True Woman by Rev J.D.

¶ … True Woman by Rev J.D. Fulton. Specifically it will contain a book review of the book. "The True Woman" was written in 1869 and contains 65 pages in the online .pdf version. This is a non-fiction book that looks at the duties of women in the 19th century.

This is a very traditional, Christian look at a woman's life in America during the 19th century. The author is a spiritual man, a reverend, who believes it is the woman's duty to understand her husband, take care of the home, and help manage a business. The Reverend writes, "A man full of thought and of genius requires for a wife, not only one who can understand his moods and enjoy his creations, but one who is content to take care of the home, and, perhaps, to manage the business affairs" (Fulton 4). However, he also believes that husband and wife should have esteem for each other and respect each other, in his own version of equality of the sexes, and he believes they should certainly love each other, along with a relationship based on spirituality.

While the book is extremely traditional in most ways, the reverend also offers some startling ideas if you consider the time he wrote the book. He writes, "Soul marries soul. If a white man loves the soul of a black woman, there is no law in God's code forbidding the union. God made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth" (Fulton 6). Considering this book came just five years after the end of the American Civil War, when racial tensions were extremely high, this is a very progressive and even liberal idea that might have shocked many people of the time. Ultimately, he feels that the Bible says woman was God's first gift to man, and that they should unite to provide a comfortable home, Christian values, and develop a relationship based on affection, spirituality, support, and love. While the author's language and some of his ideas may seem old-fashioned, the overall theme and purpose of the book is surprisingly relevant even today in many respects.

However, there are some glaring opinions that seem extremely out-of-date today. The author continues, "Woman cannot compete with man in a long course of mental labor. The female mind is rather quiet and timid than fiery and driving" (Fulton 12). Many women would find that statement offensive today, and it might turn them against the rest of the more positive messages this book contains.