Difference between revisions of "426--Week 3 Questions/Comments--Tuesday"
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The chapters from American Manhood highlight gender differences through marriage and work. It made me very glad to be living today, not in the 19th Century. Women were subject to their husband's demands and needs, though some were lucky to enjoy loving relationships and "flourishing intimacy" with their husbands. I enjoyed reading about the degrees of a marriage in this time. Some were merely a union of persons, and some were partnerships and a system of helpmates. Charles and Persis are the perfect example of the latter. The fact that Charles used his health to seek nurture shows that he may have been dependent on his wife, but didn't want to outwardly reveal it. In addition, men retreated to work to provide for their families and escape "unwelcome thoughts". Men were scared of failure and bankruptcy was seen as failure (not a sometimes too-convenient option like today). Again with the conceptions of gender: men experienced "neurasthenia" from too much work, while women experienced "hysterics". Clearly men and women were on unequal footing.--Amanda | The chapters from American Manhood highlight gender differences through marriage and work. It made me very glad to be living today, not in the 19th Century. Women were subject to their husband's demands and needs, though some were lucky to enjoy loving relationships and "flourishing intimacy" with their husbands. I enjoyed reading about the degrees of a marriage in this time. Some were merely a union of persons, and some were partnerships and a system of helpmates. Charles and Persis are the perfect example of the latter. The fact that Charles used his health to seek nurture shows that he may have been dependent on his wife, but didn't want to outwardly reveal it. In addition, men retreated to work to provide for their families and escape "unwelcome thoughts". Men were scared of failure and bankruptcy was seen as failure (not a sometimes too-convenient option like today). Again with the conceptions of gender: men experienced "neurasthenia" from too much work, while women experienced "hysterics". Clearly men and women were on unequal footing.--Amanda | ||
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| + | Admittedly I am only about 10 pages in, but the focus on men needing to uphold their masculinity really struck me as a bizarre reason to make sure a marriage remained successful. The idea of "proper gender norms" being the most vital part of a relationship just seems counter-intuitive in today's culture where the most important part of (most) marriages is the assurance that both parties are very much in love with each other. My question, however, is thus: were there ever divorces in the 19th century that, while still being the wife's idea, were less about the husband being a generally vice-driven jerk and more about the fact that the wife just flat-out didn't love him anymore? I get the feeling this is a more modern construct, but did it happen "back then" as well? -Cash Nelson | ||
