What Should We Do With Women?

    The role of a woman is something that has been debated for centuries. Those who lived in the Victorian era, however, had several questions about women. What is their role as a wife, mother, and daughter? Should women be educated? Should they be allowed to vote? Okay, that was a stupid question, we have to wait much longer for that to be taken seriously. There are several different pieces on women's issues, and though they fight for different things, most pieces agree that a woman's place is in the home. 

    The first piece I read is by Sarah Stickney Ellis. Her piece begins with a clear statement saying “To men belongs the potent- (I had almost said the omnipotent) consideration of worldly aggrandizement; and it is constantly misleading their steps…”. She is saying that men have too much power in the world and it is causing them to become blind to what is happening. Ellis argues for the education of women so that they can better guide men in the world, and so that a woman knows “what she ought to be”. Like many women before her, she argues that women should be educated on how to be better women. This is, however, a step towards actual education for women. 

Though not entirely for feminism,
Queen Victoria had several
thoughts on marriage.

     Next is "The Angel in the House" by Coventry Patmore. Although this does celebrate his marriage, it shows that a woman's place is in the house. He says that it his "chosen task/to sing her worth as Maid and Wife". Although he is celebrating his wife through this poem, she is nothing more than his wife. Sure, she is pretty and kindhearted, but she is also meek and that is why she just does work around the house. There is a role for women, but that does not exceed household duties and just being admired by others.  

     Dinah Maria Mulock had a voice to add in A Woman's Thoughts about Women. She believes that men and women are not equal, except for the fact that both have "the right of having something to do". She says that after being educated, boys "plunge into life" and women "come home, and stay at home". Both men and women need something to do, they have a right of contributing to society. She does not believe there is a definite answer to this. Some women will choose to do things close to home, such as caring for a child or parent. Other women will do work outside the home with the care that only a woman can offer. Mulock does not believe that a woman's life should be chronicled, instead it is only important if the woman knows she has done what she possibly could. This is an important step for women. It encourages them to go beyond their education, even if they still do work at home, and to do whatever will make them feel fulfilled. 

    The last person I want to mention is Walter Besant. I believe he made some of the largest improvements in the way women are seen. In The Queen's Reign, he begins by saying that women cannot currently hold a place in Law or in the Church, but he believes that "some day she will get over this restriction". Even though the time for women to be an important figure is not 1897, changes will happen. He is an advocate for the education of women and he believes that this can help them be successful. He goes beyond the woman's role being in the home, just as Mulock attempts to. He writes about the restrictions women have overcome, such as being able to practice medicine, journalism, music, etc. They do not hold high places in these professions yet, but he knows they are making progress. He believes that one day soon women will be seen as someone who can "protect herself perfectly well" instead of as a housewife who must be protected. He is one person who showed that it is okay for men to be, dare I say, feminists. Feminism was beginning to rise greatly around this time and Besant added to this.  

     It has been a long fight for women to gain any freedom, but thankfully there has been a great amount of progress made. For instance, women have the right to be educated and finally we can vote. That took longer than it should have. Sure, there are still some fights going on, like fair wages for women, but there is finally an understanding about what roles women hold. The future looks pretty good for us ladies. Perhaps we owe a little thanks to those in the Victorian era.

Here is an interesting article from BBC that talks about the roles of women in the Victorian era, and the change that began around 1900, right at the end of the Victorian era.