CHANGING ROLE OF BRITISH WOMEN - PHILOSOPHY & REALITY

CHANGING ROLE OF BRITISH WOMEN - PHILOSOPHY & REALITY

1. ANGEL IN THE HOUSE

   • Idea that all women should be married, altruistic, domesticated & supporting figures of their husbands
     • Middle class - ACHIEVABLE as they could maintain youthful appearance whilst maintaining home with domestic sevice
     • Working class - Difficult to achieve as many had to work to survive

2. SEPERATE SPHERES

   • PUBLIC SPHERE - MALE DOMINATED - Politics, paid work, leisure, government, law/medical, policing profession
   • PRIVATE SPHERE - FEMALE DOMINATED - Child rearing, housework, charity, fundraising, church

3. TRUE SOCIETY

   • Some women DIDN'T FIT IDEOLOGY
     • In 1851 - 29% OF WOMEN who are 20+ UNMARRIED
     • In 1851, 25.7% OF WOMEN WORKING. BY 1852 - INCREASED TO 26.3%
     • 1871 - 2/3 of women aged 20 - 24 years SINGLE
     • For every 3 women - 2 were unmarried/widowed
   • REASONS FOR WOMEN NOT FITTING IDEOLOGY
     • Due to SURPLUS OF WOMEN
     • Men of marriageable age moving away i.e. in 1861, 124000 men moving away against 41000 women
     • Increased infant mortality in BOYS