Home > The Literary Salon > Gender Roles >
Men vs. Women

Men vs. Women

Men were the “stronger” sex – intelligent, courageous and determined. By nature, they were supposed to be aggressive, ruling over their wives and owning all property. Men were the primary wage earners and the public face of the family to the rest of the world. They had abilities that far exceeded those of women, and had the opportunity to better themselves by pursuing education, accessing professional fields, and becoming involved in political activity. They were also responsible for defining the social and personal roles of the women in their lives. As Elizabeth Oakes Smith suggested in 1851, this was responsible for diminishing the power of female thought because “men had always defined women’s nature”.

Women were viewed as being governed by their emotions, with a predilection towards proper domestic maintenance. Being responsible for the housework and children required an innate modesty, chastity, and compassion allowing them to provide a value system for their family. To be virtuous, women needed to be pious and accommodating, with a central focus on the “ideal of republican motherhood” portrayed by Roman matrons. A woman’s true value was the combination of a force of mental and emotional qualities culturally defined as “feminine”, such as sympathy and decorum in the face of adversity. Women were able to contribute to public life, but only by adhering to the bounded sphere of what was feminine and private.

>> View images of 18th century attire for men and women.