored the role that women played in society. The historical changes that occurred in this period prompted much discussion and argument about the nature and role women played in society. The reform bills of 1932 and 1867 stimulated the discussion of women’s political rights (Wwnorton.com, p. 418). These changes inevitably were reflected in the works of many of the nineteenth century writers, as the industrial revolution presented a challenge to the traditional perceptions of the female stereotype. Emily Bronte’s ‘Jane Eyre’ being a very prominent work of literature at the time, as she challenged stereotypes by creating a female heroine that did not meet the social conventions of a woman living in the nineteenth century. The female protagonist Jane ‘articulates passionately the view that women are not different from men, but need a field of action as much as their brothers’ (Wwnorton.com, p. 420). Bronte presents to her readers a character that challenges the notion that women depend on men, and so we see Jane striving for independence. Bronte challenges the Victorian ideals as her character Jane finds love on an equal basis, and not for financial security, which was an important feature in Victorian society. This