Difference between revisions of "Week 9 Questions/Comments-327 09"
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Amankarios (Talk | contribs) (→Emma Willard, “Matrimonial Risks,” 1815) |
(→Sarah Connell Ayer, “The Widowed State,” 1832-33) |
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Widowhood in the 19th century has several similarities to widowhood in earlier centuries. Women were dependent on their husbands, and without them they could lose their households and be left to rely on distant relatives for support. In the case of Sarah Connell Ayer, this state and the grief over her husband left her miserable and angst-ridden (not exactly prime material for remarriage!). I’m left wondering what effects companionate marriage had on widowhood for both men and women. If women and men looked for partners on the basis of love and affection, did the loss of those partners create even more grief? -- Taylor Brann | Widowhood in the 19th century has several similarities to widowhood in earlier centuries. Women were dependent on their husbands, and without them they could lose their households and be left to rely on distant relatives for support. In the case of Sarah Connell Ayer, this state and the grief over her husband left her miserable and angst-ridden (not exactly prime material for remarriage!). I’m left wondering what effects companionate marriage had on widowhood for both men and women. If women and men looked for partners on the basis of love and affection, did the loss of those partners create even more grief? -- Taylor Brann | ||
| + | I agree with Kristina that one cannot feel sorry for Sarah Ayer. Sarah mentions that "many years had elapsed" since she saw her family, and when she traveled to see them she "knew none of the passengers on board" (Woloch, 158); The distant relationship from her parents and siblings and her unfamiliarity with those who travel show the restrictions placed on a woman dedicated to her role in the domestic sphere. Also, in the spring after her husband's death, she spends a great deal on time (almost every entry in April) socializing with others in her community. This shows the continual support that the community provided for her. | ||
'''Chapter 8 – School and Mill''' | '''Chapter 8 – School and Mill''' | ||
